Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs represents the Midwest gangsta life with top-notch lyrics and a musical versatility that allows him to transcend hip-hop trends. • Growing up in impoverished Gary, Indiana, Gibbs was inspired by rappers like UGK, The Geto Boys and 2Pac. • He signed with Interscope Records in 2006 but was ultimately dropped by the label. • His 2010 Str8 Killa EP gave him his first placement on the Billboard charts, and 2012’s popular Baby Face Killa mixtape made him famous for deeply personal lyrics depicting real-life experiences, as heard on the track “BFK”. • In 2013, Gibbs self-released his debut album, ESGN, an abbreviation for “Evil Seeds Grow Naturally”. • He dropped Piñata, a collaborative album with revered underground hip-hop producer Madlib, in 2014. The pair teamed up again for 2019’s Bandana. • In 2020, Gibbs joined forces with producer The Alchemist for the album Alfredo, which debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200.