Today, I'm reviewing Free Crack 2, the new mixtape from Chicago rapper Lil Bibby. Lil Bibby is another MC who falls into the category of "drill music", a hot new style of hip hop from Chicago. This style has really been hit-or-miss for me. There are some drill artists that I really enjoy, like Chief Keef and Lil Herb, but also some that don't do it for me at all, like Lil Durk. Unfortunately, I'd say Lil Bibby falls into the latter category. The guy is just mediocre for me, and his 2013 project Free Crack didn't impress me that much. Will Bibby step up his game with this new mixtape, Free Crack 2?
With the beats on this mixtape, I was thoroughly impressed. This production was very different from other drill projects I've heard, including Bibby's previous mixtape. A lot of the beats here didn't go for the dark, grimy vibe, instead sounding classier and happier. This gave the mixtape a distinct vibe, one that was incredibly new for this type of music. On the first track, Can I Have Your Attention, I could tell that the tempo was definitely a lot slower and happier. This was also evident on Game Over, Can I Get, What You Live For, and Tomorrow. These beats were all great, with some even making use of some soul samples. Tomorrow, the last song, was just a perfect closer, as it featured a fantastic vocal sample going over the beat. The song was so relaxing, but Lil Bibby still gave it that street vibe. I think these beats, despite their calm nature, fit perfectly with Bibby. There was still some production on this tape that had that dark feeling, such as For the Low pt. 2 and Boy. The song Dead or In Prison, though, just sounded violent, and it might be my favorite beat on the whole project. It was an absolute banger. Overall I really enjoyed the vibe this mixtape brought to the table, and I think it was a step up from past drill projects.
Lil Bibby didn't show himself to be a great MC on Free Crack, and I can't say he improved that much on this sequel. There are things I like about this guy, and he is still very young, but he just isn't a very complete MC. The worst part of this project is its lyricism. Bibby really just sticks with cliches and the normal street imagery you get from guys like Lil Durk and Chief Keef. He also lacks a bit in flow, as he tries to change it up, but he never sounds extremely comfortable on a beat. The area where this project is a huge improvement over Free Crack, though, is its energy and hooks. I felt Bibby improved his delivery a lot, and he sounds a lot more interested and energetic. The guy has a grimy, gravely voice, and I felt he used it well on this project, especially on hooks. For a big chunk of these tracks, the best part is the hook. The hook on Dead or In Prison was awesome, and he just sounds so passionate. I could definitely say the same about For the Low pt. 2, Boy, and What You Live For. All those hooks brought tons of energy and griminess. Even the hooks that didn't go for this vibe, though, worked well for Bibby. The rather monotone singing voice Bibby brings on Can I Get sounds great, and is very catchy. On We Are Strong, a female vocal sample makes the hook, and that was awesome as well. This project's strongest asset is its hooks, and they make up for Bibby's lackluster verses. Some of the guest verses on this project made up for those too, though. I was shocked by Wiz Khalifa on For the Low Pt. 2, as that verse was far better than anything on Blacc Hollywood and Wiz had an impressive flow. The other standout feature was Kevin Gates on We Are Strong. I haven't really heard much of this guy's music at all, but he had a monstrous flow and delivery on that track. He really killed his verse. Besides those two, though, the features here weren't all that great. Juicy J was mediocre on his two verses, and I was just disappointed by T.I. and Lil Herb, a couple of MC's who I thought could have put in a lot better verses on their tracks.
FREE CRACK 2 WRAP UP
+Awesome, catchy, energetic hooks
+Bibby has an awesome, grimy voice that matches well with the beats
+Solid production, different sound for drill music
-Lil Bibby just isn't a very good MC yet
-Was disappointed by some features
Best: Dead Or in Prison, We Are Strong, Tomorrow
Worst: I Be On It
Lil Bibby- Free Crack 2
7.4/10
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