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."
Robes
Freddie Gibbs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Wearing a smile
You never ever find a frown
You ain't shit if you ain't ever struggled
You gotta put in hard work before you flex your muscles
I see where niggas fall off tryna perfect the puzzle
You ain't gotta like my work shit, respect my hustle
I was a solid hearted mind before I had to grind, my swagger fine
I never had to pack my lines with plastic rhymes
Diamond in the rough, give it time, you'll find your light and shine
This little light of mine, these are our highest times
My third eye divine, I see my skies aligned
I feel like one with the moon but that's some other shit
I stopped caring how people see me and I'm loving it
But no desire for your input, I does my shit
Say what you want but know my ignorance is fucking bliss
They often see what we can't see
Wearing a smile
You never ever find a frown
Pardon the scents
Checking press releases off the beeper like a pimp
Smanging Lever off the strength, threw his demons off the cliff
The scenic route below, tires screaming in the mist
And like the key open the door I twist
The weed I bought because I don't know how to cope with shit
Be easy I could three hit 'em right where his shoulder sit
Maneuver throught the swamp like a four-wheeler
Hitting it quickly after a coarse greeting
Leave like the father I never had or a low Caesar
The son he had but ain't never wanted like cold pizza
Skull and bones out the same closet I grow reefer
The team eatin', cold-hearted, spit feces
They often see what we can't see
Wearing a smile
You never ever find a frown
Fuck every rapper and his entourage
Fuck up the stage and blow dodi smoke on his bodyguards
Nothin' but Cutlasses, Cadillac coupes in my garage
Make foreign bread, get some morning head on the Autobahn
Faces, smiling faces, they keep me motivated
And I got plenty fans but I ain't shit without my haters
Know this pussy A&R that threw some bullshit cross the table
Then next year I still be rappin' and he be fired from his label
Damn, bitch, I'm in the mob, I always got a job
Breakin' down the Keisha gettin' Brandon Marshall for the quad
Brett Favre for the zone, five bags for the whole
Wrist piece solid gold, neck piece arctic froze
Give you the smarts and the parts and also regarding hoes
He chase a bitch but I was chose
I only think of you, on two occasions
That's when I'm drunk and when I'm blazin' up
My Filipino bitch she fly me to LA to fuck
I weigh my options, I'd rather be cookin' cuttin' and weighin' up
Bitch, it's Gibbs!
They often see what we can't see
Wearing a smile
You never ever find a frown
The lyrics to Freddie Gibbs & Madlib's song "Robes" convey a sense of resilience and determination in the face of struggle. The repeated line "They often see what we can't see, wearing a smile, you never ever find a frown" suggests that while the listener may not understand the difficulties the artist has faced, they still present a smiling face to the world.
The first verse of the song highlights the importance of hard work and perseverance in the face of adversity. Gibbs raps about the need to work hard before showing off, and the challenges of perfecting his craft. He also touches on the importance of staying true to oneself and finding one's own path in life.
The second verse delves into the darker side of life, with references to drug use and violence. However, this is still tempered by a sense of triumph and overcoming, as Gibbs rap about "smanging Lever off the strength" and leaving "like the father I never had". This combination of gritty realism and resilience is a hallmark of both Gibbs' lyrics and Madlib's production.
Overall, "Robes" is a song that celebrates the human spirit's ability to overcome adversity and find a way forward. Even in the face of difficult circumstances, the artist presents a resilient and determined face to the world.
