Artist Freddie Gibbs

Freddie Gibbs plays it smooth and likable as capably as he flaunts his gangsta-tinged Gary, Indiana, pride. After being dropped from Interscope, Gibbs has kept up a spirited stream of self-released, well-received mix-tapes, including Live From Gary, Indiana; The Miseducation Of Freddie Gibbs; The Labels Tryin’ To Kill Me!; and Str8 Killa No Filla. Keeping busy means staying flexible and fun, judging from Labels and Miseducation tracks that find Gibbs holding his own against guests like Devin The Dude and Just Blaze, but especially on his solo “Freestyle” tracks. That wit continues on his Twitter (@FreddieGibbs), where the rapper lays down science about shitty landlords, his undying love for the Chicago Bears, and his 2011 LP, Baby-Faced Killa.

Updated 03/08/2011