Kevin Durant Says "No One Is More Authentic" Than Freddie Gibbs

BYAron A.5.0K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images
Kevin Durant praises Freddie Gibbs's "versatility and killer mentality in the booth."

On Sunday, we'll find out who the Academy believes deserves the recognition for their efforts over the course of the past year.  The Best Rap Album category includes Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist, D Smoke, Nas, Royce Da 5'9", and Jay Electronica are nominated for their respective releases in 2020. Freddie Gibbs and Alchemist's Alfredo, which topped HotNewHipHop's best albums of 2020 list, seems like it could be a strong contender to take home the award.

Johnny Nunez/WireImage/Getty Images

During a recent profile on Freddie Gibbs for The Ringer, Nets star and close friend to Gangsta Gibbs, Kevin Durant, offered praise for the rapper and the progression he's made. KD added that Gibbs is only getting started right now. "It just feels like he’s only hitting his prime now," said Durant. "He can make records with anyone, but still has that versatility and killer mentality in the booth. You can tell how much he cares about his art and no one is more authentic. In his music, you can see both the humor and the pain.”

Durant and Gibbs have spoken highly of each other in the past. Following the release of Bandana, Durant appeared on Hot 97 where he seemingly challenged Ebro on why artists like Freddie Gibbs couldn't get airplay during primetime slots. Ultimately, Ebro said there was an exception to be made because Durant made the request but admitted that people probably wouldn't want to have Gibbs and Push discussing coke transactions on "Palmolive" with their kids in the car.

Do you think Freddie Gibbs & Alchemist will be winning the Grammy for Best Rap Album? Sound off in the comments. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
...