Freddie Gibbs Has Had Enough of “Gangsta Rap” Label
This is not really a rumor, but it’s got the streets and the blogs buzzing. Word is, Freddie Gibbs recently sat down for a conversation at the University of California, Berkeley, and dropped some heavy truths. The rapper, known for his grit and hardcore raps, shared he’s over being “gangsta.” It has caused some issues…
Freddie, hailing from Gary, Indiana, has evolved over the years. At 41, he’s a father of three and says he’s a “family man.” Some folks in attendance say he even got emotional as he spoke about his journey. By the way, 41 years old is considered middle age!
Gibbs even admitted he’s embarrassed by some of his older music. Not only does he not listen to it, but he doesn’t even want anyone around him playing it. He’s focused on what kind of legacy he’s leaving and I feel him on that!
“I’ma tell you the truth, man, I wish that I could get up and rap about some other s###. I wish that I would’ve made a career of rapping about some funny s### or girls or comedic or any f###### thing but this s###.”
“Every day I think about that. I wish I had a rap career that was not gangsta. I don’t want this s### for myself. I don’t want this s### for my son. I rap about this s### because it consumed me, it’s where I’m from, it’s what I was doing on the daily for two decades.”
“I don’t love it, I don’t love the streets. I don’t give a f### about no street code, I don’t give a f### about none of these n###as in the street. I don’t want y’all to think that I’m rapping about that s### ’cause I’m trying to glorify it; I’m really not.”
“This industry will chew you up and spit you out. For the early part of my career, I thought this is what I had to rap about to make money. Who wants to hear Freddie Gibbs rapping about going to college and getting a degree?”
“My little brother’s a doctor. I don’t envy him because that’s my brother…but I feel like he’s more of the shining star of our family than I am. I feel like I caught a lucky break [in music], to be honest.”
During the talk, Freddie also dropped gems about the music industry and the streets, which have brought him both success and pain. You can check out the full conversation on YouTube, but here are a few highlights from the session:
Drop your thoughts in the comments and let’s talk about it.
And Gibbs…keep your head up!
For the record, this was hard!