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Life’s a Trip by Trippie Redd – Album review
RnB/Hip Hop | Monday 13th August 2018 | Jake
How do you define Trippie Redd’s sound? It’s certainly unique, no small feat in an era when rappers follow trends and rarely set them. Curiously Trippie was a leading figure of the soundcloud rapper revolution, when artists from across America garnered huge popularity with their plaintive raps detailing drug abuse over trap beats. Trippie, while making music with many of these artists, offered something different.
The Ohio native preferred to croon over the beats, melodiously wailing about heartbreak and love. His penchant for these rousing vocals, combined with a zealous passion for the rap craft (as exhibited on tracks like Can You Rap Like Me), set him apart from the soundcloud scene, and he has cornered off an artistic niche that no other rapper can call their own.
A Love Letter to You I & II announced his arrival into the mainstream, with a number of hits from the two tapes propelling Trippie to the forefront of the new generation in the rap scene. Since releasing the second tape Trippie has worked with a number of artists, focusing on features to further his name in the mainstream, always staying true to the sound that got him there.
This self belief is once again exhibited on his debut album, Life’s a Trip, an acoustic-heavy emotional journey that drifts effortlessly from themes including – but not limited to – pain, revenge, fame and, as ever, love. As the title hints, Trippie invites the listener to take a walk through his world, and it’s a hell of a trip. Personal, passionate and uninhibited in its delivery, Trippie has produced his best work yet.
Some fans may be disappointed by the reduction in tracks to 14 – it was going to be 30 songs long at one point – and there are a couple of beats that don’t quite provide the platform for Trippie to perform at his best, but overall the album is an exquisite showcase of his artistry. From the candid elegies for his deceased brother, to his emphatic rapport with Young Thug on “Forever Ever”, Trippie has produced a wild ride to savour, and left us all waiting in fervent anticipation for the next trip.
