Rapper and actor Freddie Gibbs has signed with music company AWAL, further expanding the company’s roster of hip hop and R&B artists.
The announcement coincides with the surprise release of his latest album, You Only Die 1nce, which dropped last Friday (November 1).
The new album follows Gibbs’ recent appearance on Kanye West‘s Vultures project and serves as his first full-length release since 2022’s $oul $old $eperately. The project was executive produced by Gibbs himself, alongside Ben “Lambo” Lambert, Norva Denton, and Pops.
“It’s refreshing to partner with talent the caliber of Freddie as we expand our roster within the realms of hip hop and R&B. Excited for what’s to come,” said AWAL CEO Lonny Olinick.
For Gibbs, the move represents an opportunity for creative autonomy. “Happy to be where they want me…I feel celebrated. I’m AWAL Shawty! I love the freedom. We’re able to create at our own pace and it feels good at this stage in my career.”
Gibbs’ manager and partner Ben “Lambo” Lambert added: “It feels good to keep it in the family with our brother Norva [Denton]. We understand one another so everything feels complementary.”
The partnership was facilitated in part by AWAL’s SVP and Head of Urban Music, Norva Denton, who has an existing relationship with Gibbs and his team.
“I am truly honored to be able to continue to create greatness with my brothers and on our own terms. Freddie is the leader of his class. It feels great to be able to provide the best team/ecosystem to complement all he and Lambo’s hard work,” Denton said.
Since his 2009 debut with Midwestgangstaboxframecadillacmuzik, Gibbs has accumulated over 1 billion streams across platforms. His discography includes the albums Piñata (2014) and Bandana (2019) with Madlib. Bandana reached #21 on the Billboard Top 200 and made it to the 2019 year-end lists by Vulture, Vibe, UPROXX, Stereogum, Noisey, SPIN, Complex, and more.
Gibbs’ artistic pursuits extend beyond music. In 2021, he made his acting debut in Down With The King, earning recognition from The New York Times, which included him among The 10 Best Actors of the Year.
With the AWAL partnership, Gibbs will be able to retain ownership and control of his music. The company provides label services including global marketing, A&R, playlist promotion, and data analytics. Its roster includes Little Simz, Laufey, Jungle, deadmau5/kx5, Djo, Lauv, JPEGMAFIA, and Australian indie rock band Spacey Jane, among others.
AWAL says it has developed the careers of artists like Steve Lacy, Rex Orange County, FINNEAS, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, girl in red, Lizzy McAlpine, and Kim Petras, among others.
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