Freddie Gibbs prefers his rap "Str8," no chaser

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Freddie Gibbs has nothing against rap artists who embrace catchy hooks to land on pop radio, but that's not his style. He didn't need a hit single to draw attention to both of his 2009 mixtapes, and he's about to delve deeper into hardcore street rap on his new EP, "Str8 Killa."

"I'm not trying to obey the rules of radio," the MC says. "I'm trying to bring gangster rap back to the forefront, like in the early '90s."

Growing up in crime-ridden Gary, Ind., Gibbs was too preoccupied "in sports and in the streets" to consider a rap career until his early 20s, when a few friends brought him to a nearby studio. Gibbs started issuing mixtapes within his neighborhood, and in 2006 the rapper signed to Interscope and packed his bags for Southern California.

Gibbs recorded throughout 2007, but disagreements with Interscope forced him to leave the label before releasing any material. He saved his work from his Interscope tenure and self-released some of the material on a pair of 2009 mixtapes, "The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs" and "Midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik."

The references to Lauryn Hill and OutKast in the mixtape titles suggest that Gibbs' gravelly flow is influenced by more than just genre touchstones like Dr. Dre and 2Pac. "My core thing is gangster rap, but a lot of my music is melodic and carries a message of survival," Gibbs says.

The eight-track "Str8 Killa," due Tuesday (August 3) on Decon Records, features appearances by Bun B, the Cool Kids' Chuck Inglish and the Black Keys' Dan Auerbach -- and that's just on one song, the head-knocking "Oil Money." The release on indie Decon is a one-off deal; Gibbs remains unsigned as an artist.

The rapper is at work on his debut full-length album, "Baby Faced Killa," and hopes to find a label for a possible 2011 release. Gibbs, who played a July 17 set at Chicago's Pitchfork Music Festival, has lined up a handful of summer dates, including a set Tuesday (August 3) at SOB's in New York.

"I'll probably be doing clubs and festivals," Gibbs says. "It doesn't really matter to me. Just give me a mic and I'll rock it."