“The FBI in the states don’t like me, so I’m glad this FBi likes me.”

Freddie Gibbs has performed in Sydney a few times now, but last week was his first time in the FBi studio. As soon as he spoke his first words on air, everyone at the station shut up and cranked the volume to get the full effect of his smooth vocals…

Listen back to the interview above, as Freddie speaks with Shag about his latest record, Shadow of a Doubt, and its evolution from his 2014 collaboration with Madlib, Piñata. He thanks his engineer and old business partner Sid “Speakerbomb” Miller, who helped tailor the sound of the the album. This time around, Freddie explains he’s spent more time constructing different melodies on the new record, which carries a darker sound. And he’s pretty happy with it:

“It worked out, man. I think that where I’m at right now musically is, you know… shit, I feel like I’m untouchable.” 

After a listen to ‘Careless’, a self-reflective track from that samples a George Michael song, Freddie talks about his setlist – and how he doesn’t have one. He attributes the making of the setlist for each show to the vibe he gets from his audiences, improvising and tailoring the show as he goes along.

“They pay their money, it’s their show… I let them dictate the setlist pretty much by the reaction.”

While his way of creating a tailored experience for each audience is unique, it leaves room for error. Freddie admits to accidentally leaving ‘Careless’ off the setlist when he performed the night before he stepped into our studio. The track is a great example of the melodies Freddie has worked hard to create, and the influences to which he proudly pays homage.

“Bone Thugs N Harmony inspired my whole career. I definitely implement elements of their style into mine. I think they were very very far ahead of their time.”

Keep an eye out for another album from Freddie Gibbs later this year, but in the meantime enjoy Shadow of a Doubt.