Rapper/Singer Trippie Redd released his latest album as the third installment in his A Love Letter to You series. Critics and listeners alike reference this album as part of the emo rap trend, which some critics say is getting stale and that Redd’s release is proof of that. I personally have mixed feelings about this record, as I’ve had with some of his past records.
The album of 16 songs kicks off with “Topanga,” one of the more well-received tracks. I would say that the melodic piano keys and gospel instrumental carry this song’s upbeat theme and without it, listeners who pay attention to the lyrics would easily list the song off either as someone bragging about their chronic acts of violence, or Redd being the one to save or start a close relationship from the said violence. The message in this song is confusing, but fortunately, the chorus and attention-grabber of a beat make up for the mixed messages.
“Firestarter” as a title perfectly represents the second track as Redd sings with threats and intimidation over twisted, panning sounds and a muffled, trap-like beat that reminds me of someone trying to start a lighter. The upbeat, glittery tone of the first track dissipates as Redd enhances his former message of sex and gang violence.
Contrasting to the previous song, “Toxic Waste” is another standout track on the album and acts as a cry for help, specifically for the loved one this album is centered around. The piano keys make a return with guitar strings, both instruments distorted. Redd switches between wanting and rejecting help with somber vocals to show what a toxic relationship can do to someone, to him, and feels like “Topanga” with a moody beat and fixated message.
This record has a pattern, a texture even. My personal favorite from the album, “Negative Energy,” features Kodie Shane, who I feel dominates the track next to the even more twisted and disrupted instrumentals to represent Redd’s inner voice, a technique similarly used and evolved by Kendrick Lamar in albums of his own. The story of this track reflects on specific events and characteristics of the relationship and creates a warm atmosphere, intentionally blockaded by the inner voice reminders of Redd’s reputation, and not to get too distracted from what he stands for by who he stands with.
In my opinion, Redd’s vocal performance starts to slip in quality by “Can’t Love” and beyond. The storytelling, however, remains consistent with the childish, but effective analogy of pulling pedals on a flower to represent the relationship paranoia of if the one he spends his time with actually loves him. With so many heavy hitters in the first third of the album, “Love Scars 3” and the title track fall short, very short, of the bar set for them. The cycle of threats, mental illness, affection and regret wears away its color for the rest of the album aside from a few diamonds in the second half like “Wicked” and Redd’s freestyle that features fellow rapper Juice WRLD. I hoped the album would end off as good if not better than it started, but “Camp Fire Tale” was sloppy and displayed Redd’s worst vocal performance throughout the entire record.
Keep in mind, this album is written to one person, as the title says, and the passion in his voice extends that narrative, despite the slight autotune Redd uses. I felt that for the most part, Trippie Redd got his message across with varying, sick rhymes even if the context of that message comes off as arrogant and whiny at times. A lot of these songs, “Negative Energy” and “1400 / 999 Freestyle” especially, should earn a spot on anyone’s personal playlist like they do for mine, and are the reason why the album as a whole is a B, maybe a B+.
