The album cover for Freddie Gibbs’ Freddie pays homage to the late Teddy Pendergrass and is reminiscent of the covers of the soul music - R&B that has helped birth generations. Off that fact alone, there was a very small chance that the album would not be fire. For anyone that has not heard any of Gibbs’ work, it is not too late to become a fan because his style of rap gives that old feel when rappers were really rapping over a track, not just mumbling and a whole bunch of adlibs.
Gibbs’ versatility and flexibility in style shines throughout the album because there are pleasant unexpected sounds as he blends some old and new elements of rap. For example, track eight “Toe Tag” and track nine “FBC” mix the heavy bass of today’s trap music while his patterning of how he delivers his lyrics in the hook sounds like many songs during the early 2000s takeover of Southern rap like T.I and other ATL folk. Now that we touched the topic of heavy bass, be prepared to hear heavy bass in most of the songs notably track two “Automatic” and track three “Death Row.” This isn’t a complaint, just simply a warning for people that are sensitive to heavy bass.
Freddie doesn’t have just one sound or style of instrumentation or topic. The songs in the beginning of the album are much more gritty as they cover drugs, guns, and whatever Midwest slang went over my head. Not only are there blends of current and early 2000’s elements, track four “Triple Threat” is a transition to a more rhythmic sound. It has a real smooth vibe and gives some Bone Thugs and Harmony nostalgia because Gibbs rap/sings (rhythmically raps?) in parts of the song.
“2 Legit” follows with some more of the 90s sound with a sample of Mary J Blige’s “My Life”. LISTEN, as soon as the song begins you might two step in your car, in your house, on your knees…the point is this is one of the songs to get you moving. Plus the Mary J Blige “La di da” in the song takes away from the fact that the song is mostly about drugs and Gibbs’ street lifestyle and not a sunday afternoon drive with your sweetheart.
The interlude “FLFM” is straight-up jokes. It brings some humor and lightheartedness to an otherwise street and gritty album. It is inspired by Silk “If You”, yet another nod to 90’s R&B.
Part of what makes Freddie a good listen is its versatility. “Set Set” has the sound of a lot of today’s Rap so it is catchy and might have you sing along; if you don’t say “Fruit Loops” when the hook comes a second time you’re probably a boring person.
“Diamonds 2” which is the last and one of the most fire songs of the album. Gibbs’ flow on the beat fits perfectly and the verse, which really just sounds like a hook, by Cassie Jo Craig adds more soul and smoothness to the song. His daughter Irie Jane Gibbs’ outro adds a nice touch to the song.
Listening to the album from track one to track ten is great to hear the story of the album, and hear the interlude when it was intended. But once “Diamonds 2” ends and you get back to weight, it might dawn on you that the album is kind of short. Which would’ve been great if it was trash and I had to review it. But since it’s a good project and shows that Freddie and his team weren’t wasting studio time, you might get annoyed to hear you back at the beginning with “Weight”.
Rating: 8.5/10
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