At this point, criticizing Freddie Gibbs is a fairly difficult proposition. It usually comes down to one of three things: I've heard you say this before. This beat is mediocre. Or your guest is lame. Because when it comes to Gibbs himself, he's reached a point where every bar he spits is somewhat unassailable on its own merits. He spits teflon bars, word mazes that feel immaculate the instant they leave his lips. His talent is constantly put on shine when put up against, say, Chicago's Dipset-aspiring L.E.P. Bogus Boys, or even true pros like Planet Asia. The guy throws words together like a five-star chef, crafting unique delicacies out of familiar ingredients and laying them out like a piece of art rather than just another dish.



Str8 Killa No Filla has a few of the aforementioned problems. "In My Hood", for example, appears for at least the third time in Gibbs' discography, this time swapping local Gary talent for big city Chi-town prospects. The result is a very mechanical, maudlin track compared to the original. There are also some songs like "Face Down", "My City", "Goon %#@!" and "Best Friend" that are technically solid, but just don't move the meter much emotionally. This is also one of the first tapes to release after his underground hype reached its apex, so it's got tracks like "Slammin'" that have been floating around since February. I don't generally follow song leaks, so that's not a problem for me, but it's worth noting the tape definitely has more of a, well, tape feel than some might be accustomed to. Gibbs will also let songs ride out and just bluntly end, though, like his "Born 2 Roll" freestyle or "Slammin'".



There aren't a long list of negatives, though. The details in the "Dollar$ 4 Dope" beat are exquisite, and Gibbs continues to sound fantastic over chillwave-esque beats like Statik Selektah's "Serve or Get Served" and "Crushin' Feelin's". "Do Wrong" is another mad dope collaboration with Pill that looks at the flip side of "Run Up to Me", their collaboration on Pill's Refill mixtape. "P.S.A." is another script flip, as Gibbs turns from his straight player persona and opens up to the fact he might eat such an amazing #~!!@ out (if drunk), or even fall in love. Str8 Killa No Filla isn't on the level of his other tapes, but combined with the tracks on the Str8 Killa EP, August 2010 has been about equally as dope for Gibbs as the summer of 2009, and while it's about time he drops that official album, it's really hard to complain about a guy that puts so much obvious work into his craft....full text

Ted-payne

Really anticipated release here! I have been waiting for this for ages. Freddie Gibbs is a rapper out of Gary Indiana and he is ridiculously dope. Got an amazing flow, great lyrics and can really paint a picture with his story telling tracks.

I have heard rumours of an Alchmeist produced EP which would be epic, this EP features a number of producers, but most notably the Blockbeataz out of Alabama.


I think Gibbs is my favorite up and comer. He is right three with J. Cole IMO. Hopefully this EP lives up to my high expectations.


1. Str8 Killa No Filla feat. Big Kill: Yeah Blockbeataz! This beat goes hard. This song in general is hard as hell. Pretty much what I expected from Gibbs and Blockbeataz. This would be insane on a good system. Dunno if I am feeling this Big Kill dude�.yeah not at all.

2. Rep 2 Tha Fullest feat. Jay Rock: Another solid beat, and another unneeded guest appearance. Jay Rock is better than Big Kill but when you have 8 tracks I want to hear Freddie Gibbs.


3. National Anthem: I have herd this before and it is amazing. Great song. Freddie does a great job of painting a picture of his life in Gary. Man he can FLOW! He owns this beat, which is very good in it's own right....full text


Hiphopdx
Boasting a polished midwestern style that effortlessly shifts from rapid fire to slow flow throughout, the Gary, Indiana native laces his Decon Records debut EP -- Str8 Killa -- with unabashedly gangster tales depicting the consequences and repercussions of hustling for survival, never glamorizing the street life's unsavory nature. "My homie's 16 and won't see daylight till he's 64 / That's how we're living though / With limited opportunity / Twisted off reefer / Parents and teachers could not get through to me," he raps over the Block Beattaz' stadium-sized production on album opener "Str8 Killa No Filla." The Jay Rock-assisted "Rep 2 Tha Fullest" reinforces Gangsta Gibbs's intent on showing both halves of the dark side while quickly separating himself from other rappers publicly pimping a life they've never lived. "Rap is for dick suckers and divas / I don't recall these / type of ^!$$%s living and breathing where I reside at...so little ^!$$%s go to school get right / The %#@! I'm doing, ^!$$%, you could do life / Before I picked up a mic I earned my stripes."



Str8 Killa's highpoint comes on the appropriately entitled, LA Riot produced, "National Anthem (f**k The World)," where Gibbs details the dilapidated conditions of his hometown, his eventual dismissal from Interscope Records, and the struggle to make music for "the midwest streets that need [his] voice" -- over a righteously anthemic beat designed to rattle trunks rolling down any highway in America. "Personal OG" provides the obligatory salute to the sticky green, while "The Coldest" and it's radio-ready hook (courtesy of BJ The Chicago Kid) and sublime Kno production adds just as much depth and perspective as any other offering on the EP, proving Gangsta Gibbs can play in the commercial sandbox and still come out clean -- never sacrificing his message for the masses.


And there lies Str8 Killa's lasting legacy: Freddie's ability to delve deeper into the psychology behind the gangster life. He attacks each track with enough angst and honesty to force you to relate to his "struggle" without ever experiencing it personally. The visceral nature of his music is what makes him an artist, not just a rapper. Gibbs largely accomplishes this feat throughout Str8 Killa, but never more potently than on the Bun B-assisted, Beatnik & K-Salaam produced, "Rock Bottom :

"If you a man, then put some muthaf**king food on the table / That's what she said / But still a ^!$$% wasn't able / To get up some bread for the rent, lights and cable / The gas and water / She's acting like I'm trying to starve her / And I know the baby growing in her belly gotta eat too / Only thing I got left is this gun on my belt / If I can't feed myself, how am I going to feed you?"