This is the latest mixtape from Ohio SoundCloud rap sensation Trippie Redd, who I don’t really need to go too deep into introducing because this is not the first time I’ve covered Trippie’s music: back in August (almost three months ago at this point, wow!), I reviewed his debut studio album “LIFE’S A TRIP.” While I certainly found a few songs on there worth gravitating towards (like “Dark Knight Dummo” and “Wish - Trippie Mix”) and I liked that Trippie had a rather interesting, distinct style, he was just a bit too inconsistent in his approach. Much like I had said about another SoundCloud rapper, Lil Uzi Vert, in August 2017, August 2018’s Trippie Redd album saw the artist giving us some very emotional and fascinating tracks that blended multiple genres rather nicely, but unfortunately, his vocals were still all over the place, his lyricism needed some work, and the album as a whole was just too long and inconsistent. I still gave the record an “Okay” because there were definitely some good songs there, and I really felt that Trippie could improve off of it, it just needed some fine-tuning.
So, okay, here we are less than three months later, and Trippie surprisingly just dropped this new mixtape on us, the third in his “A Love Letter To You” series that I’m pretty unfamiliar with, but it seems to be the series of tapes that helped Trippie get to the point of popularity that he’s reached now. Now, having just felt like the last album was just “okay,” normally I wouldn’t really go into this thing with very high or low expectations; I’d mostly be neutral to it. Not only that but having not really listened to the previous mixtapes in this series, it’s hard to really come to a strong conclusion. That said, though, my interest was piqued a little bit thanks to the leadoff single “Topanga.” I initially wasn’t crazy about it and found it weird that Trippie was combining gospel instrumentals with trap drums, but slowly, the song started to grow on me because said production was actually quite lively and nice, as were Trippie’s vocals. So, alrighty then, with that good leadoff single, this mixtape ended up stopping me in my tracks. Will it entice me past track one? Let’s go find out:
Topanga: As I said, I initially wasn’t super big on this leadoff single; I thought it sounded weird that Trippie was singing about guns over a gospel beat, and that initially confused me. The song definitely grew on me with a few more listens, though: I really like said gospel instrumental, Trippie’s vocals are very smooth and pretty, and the hook is really catchy as well. Obviously, it’s very different than a lot of the stuff Trippie has given us in the past, so it might take a few listens to get used to it, but it’s still a very enjoyable track and it was definitely a good leadoff single for the mixtape. Let’s just hope the rest of the tape follows suit and stays strong.
Fire Starter (ft. Emani22): Lyrically, Trippie keeps it hard on this one by talking about how one should “proceed with caution” or else it will “end in flames.” The track is much darker than the last one, seeming to take things back to some of the familiar sounds of Trippie’s music. I like some of the hazy production, and Trippie’s vocals remain pretty emotional, but the song just doesn’t really have a hook or moment that really makes it stick. It’s certainly listenable, and it’s far from being a bad song, but it honestly just doesn’t really do a whole lot to leave a lasting impression.
Toxic Waste: Another Diplo-produced track, like “Wish” from Trippie’s last album, this one talks about Trippie wanting love, even if it means giving in to a toxic relationship. Trippie’s vocals are a bit smoother, and they kinda give me some R&B vibes. The beat is also pretty nice, and the instrumental has a really cool, light, ethereal vibe to it. It’s something of a chill song in comparison to the previous tracks (and in comparison to some of Trippie’s biggest singles like “Love Scars” and “Dark Knight Dummo”), but it’s got a great sound and vibe. I really dig it!
Negative Energy (ft. Kodie Shane): A song where Trippie talks about wanting to disassociate from the people in his life with “negative energy,” Trippie finds himself in somewhat goofy territory here when he says things like “Bitch, I’m the shit like my butt stink.” What is it with rappers today calling themselves “the shit” and comparing themselves to diapers, farting, stink, and all that jazz? It’s not clever, it’s just gross. Or like when he says that he thinks a girl's “pussy” is “pus-y.” *crowd boos* Yeah, I’m right there with you guys. But outside of those cringey lyrics, the song itself doesn’t really stand out all that much. Trippie and Kodie Shane’s vocals are nice throughout the song, but the trap production just feels very ordinary in comparison to some of Trippie’s best singles. It’s not completely unlistenable, but it’s certainly one of the least sticky tracks on the tape.
