Trippie Redd Returns With A ‘NDA’
After building anticipation with experimental singles and mysterious social media messages, Trippie Redd releases NDA, his highly-anticipated new album. The 27-year-old superstar’s latest opus spans 25 tracks, with speaker-obliterating production that emphasizes his soaring vocal melodies and assistance from an all-star lineup of fellow rap stars. NDA establishes Trippie Redd as a father of the modern underground, a SoundCloud survivor whose aesthetic and vocal stylings paved the way for experimental rappers to reach a broad audience. The new album proves that Trippie’s playful spirit is still very much intact, complemented by the mature songwriting muscle that earned him a Diamond plaque.
The sprawling track length of NDA allows Trippie to indulge in his every artistic impulse. The opening one-two punch of “MERCH IT” and “YOPSTAR” establishes a confident, yet thoughtful mood that pervades the project, providing a framework for Trippie to sink deeper into his feelings than ever before. Trippie fills negative space with soulful bellows, alternating boastful bangers like recent single “SWAGGER” with reflective anthems like the pained “Can’t Believe It” and the triumphant “I Got Everything.” Crafted with the help of star producers like ATL Jacob, southboy, and more, the album is a true widescreen experience, taking listeners on a sonic journey through the highs and lows of Trippie’s rap lifestyle, from pool parties at his all-Black Miami mansion to quieter moments with his young son.
The Canton, Ohio native welcomes a laundry list of rap’s hottest names, from across the regional and sub-genre spectrum. Trippie makes room for three guest appearances from Young Thug, a creative peer who complements Trippie’s style perfectly on songs like the flex-heavy “Paperbag Boy” and the “Uncle Phil,” and fellow Atlanta hero Quavo on the simmering “Pink Toes.” Trippie taps even deeper into the Southern rap scene with collaborations with NoCap and BigXThaPlug, whose “Good Chance” allows Trippie to tap into the New Dallas sound. Trippie’s idol Lil Wayne pops up on the soul-sampling “Fine Sh*t,” both stars trading bars about their ways with women, while Sexyy Red brings her sauce to recent single “Meet The Redds.” Other guests offer the artist the ability to expand his horizons, including Rema, whose “For You” combines Trippie’s cinematic sound with the rhythms of the Benin City underground, and PARTYNEXTDOOR, helping Trip show off his unabashedly romantic side on “Say What.”
Along with the album, Trippie releases a brand new video for “Break It In,” an album highlight and collaboration with close friend Ski Mask The Slump God. Each rapper is a towering figure of the original SoundCloud scene, who have evolved to become elder statesmen as many of their creative peers did not live long enough to reach that status. Trip and Ski trade bars atop an imperious, synth-driven instrumental, Trippie working his higher register to tout his brand new diamonds and foreign ride, while Ski Mask slows down his lightning fast flow to provide more emphasis on his every flex. Directed by Salty, the new music video is an immersive dive into the NDA aesthetic, with all-Black outfits and tank-sized SUVs causing a contrast that make Trip and Ski’s diamonds sparkle even brighter.