Freddie Tipton (born June 14, 1982 in Gary, Indiana), better known as Fredd… Read Full Bio ↴Freddie Tipton (born June 14, 1982 in Gary, Indiana), better known as Freddie Gibbs, is an American rapper who became popular after being included in XXL Magazine's ten Freshmen of 2010. He was previously signed to Interscope Records before being let go from his deal without an official record being released. He has released five mixtapes since his first in 2005 including Live From Gary, Indiana, Big Bizness, The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs, midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik and Str8 Killa No Filla. The Str8 Killa EP was released 3rd August. His debut LP Baby-Faced Killa and The Devil's Palace, a collaborative project with The Alchemist, were both released in 2012. He then would go on to release Cold Day in Hell in 2012, and ESGN in 2013. In 2014, Gibbs released Pinata, a collaborative album with producer Madlib, and The Tonite Show, another collaborative album with The World's Freshest. Gibbs newest album Shadow of a Doubt is planned to best released on November 20th via ESGN / EMPIRE.

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."

Let 'Em Burn
Freddie Gibbs Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Burn mothafucka burn
Burn mothafucka burn
Burn mothafucka burn
I'm made, the shit you mothafuckas can't fade
I'm made, the shit you mothafuckas can't fade
I'm made, the shit you mothafuckas can't fade
I'm made, the shit you mothafuckas can't fade

Jumped up off the porch and threw my nuts down in these streets, dog
Can't lean on my daddy, told my family I'm gon' feed y'all
Bitch niggas can't stand me 'cause I won't live on my knees, dog
Swear they gonna get at me, I'm in your hood
Bitch, I don't see y'all
Gangsta Gibbs from gangsta island, nothing but money piling
To the ceiling is all I'm feeling and all I think about
It's crazy how these controlled substances got us busting shit
I can't control my life, it's in sole control of the government
Across the nation it's plenty niggas in litigation
Snitches cut your throat to cut time and soften their situations
Serving hard or soft you know me I'm dead with them demonstrations
Haters can't contest us, K-Y-S I can feel your frustrations
Yes some niggas tried to murk me
Guess those bullets wasn't meant for me
I'mma catch they ass and burn 'em, you suckas get no sympathy
A menace to my city, I forever live in infamy
And I know your so-called history's a mystery
I'm about to let 'em burn

I show niggas no pity
Run in my fuckin' city
Don't like it, come and get me
Father please forgive me
I'm a gangster, I'm a hustler
Couldn't play me for no sucker
I'll blow the roof up off this mothafucka

Let it burn, burn, mothafucka, burn
Let it burn, burn, mothafucka, burn
Let it burn, burn, mothafucka, burn
Let it burn, burn, mothafucka, burn

We don't need no water
These niggas don't want no drama
I'mma terrorize these streets
Till these fools come get my like Osama
I ain't ducking or hiding
When I'm out here smoking and riding
Heard there's a hit on the babyface, bitch it ain't hard to find him
How often must I remind them gangster shit ain't for play
You write this shit on the paper
But I live that shit every day
I seen the pigs killed my dude in front of his family like some ho
Every time I hit the stage it's four police at all my shows
Mother had him, mother love him
Courts and judges, motherfuck 'em
Thousand grammin' went straight slammin'
In for life, it's corporate thuggin'
Wear the mask, up in all black, you bitches rather be proactive
Talked to Charlie Mack he said I got the city on my back
They call me Bobby Suds since these niggas can't fade me
He got indicted by a snitching bitch named Stacey
I know these rapper niggas that got my brother's skrilla thirty five
Said Fred you hot, so these thug niggas gon' try to be by your side

I show niggas no pity
Run in my fuckin city
Don't like it, come and get me
Father please forgive me
I'm a gangster, I'm a hustler
Couldn't play me for no sucker
I'll blow the roof up off this mothafucka

Let it burn, burn, mothafucka, burn
Let it burn, burn, mothafucka, burn
Let it burn, burn, mothafucka, burn
Let it burn, burn, mothafucka, burn

I'm made, the shit you mothafuckas can't fade
I'm made, the shit you mothafuckas can't fade

I'm made, the shit you mothafuckas can't fade
I'm made, the shit you mothafuckas can't fade

Overall Meaning

In "Let 'Em Burn," Freddie Gibbs delivers a powerful rap describing his experiences as a gangster and the issues he faced living this life. In the chorus, he repeatedly urges listeners to "burn mothafucka burn," perhaps as a call to arms against the system suppressing him. Throughout the verses, Gibbs talks about his tough start in the game and the challenges he faced. He showed no mercy to anyone who disrespected him, using violence to solve his problems instead of choosing the path of peace. He details his rise to success- how he became a gangster from a young age, learned how to hustle and earn big money, and the government's control over his life. He compares his struggles to those of many other Black Americans who have been subjected to institutionalized racism and oppression throughout the country's history.

