Artist: JibbsTitle: Jibbs Feat. JibbsRating: 2 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Latifah Muhammad
Who is Jibbs? You know you’ve heard the song, “Chain Hang Low”. Admit it, you know the words to the chorus. And though the single serves as a catchy play on a nursery rhyme, the rest of the album, Jibbs Feat. Jibbs (Geffen) sounds more like a bad imitation of fellow St. Louis dweller Nelly along with a dash of Lil Wayne for good measure.
Jibbs feat. Jibbs is a twelve track compilation of southern style beats saturated in bass. “King Kong”, featuring Chamillionaire is as simple as the title. Boasting about loud music, “If you hear me ‘fore you see me, I got King Kong in the trunk.” The only thing that saves this track is the gritty beat which is better than every lyric. “Hood” is his attempt at tackling how hard life is growing up in the hood; complete with gun shots, reoccurring piano keys, and an orchestra as a backdrop. Despite elevated lyrical content, the delivery is so bad that the song’s message is lost in his immature sound.
Jibbs manages to redeem himself with the inclusion of cute high school dance songs. The syrupy “Go Gurl” intertwines both a smooth flow and complementary beat, despite a simplistic hook. And the fact that he samples “Let’s Wait a While” by Janet Jackson, reminds us that he’s only 15.
Though he doesn’t exude the teeny-bopper staying power of Bow Wow, Chris Brown, or even Lil’ Romeo for that matter, the content is just at the level that is expected of him. The beats, most courtesy of Da Beatstaz, which include his brother DJ Beats and Reace Beats, are more commendable. Jibbs wants to be taken seriously but can only rap about what he knows while he inadvertently (hopefully) borrowing other people’s style in the process. Since Jibbs feat. Jibbs is his introduction to the rap game, once he finds his own sound, he just might able to hold his own the second time around.
