"Robes" ft. Earl Sweatshirt & Domo Genesis- Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

In 2012 with the release of Domo Genesis and the Alchemist's No Idols tape, the rap world was robbed of a potentially head-turning collabo: the knotty Earl Sweatshirt and rapid-fire Gangsta Gibbs. Both appeared on the well-received album, but the divide between the tracks they're on may as well have been a chasm.

The soulful "Robes" from Freddie Gibbs and Madlib's Piñata acts as a corrective. While Domo Genesis lazily sliding across a hazy beat has become commonplace, it's still disarming to hear O.F. partner Earl Sweatshirt take to it. Even with two phenomenal LPs under his belt, Sweatshirt (to his benefit) has no clearly defined aesthetic. So any new sound is revelatory for the listener and another challenge for Earl to attack and conquer. "I ball because I don't know how to cope with s***," he confesses over muffled horns and blunted drums. Earl's dense lines are as much an attempt to put up walls, as they are a mission to flat-out rap. Gibbs meanwhile is all business. Instead of kicking back and soaking up the track's sunny rays, he's continuing to "make foreign bread" and staying motivated. "I always got a job" he blurts during his dizzying verse. Everyone here is a professional; they're just in different fields.

Piñata is out 3/18 on Madlib’s Madlib Invazion label.

"Deuces"- Freddie Gibbs (Prod. Young Chop)

Gary, Indiana's Freddie Gibbs is a lyrical flamethrower, burning down every track he alights upon with his dexterous double/triple-time flow. Occasionally he slows into a staccato rat-tat-tat that still manages to slay. On tracks like the excellent Madlib-collabo "Harold's" he can be incredibly slippery, though he's often at his very best when he's not sprinting out ahead of you but dancing around you. There's nothing wrong with notching a first-round knockout, it's just that sometimes a well-fought 10 round slugfest is more satisfying. Producer Young Chop best known for the Spartan beats he produces for Chief Keef similarly loves to go straight for the jugular. Why spend worrying about subtlety or nuance when you can coast by on pure brute force? As much as I love Chop's production on "I Don't Like", the slithering "Love Sosa" is far more interesting. The track booms and bangs for sure, but it never feels like it’s going to explode. It hulks, without flying into a fit of rage.

On the one-off collabo "Deuces" the only punches Gibbs and Chop are pulling are jabs rather than full-body shots. "Deuces" imagines a gothic squared circle where twinkling chimes and a tidal synthesizer act as the entry music and thudding bass knocks signal round 1. Gibbs opts for a half-sung hook where he's barely above a whisper, which somehow manages to sound more menacing thanks to the spinal-tingling refrain of "I shot that b**** to deuces". When the verses roll around, Gibbs is tiptoeing with a squad of killers ready to ride or die. Before you know it, they've crept into your house and Young Chop's hollow gong strikes seal your fate. It's the quiet ones you always have to worry about.

Freddie Gibbs and Madlib's collaborative album Piñata is out February 4 through Madlib's Madlib Invazion label.

  

 

"Harold's"- Freddie Gibbs & Madlib

Freddie Gibbs and Madlib serving up a dish called "Harold's" named for a Chicago fried chicken chain is a near perfect recipe. Like a plate piled high with fried chicken the Gary, Indiana rapper's flow is greasy, near to the point of escaping grasp. His staccato rat-a-tat flow punctures any target in its way and continues on through scenes of "weed crumbs on my plush seats" and donning ski-masks to avoid identification. For his part, Cali's mad experimenter Madlib crafts an airtight synth/clap track crispier than a French fry. When Gibbs lobs shots at haters, the booming bass makes the insults that much saltier. Early on in his second verse, Gibbs namechecks KFC and it's an illustrative reference. Gibbs has never been a Fortune 500 entity in the rap game, he's the guy with the mom and pop corner store scraping by. What he and Madlib cook up here is far more nourishing than factory-line fried chicken.

Freddie Gibbs & Madlib's Deeper EP drops tomorrow and their long-awaited Piñata is slated for a 2/4/2014 release through Madlib Invazion. 

