Trippie Redd - Saint Michael (Album Review)

Come on, opening up this album with a song that flips Rich Boy and Polow Da Don’s famous “Throw Some D’s” beat is unfair.

From a nostalgic standpoint, “Pray 4 Us” is a great listen. The beat alone brought a smile to my face. As for Trippie Redd, while he starts the song sounding excellent (he actually gives me Drake vibes to start), I think he rambles toward the end. His bragging and trash-talking become more and more random, and he introduces this super numb tone that I don’t love.

Is this a freestyle?

Van Cleef isn’t that expensive. I just Googled their brand and saw they have some s**t for 800 dollars.

I don’t love “Van Cleef Island,” but I know y’all will. In the song, you get Trippie’s most potent vocals layered on top of this somewhat frenzied beat. As for the lyrics, he hits us with some new-age wooing, which involves buying women things from designers I cannot pronounce and telling them that you’re a biblical figure (Holy s**t… Literally).

1. 7am in Ohio

Wait, Drake hasn’t made a “7am in Ohio” yet?

The version of Trippie Redd that we get in “7am in Ohio” is the one that I prefer. In the song, powered by a hard-hitting, soulful beat, Trippie switches gears recklessly as he talks about the money he’s earning, the fancy cars he’s driving, and the attractive women he’s involved with. Overall, I appreciate the song’s flow, the displayed confidence, and its overall listenability.

RGM RATING

(C-)

I believe some artists thrive when no expectations are placed on them, and Trippie is one of them. His emergence as a SoundCloud rapper was marked by an empowering and refreshing rebellious approach to music-making. However, as he transitioned into a major mainstream artist, his style started to feel less unique. Now, at just 24 years old, Trippie seems to be trying to recapture the freedom and groove of his early days.

In Saint Michael, I sense that Trippie Redd sounds as liberated as he has in a while. Throughout the short EP, he tackles various hip-hop instrumentals, effortlessly shifting between subdued, outlandish, and pumped-up styles. While I find his lyrical content borderline atrocious (he says all kinds of random s**t in the songs), there’s a refreshing quality to the freestyle style he employs. Ultimately, I may not love this project, but I appreciate that Trippie is moving closer to a state of complete artistic freedom.