Can’t Love: What appears to be a track where Trippie delves into his breakup with his girlfriend AYLEK$ (who’s been somewhat controversial for having “switched up” on Trippie Redd with his rival 6ix9ine even though Trippie helped her get “clout”), this song takes on more of an alternative rock vibe, with a moodier guitar melody playing alongside the trap drums. I like Trippie’s very emotional vocals, and the instrumentals give off a very cool and chill vibe and even take some really fascinating twists and turns throughout. The hook is also rather catchy as well, and while the song doesn’t sound too different from a lot of the “emo rap” that we hear today, it still sounds great.
Love Scars 3: The third installment in the series of “Love Scars” tracks that Trippie has released (the first of which was something of a breakout single for him, and one that I enjoy a bit), this is another song that takes on a darker feel, but with a somewhat uptempo beat to it. I once again dig Trippie’s very emotional, rather smooth vocals, and I like the very woozy and nocturnal instrumentals as well. The hook here is also solidly catchy, too. A pretty good track, and one that I can see myself coming back to plenty of times in the future.
A.L.L.T.Y. 3 (ft. Baby Goth): Here I was sitting around for days wondering what the hell these letters stood for, only to find that it’s just an abbreviation of the title of this mixtape. *long silence* Wow, I need sleep. Anyway, Baby Goth joins Trippie on what’s essentially the mixtape’s title track (and one of the few songs on the tape that’s at least three minutes), and while some of the dark production is cool, I also think it sounds rather generic, and Trippie’s vocals are not quite as good here: sometimes he just sounds silly, and his rather off-kilter rhythm that doesn’t stay on beat just isn’t that captivating to me. And while Baby Goth’s vocals have a kind of creepy vibe to them, they just aren’t enough to save the song, unfortunately.
Emani Interlude (ft. Emani22): This is a very short interlude featuring Emani22, who was apparently Trippie’s girlfriend at a point in time after he broke up with AYLEK$. The song has a very moody vibe to it, kinda reminding me again of R&B music, and while the bright production is nice, I think that it’s just a little bit overbearing, and it overpowers Emani’s rather nice vocals. It’s to the point where I couldn’t even tell what she was saying at several points because the production was so overpowering. There’s not much to say about it since it’s just an interlude, but I wish it was a better one.
Elevate & Motivate (ft. YoungBoy Never Broke Again & Nel-Denarro): It’s a flex song. Trippie’s talking about shooting things and going higher and higher up. You know how these ones go. It’s got a rather catchy beat to it, I’ll say that much. The click-clack production is pretty fun, even if the instrumental itself just sounds rather standard. Trippie’s vocals are also rather nice, even if some of his flow feels rather generic at points. YoungBoy Never Broke Again has some decent vocal interplay with Trippie as well, and Nel-Denarro’s verse has decent flows, even if he sounds like quite a few other artists we’ve heard before. It’s not one of the tape’s best songs, but I can certainly see this one growing on me in the future.
I Tried Loving: What seems to detail the feeling Trippie went through after breaking up with AYLEK$, this is another dark-sounding song, with a rather standard but still fitting drum beat to it. Trippie’s vocals are very smooth as well, and he definitely comes through with some sticky flows and emotional edge on this one. The hook is also one of the most fun choruses on the mixtape, and Trippie’s melodies on said hook are very immediate and catchy. Didn’t think this one would be one of my favorites at first, but I actually really like it.
Wicked: Roll up, because this is the song about smoking weed. Always a fun time, I presume (I don’t smoke). And to keep with the idea of being on a weed-high (again, I presume), the song takes on a much slower feel than some of the other tracks on here. I kinda wish the production was a little weirder to go with that as well, but regardless, I do think it sounds very hazy and laid-back. Trippie’s vocals are smooth as well, though I do think the verses here aren’t quite as interesting as the chorus. Even so, I can see this one growing on me with a few more listens, it’s definitely a solid cut.
Loyalty Before Royalty: Basically, Trippie takes the time on this track to say “bros before…dough?” I suppose that works. But yeah, Trippie would rather be loyal than be rich. Same, dude, same. The song takes on a more uptempo sound after the last one, and some of the click-clacking percussion here is kinda fun. Once again, I think some of the production slightly overpowers Trippie’s vocals, which is a bit of a shame because I think he sounds great here. Honestly, I hear his vocals and I’m getting throwbacks to a lot of punk rock/hard rock I used to hear when I was younger. Ultimately, though, even though the instrumentals do overpower him a bit, I have to say those vocals really sell the song for me, and they make me want to come back and hear more.
