It’s finally official. Freddie Gibbs, one of Hip Hop’s rising stars has inked a deal with Young Jeezy’s CTE. The Gary, Indiana Native announced the deal towards the end of his set Saturday at Chicago’s Bottom Lounge. Gibbs first addressed the rumors, then performed an acapella ending with the phrase, “I clicked up with the snowman.” As the crow processed the final bar, Young Jeezy hit the stage and formally gave Gangster Gibbs the CTE chain. Gibbs was in town as part of the Chicago stop of the Return of 4eva tour, hosted by Knuckle Rumbler, YM, Score More, and RubyHornet.
Things were wild backstage at Bottom Lounge after the show, so I caught up with Gibbs yesterday via phone to talk to him about the new deal. He told me that the conversation started a while ago, and Young Jeezy recognized that Gibbs was building a brand and a name on his own. The two bonded musically as well as personally, and this deal, out of all the deals offered to Freddie, felt the best.
“I didn’t want to do business with any cartoon character. I see a lot of those in the game,” Freddie told me. I’ve spent time with these guys, not even on no rap s**t. Not on no studio s**t, just kicking it, just chilling. If you feel comfortable in that manner, and they’re stand up guys, like I said, we’ve been knowing each other and talking for some months. This isn’t some s**t like, ‘hey Freddie, we like your music and want to sign you.’ Nah, motherf**kers had to know we were all 100, and we made it happen. They accept me as family. This is more than just some music type s**t. I know you hear a lot of n***as say that s**t, but these motherf**kers be on n***as dick just cause they’re hot. That’s definitely not what I did, and that’s pretty much what all the rest of these other n***as are doing. Ain’t no integrity in the game no more. Like I said, I could’ve signed anywhere after that Freshmen cover, and I didn’t. .. The game got something in-store that they got to deal with that they’re not ready for. Jeezy made his mark in the game, all he’s doing right now is evolving it to the next level. I’m trying to get to where he’s at right now. People talk s**t when Dre signed Eminem and Eminem signed 50. I look at it as a power move, I don’t look at it as me trying to go be Jeezy’s chain holder or weed roller. You got a lot of those dudes in these clicks, and that’s all they’re ever going to be. Jeezy recognized the fact that I’m self-made, and we’re going to get money together. That’s what this Corporate Thug s**t is all about.”
Hit the jump to see our video of what happened on Saturday and Young Jeezy officially announcing Freddie Gibbs.