It would appear that an increasing number of rap artists have been exploring the avenues presented by pop-punk, a pattern originally explored by Lil Wayne on Rebirth and most recently adopted by Machine Gun Kelly and his Travis Barker-assisted Tickets To My Downfall. Now, Trippie Redd has come through with his own genre-bending effort, flipping the script for the Deluxe Edition of his new album Pegasus. Released with fourteen new tracks and a heap of guest appearances, curious fans can get a sense of what's in store by peeping the introductory track "Pill Breaker."
Featuring supporting roles from Machine Gun Kelly, Travis Barker, and Blackbear, the melodic track seems tailor-made for radio -- were it not for the lyrical subject matter. Kicking off with an emotional chorus from Trippie, whose snarly vocals are on full display, the track's request to "pill you up with love" will almost certainly send mixed messages. In fact, Redd's not the only one using inebriation as a coping mechanism, as Machine Gun Kelly's confession of "popping a Percocet for lunch" is only the beginning of a drug-fueled bender. Still, the pining and painful romance angle will likely resonate with many tortured souls, so don't be surprised to see Trippie's genre-shift embraced and welcomed on future releases. The question is, are you digging it?
QUOTABLE LYRICS
I'm in Heaven off this angel dust
I woke up in a red room, she did a white line
I'm in a dark place, I'm in the spotlight
Long sleeves cover the scars, dark circles under my eyes, yeah
I'm faded, it's late and I'm still awake, trying to find help
