Freddie Gibbs: Shadow of a Doubt

Signing with Interscope Records was supposed to be Freddie Gibbs' ticket out of the streets, but as Q-Tip so astutely pointed out on 'The Low End Theory,' record company people can indeed be shady. It took nearly eight years for Gibbs to rebound from his first deal's disappointing outcome, and if he had to do some questionable things to make ends meet during that time, it's hard to fault him.

In fact, it's a big part of what makes Freddie Gibbs credible - the fact that he did a lot of messed-up things in Gary, Indiana while trying to make a name for himself. It's this authenticity that sets him apart from other emcees who may be more polished but lack the same level of grit and street smarts.

The good news is that Freddie Gibbs knows his way around dope beats and lyrics like few others. The bad news is that when you release an album as strong as he did, there's a lot of pressure to follow it up with something just as good - or better. Can Gibbs live up to the hype and deliver another standout effort? Only time will tell, but based on his track record so far, fans have every reason to be optimistic.

Freddie gibbs shadow of a doubt