Gibbs shows his distrust for the government on the line "I can't control my life, it's in sole control of the government." This statement shows his belief that despite the hard work he puts in, external entities dictate the life he leads. He continues, telling his listeners that he is not one of the "suckers" they can prey on because he is a solidified gangster. His violent and unapologetic demeanor is not for the weak-hearted, and he doesn't shy away from a fight. In the outro, he reiterates his fate, portraying his invincibility in the lines, "I'm made, the shit you mothafuckas can't fade. I'm made, the shit you mothafuckas can't fade."

Line by Line Meaning

Burn mothafucka burn
The singer is angry and wants to metaphorically light a fire to show how much they don't care about those they are addressing.

I'm made, the shit you mothafuckas can't fade
The singer is confident in their abilities and suggests that those they are addressing cannot compete with them.

Jumped up off the porch and threw my nuts down in these streets, dog
The singer is emphasizing how they are fearless and started making their mark on the streets at a young age.

Can't lean on my daddy, told my family I'm gon' feed y'all
The artist cannot rely on anyone else for support and feels motivated to provide for their family.

Bitch niggas can't stand me 'cause I won't live on my knees, dog
The artist refuses to bow down to anyone else and asserts their independence, which causes some to dislike them.

Swear they gonna get at me, I'm in your hood / Bitch, I don't see y'all
The singer is not afraid of those who threaten them and feels they are untouchable in their surroundings.

Gangsta Gibbs from gangsta island, nothing but money piling / To the ceiling is all I'm feeling and all I think about
The singer is proud of their gangsta lifestyle and is obsessed with making money and becoming successful.

It's crazy how these controlled substances got us busting shit / I can't control my life, it's in sole control of the government
The artist is commenting on the effects of drugs on individuals and how they feel like they have no control over their own life due to government control.

Across the nation it's plenty niggas in litigation / Snitches cut your throat to cut time and soften their situations
There are many individuals in legal trouble and some of them will betray others to try to improve their own situation.

Serving hard or soft you know me I'm dead with them demonstrations / Haters can't contest us, K-Y-S I can feel your frustrations
The artist is involved in drug dealings of both hard and soft substances and feels that their success frustrates those who dislike them.

Yes some niggas tried to murk me / Guess those bullets wasn't meant for me / I'mma catch they ass and burn 'em, you suckas get no sympathy
Someone attempted to kill the singer, but they survived and plan to take revenge without feeling any remorse for the other person's suffering.

A menace to my city, I forever live in infamy / And I know your so-called history's a mystery / I'm about to let 'em burn
The artist has a reputation as a troublemaker and is aware that many individuals do not actually know their true history. They plan to cause chaos.

We don't need no water / These niggas don't want no drama / I'mma terrorize these streets / Till these fools come get my like Osama
The singer doesn't need others to intervene and feels that those around them are too afraid to confront them. They plan to cause fear in those around them until they are stopped.

I ain't ducking or hiding / When I'm out here smoking and riding / Heard there's a hit on the babyface, bitch it ain't hard to find him
The singer is not trying to avoid anyone and is going about their business as usual. They are aware that someone is trying to kill them and feel indifferent about it.

How often must I remind them gangster shit ain't for play / You write this shit on the paper / But I live that shit every day
The singer is frustrated that others do not seem to understand the dangers and reality of the gangster lifestyle. They live it every day and feel like others trivialize it.

I seen the pigs killed my dude in front of his family like some ho / Every time I hit the stage it's four police at all my shows
The artist witnessed police kill someone they knew in a disrespectful manner and is constantly under police surveillance, even during performances.

Mother had him, mother love him / Courts and judges, motherfuck 'em / Thousand grammin' went straight slammin' / In for life, it's corporate thuggin'
The artist believes that the legal system is corrupt and unfair. They acknowledge their involvement in drug trafficking and feel that it is a result of corporate greed.

Wear the mask, up in all black, you bitches rather be proactive / Talked to Charlie Mack he said I got the city on my back / They call me Bobby Suds since these niggas can't fade me / He got indicted by a snitching bitch named Stacey
The singer is aware that others are jealous of their success and feels that they need to maintain anonymity to stay safe. They received praise from a powerful person in their community and have a nickname that highlights their resilience. A rival was caught because of someone else's betrayal.

I show niggas no pity / Run in my fuckin city / Don't like it, come and get me / Father please forgive me / I'm a gangster, I'm a hustler / Couldn't play me for no sucker / I'll blow the roof up off this mothafucka
The singer is unafraid of anyone who opposes them and is willing to cause destruction to maintain their position. They acknowledge their criminal tendencies but do not want to be taken advantage of by others.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Tipton Fredrick Jamel

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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