Here you can find a track-by-track view of Trippie Redd's latest offering
Fresh off signing a $30 million deal and buying a Florida mansion, Trippie Redd’s latest album Mansion Musik is certainly one of his most boastful and ostentatious projects. Mansion Musik is 25 songs long and contains more features than Trippie has ever had on one mixtape or album. Like he did on Trip At Knight, Trippie peppers MM with the new and exciting “rage” genre of rap music that both he and Playboi Carti have developed over the past two years. When Trippie Redd embraces the rage on Mansion Musik the results are very good. However, Trip At Knightwas a stronger, more thematically cohesive, and overall more sonically pleasing album that didn’t suffer from the disjointedness and glaring lack of aim that Mansion Musik suffers from in its second half.
Chief Keef executive produced the album. I don’t know exactly what that means as far as how much input he had in the creative process but his two appearances are outstanding. As I mentioned, there are a ton of features on MM. Typically the rule of thumb is not to have too many features on a mixtape or album. Trippie ran the great risk of having his trademark sound drowned out by the hodgepodge of different styles and sounds he included on his album. But fortunately, Trippie manages to maintain the prominence of his particular style throughout MM and avoids the embarrassment of being significantly outperformed by one or more of his features.
Trippie’s choice of producers is a key factor contributing to the high points of MM. The album heavily relies on musical production from European producers like Nadddot, Igor Mamet, and Loesoe. All of the aforementioned producers regularly work with Trippie Redd and have helped in the development of “rage” music. I believe that their European origins imbue a unique quality to their musical compositions that most American producers may not have been able to develop and that’s extremely useful when it comes to setting trends and pushing the boundaries of music.
The primary problem with Mansion Muzik is its length. It’s far too long. Only truly exceptional artists can get away with having an album that is 25 songs long without having any really bad or subpar songs and Trippie fails to accomplish that feat. After a great start, Mansion Musik hits a pretty serious lull around track 9 and it never truly recovers after that. The rest of the album is hit and miss, with the high points being the “rage” songs and the surprising Lil B feature. If it were up to me, I would have split the album into a MM1 and MM2 with 12 and 13 songs respectively. And with the exception of the two songs with Chief Keef, the “street” songs on MM aren’t good. While Trippie has shown in the past that he is fully capable of producing hood anthems, I would have excluded the “street” songs with Lil Durk, Rylo Rodriguez, Big 30, and some of the others. This particular album simply doesn’t need those tracks.
I’ve never been a diehard fan of Trippie Redd but I’ve followed his career since he emerged back in 2016 and I have to say that Trippie has been able to stand the test of time. While Trippie Redd, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, and Lil Yachty have managed to remain popular and relevant in 2023, other artists from the 2016/2017 Soundcloud era like Lil Pump, Smokepurpp, Ugly God, UnoTheActivist, Thouxanbanfauni, Lil Skies, and even Ski Mask the Slump God haven’t been able to do the same. Trippie’s success in particular can be attributed to his inimitable sound that sets him apart from other rappers, his outstanding versatility with his vocal range, and his ability to explore various genres within rap, pop, and rock music. Furthermore, Trippie has been able to experiment with his sound while remaining true to his core fan base which is not easy to do.
Among the new school rap artists, I gravitate towards people like Lil Uzi Vert, Trippie Redd, and Playboi Carti. Trippie brings the gloomy rockstar aesthetic that I enjoy but he balances it out with an opposing, but complementary, colorful and cartoon-ish vibe. I am a fan of avant-garde musicians who push the envelope and keep things interesting. When Playboi Carti’s Whole Lotta Red came out on December 25th 2020, I thought it was awesome and I had it on repeat. However, most people I knew in real life and on the internet were confused about the sound and were ready to abandon Carti. But I knew that it would take time for people to understand the fire style that he was pioneering, which would later be known as “rage.” Fast forward to 2023 and Carti looks like a genius. “Rage” music is wildly popular and Whole Lotta Red is considered to be a classic by its former critics.
Despite its flaws, Trippie Redd does a pretty good job on MM. It’s certainly not his best album by any means but it’s definitely a fun listen. The rage songs are the best songs on the project. Without further ado, here is my track-by-track review of Mansion Musik.
