Hailing from Gary, Indiana, a place whose murder and crime rates have ranked it several times at the top of the "Most Dangerous Cities" list, Freddie Gibbs is the true definition of a street survivor. Raised on Gary's east side, Gibbs lived the hard life firsthand in a run-down industrial community plagued with vice and ignored by the establishment. After playing at Ball State on a football scholarship, Gibbs was kicked out of college. Over the next few years he went through court-ordered boot camp, joined and got discharged from the military, and held down a series of 9 to 5 jobs without success. Feeling like the system had failed him, Gibbs turned to hustling; pimping and selling crack out of a local house. Inspired by rappers like UGK, The Geto Boys, and 2Pac, Gibbs started rhyming about his life and the issues facing urban youth in Gary and the countless other impoverished cities just like it. Gibbs is the first rapper signed to a major label from Gary.
The Steel City's most famous musical residents to date are the Jackson 5, whose name still adorns a marquee on a falling-apart theater in Gary's blighted downtown. His desire to rep the Midwest and his city led Gibbs to start recording mixtapes and pushing them online as well as the streets, where he quickly began garnering fans drawn to his original style, diverse flows, and deeply personal lyrics about his experience as a young black man growing up below the poverty line in a forgotten American city.
Freddie has worked with respected producers like Madlib, Red Spyda, Just Blaze, Buckwild, the Alchemist, Polow Da Don, and Collipark among many others. Gibbs cites Houston rap and Pac as his major influences, and it shows in his ability to alternate between chillingly tense street stories of violence and laid back comedic tales about women and weed. Ultimately Gibbs shows and proves with his rhymes, which demonstrate the promise of a legend in the making. His skills, wit, and street credibility establish Freddie Gibbs as a true artist. He's ready to represent for Gary, the Midwest, and anyone who relates to the struggle of inner city life. As Gibbs tells it: "My music is definitely on some gangsta shit. That's what I was raised on and what I witnessed. How can I speak on anything else?" "Become a fan now, or become one later."
Midwest Malcolm
Freddie Gibbs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
That gangsta shit, gangsta shit
Some people ain't fit to this shit
Ain't hip to this shit
But you know what I'm sayin
I'm gonna spit this shit
I tell motherfuckers like this
I tell 'em all the time
When the world becomes perfect
Maybe I'll rap about that shit
It's on
And once again I bring niggas the realest
Viciously vivid, straight explosive
Highly explicit got my broke ass off of my
Momma's couch and I started pitchin'
Cause bitches ain't checking for a
Nigga working at the Village
Slanging Volvos
Pushing the bucket sedan four doors
I needed a Lexus coupe sittin' on
20's with a set of MOMOs
A young old soul so I stay in the frame
Let's put this thang up and get some paint
And just throw my shit on them thangs
And I be rollin'
Shine but never let them know
Just what you holdin
Better keep that thing on tuck
I know niggas that's making
Bucks serving cain uncut
Used to pay me to take that
Dust on the Greyhound bus
Now I'm my own man, grown man
Deal with my own dirt
Perfectly pounding the payment and
Purchase my own work
Benefit from the killer shit that's
Making my phone twerk
Say she don't know no Freddie G
Well bitch do your homework
No hoes in my history can shit on Gibbs
Grew up amongst the crack babies
And the flintstone kids
17th and Pennsylvania bitch
My whole fucking block poor
Couldn't afford a baby crib
I slept up in a sock drawer (damn)
Interscope they thought it was a joke
But it was not so
They tried to have a nigga do
That fast food pop flow
I'm secret with ingredients
My lyrics is home cooked
Some reefer and a yellow bitch that's
Thick as a phone book
All I need, a fool with the tools to succeed
Take this G out of me then
You mix it with Cali weed
I would say that this shit turned me to
A monster but bitch I've been a beast
Gangster Gibbs greasy as a
Church's chicken 20-piece
It should be mandatory that
This shit is self-explanatory
Malcolm of the mid
No other nigga in my category
It's mandatory that this
Shit is self-explanatory malcolm of the mid
No other nigga in my category gibbs
The lyrics to Freddie Gibbs's song "Midwest Malcolm" speak to his authenticity as a gangsta rapper and his determination to make it in the music industry. The opening lines suggest that Gibbs acknowledges that his style of music may not resonate with everyone and that he will continue to rap about the harsh realities of the streets until the world becomes a perfect place. This sets the tone for the rest of the song, where Gibbs shares his experiences growing up in a rough neighborhood and his drive to succeed.
Gibbs describes himself as someone who came from humble beginnings, working low-paying jobs and living with his mother. He aspires to escape that lifestyle and make something of himself by hustling on the streets. He notes the importance of appearances, wanting to drive a flashy Lexus with custom rims and paint. Despite his desire for success, Gibbs also recognizes the need for caution and secrecy in his dealings. He has seen the consequences that can come from being involved in illegal activities.
