Earlier this year, Freddie Gibbs gained some recognition when he became the first unsigned rapper to appear on the cover of the hip-hop magazine XXL, but he seems destined for success when his debut album gets reviewed by the Washington Post, and in it they compare him to 2Pac.
The review of Str8 Killa is nothing but positive, saying that the new rapper has no interest in "hanging out with Weezy" and mentions a history that includes robbing freight trains and a major label deal that turned sour. The reference to Lil Wayne is significant in relating his situation as the reverse of Freddie Gibbs, Wayne having major popularity but a lack of agreement on skill, resulting in his claims to being the "greatest rapper alive" frequently heard but never confirmed. The Post calls Gibbs "an underground sensation beloved by hip-hop fans and indie rockers alike."
During a time of materialism-filled videos and an endless supply of auto-tune on the radio "when gangsta rap has mostly fallen out of favor," Gibbs sounds like the New Depression-era reincarnation of a familiar face. These tough times can easily recall the positive messages delivered about dealing with struggle back around the time of "Troublesome '96," and Gibbs matches up to 2Pac in both sound and subject matter. Maybe a new figure delivering life-like visualizations of street life in the form of gangster rap is exactly what the hip-hop world needs and wants, 2Pac still being the best-selling rapper of all-time. The Post comments on the word-around-the-watercooler comparison by saying that "Gibbs seems less interested in being the savior of 2010 hip-hop than in being the second coming of 2Pac, a comparison that Killa encourages stylistically and narratively."
Enjoy the sounds of 2Pac? Check out Freddie Gibbs.
The Washington Post article: Album review: Freddie Gibbs, "Str8 Killa"
A video-interview with Freddie Gibbs: Freddie Gibbs: Does keeping it real still matter? [XXL Video]
Free download of the Freddie Gibbs mixtape Str8 Killa No Filla: Download Freddie Gibbs's "Str8 Killa No Filla" Now
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