You Only Live 2wice

*2wice* marks Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs’ first offering since being acquitted of sexual assault in 2016—a charge that could’ve landed him in jail for 10 years. The material here is accordingly reflective, tempering Gibbs’ street operas with musings on potential (“Crushed Glass”), parenting (“Homesick”), and growing up (“Alexys”). As always, Gibbs’ raps are low-key but expertly constructed, the work of a guy confident enough to know he doesn’t need to show off.

Gibbs is in full command of his weathered voice and persona, and though its runtime may be short, You Only Live 2wice is a brief showcase of the Indiana rapper at his hardest and most haunting.

No two Pile albums are alike, and that’s what makes hitting play on a new one so exciting. Those first few notes open a door to a new world, one that could only be created by frontman Rick Maguire. With Pile, Maguire is fearless, willing to take country and bluegrass riffs and twist them around noisy post-hardcore and…

Gibbs' first album since being released from jail is overwhelmingly penitent and entirely defined by his imprisonment.

Freddie Gibbs' continued success both in and outside of rap was derailed in June of 2016, following his arrest and detainment in Europe on g...