1400 / 999 Freestyle (ft. Juice WRLD): Apparently a “long-awaited track,” this one sees Trippie Redd collaborating and freestyling with on-the-rise rapper Juice WRLD. Guess it’s long-awaited because the two have a similar style? Regardless, right from the jump, I was a little bit disappointed. Yes, Juice WRLD and Trippie have good vocals (even if Juice WRLD has moments where he succumbs to mumble rapping), but I’m just disappointed that the murky trap production here feels so standard. And it’s a shame because they both sound nice here (and Trippie’s more fast-paced and varied flows are fun as well), it’s just that the instrumentals don’t really stand out to me all that much. It’s not a bad song, and it’s far from the worst the tape has to offer, but it’s not one of the most memorable cuts, either.
So Alive: A love song about how Trippie feels alive when he’s with his significant other, there’s not much to this song lyrically (though I do like how he references Kanye’s “How Sway?” freakout in the song), and it features a dark, slow-paced instrumental that feels very much like a number of the other songs on here. And yes, Trippie’s vocals are, again, smooth and very pretty, but I just feel like nothing that he says here really sticks out, and none of the production really sticks to me, either. It’s not absolutely terrible, it’s just kind of forgettable.
Diamond Mines (ft. Tory Lanez & Elliott Trent): Remember the “bros before dough” song from earlier? Yeah, well just because Trippie prefers his bros, doesn’t mean he can’t talk a little about the riches, because he likes being rich. I get it. And maybe it’s just me, but I’m not too fond of him saying how they will “shoot shit like Columbine” in this song (even on a track like “Broccoli” by D.R.A.M. and Lil Yachty, I wasn’t fond of the Columbine bar). Even so, I do like some of the more intoxicating, slow-paced, vibey instrumentals on this one, they’re laid-back and moody, and Trippie sounds solid here as usual. Elliott Trent’s vocals are also nice and smooth, and even if Tory Lanez’s autotune filters can be a little much at points, he still sounds pretty solid here and fits with the vibe of the song. I really like this cut.
Camp Fire Tent: To close things out, Trippie talks about his success and how he just wants to enjoy life around him, even though so many things are happening. I feel that. And once again, the song takes on a more acoustic, alternative rock vibe, with just the guitar and even an owl hooting to create the feel of sitting around a campfire. It’s pretty unique, and it’s a song that’s really easy to vibe to and relax to. Trippie’s vocals are more unfiltered and somewhat broken here, but luckily, it doesn’t feel like he’s screeching or yelping at all and said vocals carry good emotional weight to them. Good finisher to the tape.
Overall, I’m a tiny bit surprised to say it, but I like this mixtape, even more than his debut album “LIFE’S A TRIP.” I think that, for the most part, Trippie has cleaned up his vocals to the point where they don’t feel quite as yelpy or growly, and they still carry that emotional weight to them that made some of the stronger cuts on that album so solid. It’s honestly to the point where, on a number of tracks, Trippie’s vocals alone can do all of the selling. I also think that there’s a lot of really solid songs to vibe to on here, Trippie takes on a lot of different styles and makes a number of them work, and even if he still spits a few cringe bars on the album, I don’t think they really impede on my enjoyment of the cuts, most of the time. Trippie as a whole is one of the more unique and interesting SoundCloud rappers, and I think he shows that nicely with this tape.
Now, I still won’t say it’s quite “Excellent” because, while there were a handful of songs that I liked (and even some of the songs that were neither “favorites” or “non-favorites” were pretty solid), I still think that this album was a bit of an adventure in regards to production. Even some of my favorite songs on the mixtape didn’t really have the most sticky production in the world and were either carried by Trippie or his features. Furthermore, for some of the tape’s less memorable cuts, it took some solid vocals to really make them interesting. Still, even if Trippie Redd’s latest mixtape has its faults, I think it’s a better project than “LIFE’S A TRIP,” and it’s worth listening to at least once. It might not be the best project a SoundCloud rapper has produced, but it’s a good listen, and fans of Trippie should definitely get some good enjoyment out of it.
Favorite tracks: Topanga, Toxic Waste, Can’t Love, Love Scars 3, I Tried Loving, Loyalty Before Royalty, Diamond Mines, Camp Fire Tent
Least favorite tracks: Negative Energy, A.L.L.T.Y. 3, Emani Interlude, So Alive
Rating: Good
Favorite tracks: Topanga, Toxic Waste, Can’t Love, Love Scars 3, I Tried Loving, Loyalty Before Royalty, Diamond Mines, Camp Fire Tent
Least favorite tracks: Negative Energy, A.L.L.T.Y. 3, Emani Interlude, So Alive
Rating: Good
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