Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs represents the Midwest gangsta life with top-notch lyrics and a musical versatility that allows him to transcend hip-hop trends.
• Growing up in impoverished Gary, Indiana, Gibbs was inspired by rappers like UGK, The Geto Boys, and 2Pac.
• He signed with Interscope Records in 2006 but was ultimately dropped by the label.
• His 2010 Str8 Killa EP gave him his first placement on the Billboard charts, and 2012’s popular Baby Face Killa mixtape made him famous for deeply personal lyrics depicting real-life experiences, as heard on the track “BFK.”
• In 2013, Gibbs self-released his debut album, ESGN, an abbreviation for “Evil Seeds Grow Naturally.”
• He dropped Piñata, a collaborative album with revered underground hip-hop producer Madlib, in 2014. The pair teamed up again for 2019’s Bandana.
• In 2020, Gibbs joined forces with producer The Alchemist for the album Alfredo, which debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200.