If you fed the blueprint for a rapper who was equal parts genius, gangsta, and great into a 3D printer, Freddie Gibbs would be the prototype. Though he was already a legend within the vibrating beehive of hip-hop mixtape culture, Gibbs eventually broke through commercially with Piñata, his 2014 collaboration with crate-digging beatmaster Madlib. The project proved inspiring for both parties, with Gibbs' gritty Gary, Indiana, gangsterisms pushing the intellectual envelope over the Beat Konducta's dusty funk-scapes, earning both well-deserved acclaim. But Freddie hasn't rested on this celebrated laurel—the newfound attention has only ratcheted up the amount of videos, cameos, and mixtape gems that continue to flood the internet, along with official releases like last year's amazing Shadow of a Doubt. It truly does seem like Freddie Gibbs' hustling prowess and lyrical potency are operating in nonstop tandem. CHRIS SUTTON