From that point on, I settled upon three conclusions from his intimate performance Friday night: he’s regionless, he’s genreless and he might just be the best rapper in the world.ĭon’t get it twisted: Gibbs is constantly repping his hometown of Gary. Gibbs stormed out of the gate with “Rearview,” the intro track to his latest LP and title for the tour. Regardless, the venue was intimate enough of a space to cultivate the hometown vibe and relationship with an already-charged crowd. But, along with Detroit, Columbus was one of the three nearest to where the rapper grew up, all of which occurred over the past three consecutive days.

Two nights prior, Gibbs put on a show in Chicago, by far the closest stop on his “Shadow of a Doubt” tour to his hometown of Gary. So when Gibbs ultimately revealed his face on Friday night at The Basement, the energy flowing throughout the venue had the vibe of a hometown show. He graced the string-heavy soundscapes of Madlib on “Piñata” a couple years back, made Lil Wayne and Drake afterthoughts after freestyling over the beats to “Believe Me” and “0 to 100” on one of Tim Westwood’s crib sessions and has projects inspired by the regional influences and dialects of Outkast in the South and Lauryn Hill on the East Coast. Just like Miller’s on-field excellence, Gibbs’ rapping abilities are indefinable and unprecedented. 1 jersey, whether intentional or not, is fitting, as it’s representative one of the Scarlet and Gray’s most multi-faceted contributors in program history. Gibbs treats the art of rapping like a sport, making him an athlete of sorts.

The first and most obvious reason correlates with the rapper’s approach toward music. The wardrobe was symbolic for many reasons. Following frantic chants of his stage name, Gibbs removed his hoodie, showcasing a black-out Buckeyes Braxton Miller jersey. The Gary, Indiana, rapper eventually gravitated toward the middle of the stage, cloaked in his label ESGN’s apparel. The stage was pitch black, but cell phones and lighters lit by the audience outlined Gibbs’ tall, lean frame. Rapper Freddie Gibbs emerged from the shadows stage left at The Basement just before 10:30 p.m. Concert review: Freddie Gibbs flexes in Columbus, continues to prove rap dominance

Freddie gibbs shadow of a doubt stream