Freddie Gibbs Might Blow Up, But He Won't Go Pop

Freddie Gibbs' Grammy nomination feels like a shotgun wedding, a rushed gala out of nowhere between him and the major music biz he once denounced. His growth, however, has been a slow build, the result of wise collaboration choices and an ability to rise to those occasions.

Last year's was an that flouted mainstream acceptance, which is why its nod for best rap album came with some surprise. Far from a commercial project, both in reception and sound, 's neither club or radio friendly. It featured stellar guest appearances and glowing sample palettes, anchored by an easy harmony between Gibbs and every beat he attacked. The production is entirely , whose quiet influence on modern rap is finally starting to register despite prized work and decades in the field. Gibbs and Alc had paired together prior, but this is the first nomination for both. "I always wanted to take my mother to the Grammys and now I will," says Gibbs, who turns 39 this year. "Look, we don't make music to get nominated, so to hear that they're into