Line by Line Meaning
They often see what we can't see
People have insights that are invisible to us
Wearing a smile
It's easy to hide one's emotions behind a smiling facade
You never ever find a frown
Despite the hidden struggles, the rapper doesn't outwardly express negative emotions
You ain't shit if you ain't ever struggled
If you haven't faced adversity, you haven't earned real respect
You gotta put in hard work before you flex your muscles
Achievement only comes with effort and persistence
I see where niggas fall off tryna perfect the puzzle
Some people get lost in trying to be perfect and forget to focus on what really matters
You ain't gotta like my work shit, respect my hustle
Even if people don't appreciate his music, they should acknowledge the rapper's dedication to his craft
I was a solid hearted mind before I had to grind, my swagger fine
The rapper had inner strength before he faced the struggles of life
I never had to pack my lines with plastic rhymes
The rapper doesn't use cheap or fake wordplay in his lyrics
Diamond in the rough, give it time, you'll find your light and shine
Everyone has the potential to be great, but it takes time and effort to realize it
This little light of mine, these are our highest times
The rapper is enjoying the peak of his career and feels accomplished
My third eye divine, I see my skies aligned
The rapper has a sense of clarity and direction in his life
I feel like one with the moon but that's some other shit
The rapper experiences a spiritual connection with the moon
I stopped caring how people see me and I'm loving it
The rapper embraces his true self and doesn't let the opinions of others affect him
But no desire for your input, I does my shit
The rapper doesn't need validation or criticism from others to do what he loves
Say what you want but know my ignorance is fucking bliss
The rapper is content with his own ignorance, even if others don't understand it
Pardon the scents
Apologizing for the marijuana smell
Checking press releases off the beeper like a pimp
Keeping up with important news alerts like a boss
Smanging Lever off the strength, threw his demons off the cliff
Overcoming challenges and defeating personal demons
The scenic route below, tires screaming in the mist
A dramatic and intense driving scene
And like the key open the door I twist
Unlocking doors of opportunity
The weed I bought because I don't know how to cope with shit
Marijuana is the rapper's vice to deal with stress
Be easy I could three hit 'em right where his shoulder sit
The rapper is confident in his fighting skills
Maneuver through the swamp like a four-wheeler
Navigating difficult situations with ease
Hitting it quickly after a coarse greeting
Getting right to business after saying hello
Leave like the father I never had or a low Caesar
Departing with a sense of authority and power
The son he had but ain't never wanted like cold pizza
Feeling unwanted and discarded by one's own father
Skull and bones out the same closet I grow reefer
Mystery and dark secrets, marijuana is grown in the same place
The team eatin', cold-hearted, spit feces
The rapper's crew is doing well and they all have a ruthless attitude
Fuck every rapper and his entourage
Not afraid to diss other rappers and their crew
Fuck up the stage and blow dodi smoke on his bodyguards
Causing mayhem and disrespecting other artists' security
Nothin' but Cutlasses, Cadillac coupes in my garage
The rapper has multiple cars
Make foreign bread, get some morning head on the Autobahn
Living life luxuriously and enjoying exotic experiences
Faces, smiling faces, they keep me motivated
Fans' positive reactions inspire the rapper to keep creating music
And I got plenty fans but I ain't shit without my haters
Acknowledging that even negative attention is still attention
Know this pussy A&R that threw some bullshit cross the table
A music industry executive tried to give the rapper bad advice
Then next year I still be rappin' and he be fired from his label
The rapper is more successful than the executive who tried to give him bad advice
Damn, bitch, I'm in the mob, I always got a job
Being part of the rap community is a job and a lifestyle
Breakin' down the Keisha gettin' Brandon Marshall for the quad
Breaking down marijuana and exchanging it for a quad bike
Brett Favre for the zone, five bags for the whole
Getting high quality weed and paying a lot for it
Wrist piece solid gold, neck piece arctic froze
Wearing expensive jewelry
Give you the smarts and the parts and also regarding hoes
The rapper has knowledge and skills in multiple areas of life, including women
He chase a bitch but I was chose
The rapper is successful with women without having to chase them
I only think of you, on two occasions
The rapper thinks of a special person only when he's under the influence
That's when I'm drunk and when I'm blazin' up
The two occasions are being drunk and getting high
My Filipino bitch she fly me to LA to fuck
The rapper is involved with a woman who is willing to fly him out for sex
I weigh my options, I'd rather be cookin' cuttin' and weighin' up
The rapper prefers his current lifestyle over other possible opportunities
Bitch, it's Gibbs!
Asserting his identity and talent as a rapper
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., EMPIRE PUBLISHING
Written by: Otis Jackson, Fredrick Tipton
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@lukestar2218
Piñata is one of those albums where everyone can have a different favorite song and they're all totally understandable choices
@chrismalone5198
Top 5 best albums I ever heard in my lifetime.
@sansishot748
Deadass my favorite song on the album keeps on switching lmao I honestly can’t say what’s my favorite rn
@herbertgoncalves4345
facts, boy
@okayalex
This one is my fav fs tho
@burbsbeatz5740
rare asf
@musicenlightened2055
Earl sweatshirt verse gave me chills. Lyrics and beat was meant together.
@gabrielflores3578
Erick the fuckin architect
@prim4681
you mean domo genesis?
@poppatato4183
@@prim4681 Nah he meant earl, but domo's verse was dope too