Summary:The third full-length studio release for the rapper features guest appearances from Black Thought, E-40, Tory Lanez, Gucci Mane, Manman Savage, and Dana Williams.
When he ends the album with “Cold Ass Nigga,” the most demonstrably aggressive verse on the album, you realize Shadow of a Doubt isn’t Gibbs flipping to go pop, but a man secure enough in the foundation he has laid to take a leap of faith.
Shadow of a Doubt is a wholly modern affair, featuring beats from Blair Norf and Jay Z’s go-to guy, Mike Dean, and on which Gibbs’s dextrous delivery is encased in minor-chord synths.
Check the great "Extradite" ("Man, I stay on point like icicles") for instant gratification or "Basketball Wives" for an abstract take on the Miguel-flavored bedroom number, then appreciate how this album goes 17 tracks deep and never runs out of inspiration or ideas.
Although Gibbs's lyrics rarely veer beyond their survivalist comfort zones, his innate ability to switch up styles allows him to scale the gaping chasm between Forever And A Day's moody confessions and the unreconstructed boasts of Cold Ass Nigga with ease. [Feb 2016, p.94]
freddie gibbs is the man, he holds his own ground, he does his own **** he kills the game, he might not get as many listeners on this asfreddie gibbs is the man, he holds his own ground, he does his own **** he kills the game, he might not get as many listeners on this as pinata (for obvious reasons) but the quality is STILL there, i wouldnt rate it a 10 though probs a bit above 8. (only gave it a 10 cos freddie is a fkn boss and deserves it still)…Expand
Great album, Gansta Gibbs at his finest. Great beats and flow with amazing lyricism and meaningful content about his life. A must listen forGreat album, Gansta Gibbs at his finest. Great beats and flow with amazing lyricism and meaningful content about his life. A must listen for any true rap enthusiast.…Expand
Another solid effort by Mr. Gibbs after Pinata that comes in with a ton of energy with tracks like "Extradite" ft. Black Thought and **** upAnother solid effort by Mr. Gibbs after Pinata that comes in with a ton of energy with tracks like "Extradite" ft. Black Thought and **** up the Count", but sadly loses a bit of steam towards the end with some mediocre songs like "Basketball Wives".
An overall darker and harder hitting project that comes a bit short of being amazing, but with a competent rapper as Gibbs and fantastic production that fits the dark mood of the album, you cannot go wrong on this one.
Fav Tracks: Extradite, 10 Times, **** up the Count, Mexico
Least Fav Track: Basketball Wives…Expand
It took multiple listens to wrap my head around Shadow of a Doubt. It's nowhere close to perfect, but I still enjoyed most of it. Minus a fewIt took multiple listens to wrap my head around Shadow of a Doubt. It's nowhere close to perfect, but I still enjoyed most of it. Minus a few songs, this would have been one of the best albums of the year. Factoring in the lack of cohesiveness, it's still a great project. In the future, I'd like to see more of Gibbs's softer side, like on the songs "Basketball Wives" and "Insecurities". ~ 7.3/10
(5/5): "Basketball Wives" & "Insecurities"
(4/5): "Careless", "Extradite", "McDuck", "Mexico", "10 Times", "Lately", "Forever And A Day" & "Freddie Gordy"…Expand
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view.
Favourite Songs: Narcos, **** Up the Count, Rearview, Careless, Forever and a Day
Least Favourite Songs: Basketball Wives, Lately, Packages
After the 'Pronto' EP came out in February I became extremely excited for this album; by October I'd pretty much given up hope on hearing it before 2016 but thankfully he finished it and here it is. Although it's not as good as I'd hoped I still like a good portion of it. His flow, in my opinion, is perfect on every single song here- that's probably the reason I could never dislike a Freddie Gibbs project- and he portrays a pretty good image of growing up in the hood with his lyrics but I've heard most of it before so it's not really the main reason I return to the album. I'm not discrediting it but as a white middle class English male I find it completely unrelatable and that applies to a lot of hip hop releases, I'm only mentioning it here because I've seen more of an emphasise put on it by critics. **** Up the Count' has a great beat based off, I think, Nine Inch Nails' 'Right Where It Belongs' ending piano notes which makes me love it even more because NINE INCH NAILS and 'With Teeth' is one of my favourite albums of the 21st century so any samples of it are gonna be appealing to me. Anyway back to the song I should be talking about **** Up the Count', it made me kind of worried when it was released as the first single because there was a bit of auto-tune at the end and I didn't know if the rest of the album would be heavily auto tuned but there was really only 2 bits on the album from what I can remember. One was the hook on 'Mexico' and that was actually a pretty good hook (future level) and the other was on 'Packages' which I didn't like so much because the guy on it just sounded like a bad future rip-off. The album is not as good in terms of production as 'Piñata' because it's not done by Madlib the legendary hip hop producer but a lot of the trap beats from the first half of the album really got me pumped.
Better Than Previous Project?: No
Try This If You Like: 90059 by Jay Rock…Expand
Freddie Gibbs gives us a dark record with Shadow of a Doubt, illustrating the rough pursuit of glory in the streets. As usual, Gibbs deliversFreddie Gibbs gives us a dark record with Shadow of a Doubt, illustrating the rough pursuit of glory in the streets. As usual, Gibbs delivers with hard-hitting and fast paced lyrics. Rapping about drugs and bloodshed, he makes it clear that his ambition is unbreakable. His lyricism doesn't disappoint, but my main issue with the album is the production. Shadow of a Doubt has many producers, which takes away from the cohesiveness of the project. It's less cohesive and organized than Pinata, but the varying production doesn't take too much away from this record since the production is still mostly great. Overall I enjoyed this album. Gangsta Gibbs has always been consistent…Expand
Shadow of a Doubt by Freddie Gibbs isn't nothing special to me. I'm not a big fan of this guy and this album is the same what I expected fromShadow of a Doubt by Freddie Gibbs isn't nothing special to me. I'm not a big fan of this guy and this album is the same what I expected from him. 3/10…Expand