   

In Revue- "No Idols"

Odd Future's resident stoner is back at with his sequel to last year's surprisingly solid Under the Influence mixtape. That tape served as a coming out party for Domo, who had previously been relegated to second-tier status in Wolf Gang behind the brasher Tyler and the M.I.A. Earl. And on the manic O.F. Tape Vol. 2, Domo was the clear-cut M.V.P. thoroughly outclassing his "opponents," at every turn. No Idols then, his third official mixtape is his coronation. 

The surprising thing about No Idols, is Domo's decision to partner with producer The Alchemist for the entire tape. The Alchemist has tended to mine the darker side of the stoner rap sound (see the blunted Gangrene project for proof), while Domo tracks typically bathe in warm sunlight and soulful vocals. That this tape is an outright home-run then is something of a minor-miracle. The Alchemist opens the blinds for a few rays of golden sun and Domo continues the solid spitting he's quickly becoming known for. The duo dip their toes in chipmunk soul on "All Alone," thrown off-kilter by vicious wrestling snarls. "Power Ballad," sports wickedly warped guitar and slices of what sounds like xylophone. Snatches of flamenco guitar creep up on "Till the Angels Come," and "The Daily News" plays like the B-side to the Halloween theme, complete with a great WWE Raw shout-out from Domo.  Throw in cohorts Tyler and Earl, mixed with scene-stealing verses from Action Bronson and Spaceghostpurrp, topped off with the phenomenal Freddie Gibbs and you have the recipe for a serious summer treat.

Download link: http://limelinx.com/ds86j

Tracklist: 
1.  Prophecy
2. F**k Everybody Else
3. All Alone
4. Elimination Chamber ft. Earl Sweatshirt, Vince Staples, & Action Bronson
5. Power Ballad ft. Smoke DZA
6. Me and My B***h
7. Till the Angels Come ft. Freddie Gibbs & Prodigy
8. The Daily News ft. Spaceghostpurrp, Earl Sweatshirt, & Action Bronson
9. Gamebreaker ft. Earl Sweatshirt
10. The Feeling
11. No Idols ft. Tyler, The Creator

"Elimination Chamber"

  

     

Gangsta Gibbs

 Gary, Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs.

 Gibbs new mixtape is out now.

Courtesy of Smoking Section:

Gary, Indiana gangsta-rapper Freddie Gibbs' new mixtape Cold Day in Hell is now available. Gibbs has long been promising the tape and now we have another dose of his rapid-fire Midwest-style. The tape features CTE labelmate Young Jeezy, as well as Three 6 Mafia mastermind Juicy J, and Philadelphia rap-stalwart Freeway with production by Big K.R.I.T. and DJ Burn One, amongst others. No word yet on when Gibbs' debut LP Baby-Faced Killa will drop. While waiting on the download, enjoy this cut from the tape.

"Let 'Em Burn"- Cold Day in Hell

 

Breathe In

Cover of dubstep-artist Joker's debut album.

Leading up to his debut full-length album release for 4AD, UK dubstep-king Joker released the title-track for the album, The Vision which is due out November 8th. The original song which featured arresting vocals from Jessie Ware, was labeled by some as "dubstep-pop," an insult of the highest order in the electronically-indebted dubstep community. Well if that was a minor offense, then the recent release of the remix is a cardinal sin. The remix adds a verse by rising Indiana gangsta rapper Freddie Gibbs. While dubstep is no stranger to rap verses, they tend to feature UK artists and then only sparingly. So in a year that has already seen one dubstep artist sing (James Blake) and Kanye West embrace the style on his most recent album (Watch the Throne) I can only imagine what people will say about this. So before the backlash inevitably kicks in from the most pretentious of dubsteppers, enjoy the cut.

"The Vision" ft. Jessie Ware & Freddie Gibbs- The Vision

Joker doing what he does best, manipulating beats beyond all-belief.
As of late, the once reclusive artist has now opened up a lot more to pictures.