Gibbs’ career dates back to the early 2000s. He dropped his first mixtape, Full Metal Jakit, Vol. 1, in 2004. He released his major debut album, ESGN, in 2013. Gibbs expressed gratitude for the slow-burning success compared to some of his early peers.

“Motherf-ckers feel like if they don’t make it by 22, they dead,” he said. “I’d rather have it later in life than get it quick and then lose it all. I know a lot of rappers that were popping 10 years ago when I was trying to get it popping, and now they gone. A lot of those guys probably can’t go do a show nowhere; a lot of them probably don’t own their masters; a lot of them probably ain’t getting no money off streams or whatever; a lot of them probably signed with somebody who can’t put out a project. It’s all about longevity for me.”

The veteran rapper (38-years-old), recently linked up with Vulture to discuss his 2020 achievements.

He explained that finding stable success in hip-hop took much longer.

“I never worked hard to get signed. I got signed after probably a year or two of even rapping. I didn’t really know what that was to be signed or none of that,” he said. “I got dropped in six months. That sh-t came and went very quick. I had to learn how to become my own machine.”

He noted that the long path to fame taught him the value of patience.

“My path to where I’m at is very unique, probably quite different than a lot of other people. I had to fall flat real quick, and then learn how to take some years and time and a whole lot of effort to get where I’m at,” he said. “If you would’ve told me 10 years ago that I was going to have to wait 10 years to be Grammy nominated, I don’t know if I would have kept rapping. But that’s me and my young mind. I would have been like, ‘Damn, I got to do this sh-t 10 more years?’ The years in between are all learning years. I wasn’t ready for the stage that I’m on right now, back then. But now I’m ready for it.”