The lyrics also touch on Gibbs's refusal to conform to commercial expectations. He mentions that a record label, Interscope, tried to pigeonhole him into creating mainstream, pop-style music, but he resisted, focusing on his unique style and raw lyrics. He takes pride in his storytelling abilities and the authenticity of his experiences. Gibbs refers to himself as "Malcolm of the Mid," positioning himself as a true representation of the streets and distinguishing himself from other artists in his category.
Overall, "Midwest Malcolm" serves as a declaration of Freddie Gibbs's dedication to his craft, his perseverance through adversity, and his commitment to staying true to himself and his roots in his music.
Line by Line Meaning
Inhale, exhale this shit
Take in and release this gangsta lifestyle
That gangsta shit, gangsta shit
This is that true gangsta music
Some people ain't fit to this shit
Not everyone can handle this lifestyle
Ain't hip to this shit
They don't understand or appreciate it
But you know what I'm sayin
But you understand where I'm coming from
I'm gonna spit this shit
I'm going to rap about this lifestyle
I tell motherfuckers like this
I'm always telling people like this
I tell 'em all the time
I constantly remind them
When the world becomes perfect
If the world was ideal
Maybe I'll rap about that shit
Then I might rap about something else
And once again I bring niggas the realest
Once again, I bring the most authentic rap
Viciously vivid, straight explosive
Raw and powerful expression
Highly explicit got my broke ass off of my
Explicit lyrics helped me escape poverty
Momma's couch and I started pitchin'
I hustled to make a living
Cause bitches ain't checking for a
Because women aren't interested in a
Nigga working at the Village
Man working a low-paying job
Slanging Volvos
Selling drugs
Pushing the bucket sedan four doors
Driving an old, cheap car
I needed a Lexus coupe sittin' on
I wanted a fancy car with
20's with a set of MOMOs
20-inch rims and high-quality tires
A young old soul so I stay in the frame
I have an old-fashioned mindset
Let's put this thang up and get some paint
Let's upgrade the car with new paint
And just throw my shit on them thangs
And show off my new car
And I be rollin'
And I'll be cruising
Shine but never let them know
I'll achieve success, but stay low-key
Just what you holdin
Don't reveal your true wealth
Better keep that thing on tuck
Keep your weapon hidden and ready
I know niggas that's making
I know guys who are making
Bucks serving cain uncut
Lots of money selling pure cocaine
Used to pay me to take that
They paid me to transport
Dust on the Greyhound bus
Drugs on a Greyhound bus
Now I'm my own man, grown man
Now I'm independent, mature
Deal with my own dirt
Handle my own problems
Perfectly pounding the payment and
Flawlessly hustling and
Purchase my own work
Buying and selling my own drugs
Benefit from the killer shit that's
Profiting from the dangerous lifestyle
Making my phone twerk
Getting constant calls for drugs
Say she don't know no Freddie G
Claiming not to know about Freddie G
Well bitch do your homework
Well, girl, do your research
No hoes in my history can shit on Gibbs
No women in my past can criticize me
Grew up amongst the crack babies
Raised in a community plagued by drug addiction
And the Flintstone kids
And those who lived in poverty
17th and Pennsylvania bitch
The neighborhood I come from
My whole fucking block poor
The whole area I grew up in was impoverished
Couldn't afford a baby crib
Couldn't even afford a crib for a baby
I slept up in a sock drawer (damn)
I had to sleep in a drawer, damn
Interscope they thought it was a joke
The record label thought I was a joke
But it was not so
But I proved them wrong
They tried to have a nigga do
They wanted me to make
That fast food pop flow
Mainstream, commercial music
I'm secret with ingredients
I keep my rap style unique
My lyrics is home cooked
My lyrics are authentic and personal
Some reefer and a yellow bitch that's
Some weed and a thick, attractive woman
Thick as a phone book
As curvy as a thick phone directory
All I need, a fool with the tools to succeed
I just need someone who can support my success
Take this G out of me then
Take the gangsta out of me and
You mix it with Cali weed
Combine it with California marijuana
I would say that this shit turned me to
Some might say this lifestyle turned me into
A monster but bitch I've been a beast
A monster, but I've always been a beast
Gangster Gibbs greasy as a
Freddie Gibbs is as gangsta as
Church's chicken 20-piece
A greasy 20-piece chicken meal from Church's
It should be mandatory that
It's necessary and expected that
This shit is self-explanatory
This lifestyle is easy to understand
Malcolm of the mid
The Malcolm X of the Midwest
No other nigga in my category
No one else is on my level
It's mandatory that this
It's crucial that this
Shit is self-explanatory Malcolm of the mid
Lifestyle is self-explanatory for a Malcolm X of the Midwest
No other nigga in my category Gibbs
No one else can compare to Gibbs
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind