Though not uncommon, hip-hop confidence requires backup to be taken beyond the simple self-branding promotion strategy. For years, Gibbs has claimed to be up there with the game's best. A versatile rapper with a guttural flow full of hard-lived grit, Gibb's back catalog has been impressive, albeit hardly mainstream output. As mentioned above, his collaborations with Madlib, Curren$y, and the Alchemist can attest. Nevertheless, throughout his nearly two-decade career, Gibbs has steadily attracted attention and acclaim, accumulating a sort of "rapper's rapper" persona. A former drug dealer straight from the school of hard knocks, Gibb's background, consistent perseverance, work ethic, and lyrical talents have provided a steady assumption to the thrown of "the best".
Though $oul $old $eparately may not officially put Gibbs at the apex of modern hip-hop (the ever-consistent Pusha T - appearing here - currently can lay some claim to such titles), it is a definitive step toward the end goal. Tight rhymes, straightforward storytelling, fourth-wall-breaking awareness, and another stellar track of collaborators (think, Rick Ross, Anderson. Paak, DJ Paul, Musique Soulchild, Scarface, among them) push $oul $old $eparately into, at least, year's best hip-hop release territory.
$oul $old $eparately does sound like it is a major label debut (interestingly, Gibbs was signed with Interscope back in 2004 but eventually dropped with a recorded debut scrapped). With a bigger budget (attracting producers like James Blake and Kaytranada to join more underground fair like DJ Dahi and Sevn Thomas). But, with a diverse range of studio talent and something of an unlimited budget, Gibbs is finally able to showcase the breadth of his adaptability across style, genre, and approach. Take, for example, the one traditional Atlanta-style PYS or the Kanye-esque sampling of album opener Couldn't Be Done; the discerning strings of Gold Rings or the conventional rap opulence of the Rick Ross-joined Lobster Omelett:
Throw the whole shit away,
And I'ma still get-rich, bitch.
Though braggadocio does permeate throughout, Gibbs' inherent ability to juxtapose it with the realities of the always-non-glamorous past life, as featured perfectly on the album, highlight Grandma's Stove (I'm at grandmama's stove / I drained the pot and scooped the 'caine out). Further album highlights include the James-Blake produced Dark-Hearted, a classically-inspired meditation on criminality. Pain & Strife featuring Migos' Offset is a personal album highlight, although indicative of a more "major label" friendly approach with its Bone Thugs N' Harmony sampling trap. Further personal highlife includes the DJ Paul produced trap/horrorcore of PYS.
Full of surprises (Jesus Christ even shows up at one point for a quick collab...as does Joe Rogan), $oul $old $eparately seems full circle for Gibbs more than any overly artistic step into unexpired territories. However, with inspired verses, diverse production, and the confidence that decades will allow, it is more than a testament to Gibbs' creeping position among the hip-hop elite.
