SHADOW OF A DOUBT

Photographer: Nick Walker . Gary, Indiana rapper Freddie Gibbs is a tough, urban storyteller who can rifle off a steady stream of greatness before he lands on the hook, and with his 2015 release, Shadow of a Doubt, the hooks, plus production, are on the same level as his rhymes. This has happened before, as The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs and Pi?ata both shine, but here, the beats come from up and down the hip-hop spectrum as Boi-1da, Mike Dean, Kaytranada, and other producers all offer vibrant, often kinetic constructions. Check the great "Extradite" ("Man, I stay on point like icicles") for instant gratification or "Basketball Wives" for an abstract take on the Miguel-flavored bedroom number, then appreciate how this album goes 17 tracks deep and never runs out of inspiration or ideas. ~ David Jeffries

• Genre: Pop
• Format: CD
• Released: 11/20/2015