The mean streets of Gary, Indiana revive gangster rap

       Apparently they actually are mean streets.
      
       Freddie Gibbs delivers tales of surviving in the ghetto doing whatever it takes, legal or not, on his debut EP, Str8 Killa, but the difference between his album and what many people call "gangster rap" that's played on the radio is that Freddie depicts the downsides of hustling instead of the bragging rights he gains from doing it. Gibbs manages to have gritty lyrics about life on the streets without glamorizing any part of the lifestyle, which sets him apart from every other rapper trying to break into the industry.  No matter what the content of the songs on the album, he highlights the consequences of hustling for survival and his message is always to keep your head up and try to do what's right.
      
       The first time I heard Freddie Gibbs was when I listened to his track "Close Your Eyes" last year from his first mixtape, The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs.  I could tell he was different by the Ozzy Osborne sample that's used in the hook and actually fits the song really well.  He released that mixtape himself, as well as his second one, Midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik, both in 2009 after first showing promise by being signed to Interscope in 2007 but leaving over disagreements.  He stayed busy recording tracks and was featured on fellow midwest-underground rappers CunninLynguists album Strange Journey:Volume II on the track "Imperial."
       CunninLynguists' producer Kno reunites with Gibbs on Str8 Killa for the track "The Coldest," which gives no less deep of a look into life in the ghetto than any other track on the EP.  The most potent example of that perspective out of all nine tracks has to be "Rock Bottom":

"If you a man, then put some muthafucking food on the table / That's what she said / but still a n**** wasn't able / to get up some bread for the rent, lights, and cable / The gas and water / she's acting like I'm trying to starve her / and I know the baby growing in her belly gotta eat too / Only thing I got left is this gun on my belt / if I can't feed myself how am I going to feed you?"

       That song features "underground king" Bun B of UGK, and other features on the album include Chuck Inglish of The Cool Kids and even Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys laying down a hook.  What makes Freddie Gibbs still underground despite those mainstream features is his refusal to come up with fake themes to make more money, relentlessly relaying his images of true life whenever he picks up a mic.  If Str8 Killa gets him success with the masses, Gibbs doesn't see himself standing among the typical mainstream rappers who are getting promo time on MTV:

"Player haters, fuck 'em / Record labels, fuck 'em / Radio, fuck 'em / All my shit still be bumpin'"

he raps on "National Anthem (Fuck the World)," the track where he details his hometown, his departure from Interscope, and his struggle to become the voice of "the midwest streets."  Gibbs was signed by Decon Records for a single-album deal, and will be looking for new sponsorship for his sophomore release.

       This is the video for  "National Anthem (Fuck the World)" with pretty good production yet not a 24" inch rim or rain-shower of money in sight.