ESGN (Evil Seeds Grow Naturally) is the debut studio album by American rapper Freddie Gibbs.

The album features guest appearances from Daz Dillinger, Spice 1, Jay Rock, G-Wiz, Hit "Skrewface", Big Kill, Lil Sodi, Problem, Y.B., D-Edge, G.I.

[2] In an April 2013, interview with HipHopDX, Freddie Gibbs spoke about when the album would be released, saying: I'm 'bout to drop that ESGN album probably in June for the summer time, just to hold niggas over before we drop that Cocaine Piñata with Madlib.

It's gonna be kind of on that Jay-Z Dynasty: [Roc La Familia] type shit.

Once I whack niggas on this mothafuckin' album then I'm gonna fall back on they ass and just chill for the summertime, get my dick sucked and drink drinks with umbrellas and shit in them, nigga.

[3] On May 14, 2013, Freddie Gibbs announced that his debut album ESGN would be released in July.

Michael Jackson is dead, so I gotta pick up the torch and run with it for my city.

[13] Anthony Asencio of HipHopDX gave the album three and a half stars out of five, saying "Ultimately, ESGN may not be a cultural event.

Yet what makes this album important are all the reasons Hip Hop needs Freddie Gibbs.

On any one album, he can give you pieces of Tupac, UGK, Three 6 Mafia, and blend them into a harmony that would make Bone Thugs-n-Harmony proud.

Freddie is a talented rapper with great flow and a wise selection of collaborators, and many songs are individually effective.

Rather, it is simply an album that lacks a clear perspective on the many heavy topics it tackles.

A first time listener may walk away feeling very familiar with Freddie Gibbs' sound, but still unsure of who exactly he is.

"[18] David Amidon of PopMatters gave the album a seven out of ten, saying "For those hip-hop fans forever in pursuit of the latest glass-shattering bass and semi-auto mob rules, ESGN is likely 2013's flagship release.

"[17] Chris Bosman of Consequence of Sound gave the album four out of five stars, saying "Gibbs' EPs and mixtapes tend to run long, and ESGN – at 19 tracks – is no exception.

It may not be the crossover success that those who ride for Gibbs would love to see, but it doesn't diminish this excellent record.

"[14] Jonah Bromwich of Pitchfork gave the album a 6.9 out of 10, saying "On "Hundred Thousand", Gibbs supplies a perfect—and, true to form, concise—review of ESGN himself.

Calling an album "more of the same" sounds dismissive but it's something that fans are often happy to receive and there are those for whom 20 tracks of Gibbs rapping nearly perfectly will be enough.

It's the sound of a rapper more than happy to maintain his narrow lane after being burned by the industry, one who's lost the ambition to leave his comfort zone, at least for the time being.