JOE ROGAN

Rappers often make braggadocious claims about their lives from before they picked up the mic. In fact, it could be argued that these claims are a large part of why many rap fans enjoy the genre, whether or not those big fish tales turn out to be true (Jadakiss’ 360-degree walls have become a favorite water cooler talking point on Twitter). However, every so often rappers say these things outside the context of their music, which somehow makes their boasts all the more outrageous and, in some cases, borderline problematic.

One of the kings of such statements is Freddie Gibbs. As a rapper whose primary inspiration seems to be his uninhibited, drug-dealing days in Gary, Indiana, Gibbs’ raps are often packed with shootouts, shady deals, and the sort of details that make US Prosecutors salivate at the thought of introducing lyrics in court (fortunately, they can’t). But during his appearance on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast yesterday, Gibbs casually makes a claim that has fans doing double-takes.

“It’s a crackhead, back in the day,” he recalls. “I shot that n**** nine times with a TEC-9 and he kept running down the alley.”

It’s the sort of story that both begs more context and utter and absolute silence from the storyteller because as badly as we all want to know more, that’s exactly the sort of narrative that should remain on wax — not in a podcast, which isn’t protected by the same rules. Of all the questions that arise from Gibbs cavalier recollection, the one that hovers over the proceedings the lowest might just be:

Freddie Gibbs has built a reputation as one of the funniest rappers on Twitter and today, he brought that off-color sense of humor to the Joe Rogan Experience podcast. In the four-hour conversation, Gibbs, Rogan, and comedian Brian Moss talked boxing, Freddie Gibbs’ wild, secret Instagram profile, and more. You can check it out at the link below.

Meanwhile, Gibbs has been promoting his upcoming major-label debut album, dropping the animated video for his first single “Gang Signs” earlier this month. The video transforms Gibbs into a hedonistic white rabbit (a euphemism for his favorite subjects) as he goes about the same activities he generally likes to rap about, mining the juxtaposition for some head-scratching, borderline inappropriate comedy.

In addition to “Gang Signs,” Gibbs recently collaborated with Big Sean and Hit-Boy on “4 Thangs” celebrating LeBron James. Meanwhile, he’s kept fans entertained with his social media antics, which have included freestyling over his Piñata partner Madlib’s new instrumental album Sound Ancestors in an Uber. The one thing fans won’t be able to expect from him is a Verzuz appearance; aside from disapproving of Jeezy’s recent match with Gucci Mane, Gibbs shot down speculation over a potential battle between himself and hip-hop’s other resident coke rap connoisseur, Pusha T.

Freddie Gibbs is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.