Track-By-Track Review
“Mansion Muzik” The album begins with the triumphant title track “Mansion Muzik” in which Trippie spends three and a half minutes boasting about his wealth and opulence over a bombastic synth trap beat with no hook. With this bold intro, Trippie makes it clear that this album is his and that he is the one inviting people into his musical mansion. 9/10
“Atlantis” Trippie follows up the title track with the sublime “Atlantis” featuring Chief Keef which is a stand-out track on MM. Chief Keef and Trippie Redd perfectly complement each other’s energy over the ominous dark trap beat which actually sounds like something Chief Keef himself would produce. Chief Keef puts the chef’s kiss on this track with two entertaining verses that any real fan of his will appreciate. 9/10
“Psycho” is a certified headbanger in which Trippie kills his verses and the hook while Future Hendrix comes in with some Dirty Sprite type magic. In the same way that “Atlantis” was the perfect song for Chief Keef, “Psycho” is the perfect song for Future. 8.5/10
“Fully Loaded” is just a full-blown “rage” song. I like Trippie Redd’s performance on this song; his outstanding ability to change his cadence and his vocal tone at the drop of a hat is showcased on this joint. Future absolutely rides the beat to perfection on this and he is totally in his bag so to speak. I don’t even particularly care for Lil Baby in general but I have to admit that his smooth autotuned warbling is a nice touch on this topsy-turvy rager track. If it were up to me though, I would have had Playboi Carti somewhere on this one. How is he not on “Fully Loaded”? Just imagine King Vamp on this song. In fact, if you add Carti’s “what what what” ad-lib to the beat in your head, it literally makes everything that much better. 9/10
“Knight Crawler” is a sex and drug song featuring the late Juice WRLD. It’s another high energy performance by both artists and it’s pretty good, although I think that Trippie and Juice WRLD have had better songs together in their past than this one. Trippie actually sounded just like Lil Uzi Vert in his second verse which is interesting. Lil Uzi should have been on this song. 7.5/10
“Van Helsing” Trippie goes solo for the first time since the first track and I think both he and the producers were absolutely masterful on this song. Trippie matches the defiant aura of the beat with aggressive bars that threaten violence against some unnamed enemies. Van Helsing is one of the strongest songs on the album, which is important because it shows once again that Trippie doesn’t need anyone else to supplement his talent. 8.5/10
“Dark Brotherhood” Besides, the corny “litty like a titty” line in the chorus, Trippie Redd killed this song. His verses mesh perfectly with the upbeat melody that accompanies his voice and the chorus is nice. As he often does, Lil Baby does the song justice, riding the beat to perfection during his part. But it must be said that the song maintains Trippie Redd’s flavor throughout its 3:39 of runtime and doesn’t become a song by Lil Baby featuring Trippie Redd. 8.5/10
“Free Rio” Trippie abruptly switches things up on this one by hopping on a Detroit rap beat. If you're familiar with the current scene in Detroit, you know that this is the type of beat that is ubiquitous in the Detroit rap scene nowadays. Trippie Redd dedicates the song to the currently incarcerated Rio Da Yung OG who is a very popular rapper in Detroit who often collaborates with the likes of YN Jay, Louie Ray, Veeze, and RMC Mike. Even though it’s a little out of place, it’s a solid song. Most people probably won’t notice that Trippie Redd pays homage to Lil B The Based God with the lines “Iced out bitch with your girl on my dick/Iced out bitch with your girl on my tip” which references the legendary song “Pretty Bitch” by Lil B in which the Based God famously raps “You’re tripping bitch, I’m iced out/Iced up bitch, with your girl on my dick/Loud pack nigga with your girl on my tip.” As a long-time fan of Lil B, I personally love that he did that. 7/10
“KRZY Train” Trippie goes into full-on rockstar mode with this super high-energy interpretation of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train.” Trippie goes hard on this rap-rock genre clash, especially in the chorus where he practically starts screaming “all aboard the fucking crazy train!” Travis Scott, with his dark ephemeral presence, is a fantastic addition to the overall atmosphere of this song. “KRZY Train” is going to be awesome to hear and witness in concert and it’s most definitely the type of song that will inspire a mosh pit. I like that Trippie, Travis, and the producer Bosley succeeded in basically making a heavy metal rap-rock song here. 8.5/10
“Muscles” Trippie Redd gets into some street talk in this collaboration with infamous drill rapper Lil Durk. This is where the album sorts of hits abruptly hits a lull. And I actually don’t like this song that much. For what it’s worth, Durk probably angered some of his “opps” with this one. As a stand-alone song, it’s alright, but it doesn't quite match the epicness of the songs that come before it. 4/10
“Goodfellas” Trippie Redd indulges in some more street talk with another drill rapper, this time it’s Nardo Wick from Florida. Nardo didn’t even really give his best effort on this one. I’ve heard better offerings from him. But sometimes it’s hard to tell if he’s trying because he has a lazy, monotone delivery that’s reminiscent of what 21 Savage sounded like back in 2015/2016 (but 21 was better at it). 4.5/10
“Killionaire” The energy picks back up a bit in this Trippie Redd solo. If you couldn’t tell from the song’s title, Trippie dives into his gangsta persona on this one. Trippie delivers a series of homicidal verses over the menacing minor-key melody accompanied by blaring horns and Three 6 Mafia-esque high hats. Trippie embraces the darkness well on this one and I enjoy it. 6/10
“High Hopes” Pooh Shiesty’s Memphis partner Big 30 is on this one. I suppose that Trippie saved the middle of MM for gangsta-themed songs with rappers with certified street cred. Chopsquad DJ provides his ominous piano-laced melodies on the beat. If you’re the kind of person who regularly rides around the block thinking about “sliding” on the “opps,” then you will probably like this track. 5/10
“Die Die” Finally, back to the rage. UK24, who hails from the Netherlands, blesses this song with a rage beat. Trippie Redd works his vocal distortion to a tee on this song and it sounds like something Playboi Carti would do. It’s hard for me to believe that Trippie didn’t think about Carti when he decided to do that. This song features emo/cloud rap legend Lucki who perfectly adds to the overall mixed vibe of light and dark on this one. 6.5/10
“Who Else!” I’m so happy that my boy Rich The Kid came through with the heat on this one. He is sort of an OG among the new generation of rappers but he continues to fit right in despite the rapidly shifting sounds of the rap game. Rich delivers his semi-slurred verse with his signature breakneck speed and his intoxicating, fluid bars bounce off the beat with a sonic symmetry that is absolutely pleasing to the ear. As for Trippie, he is delightfully devastating in his approach on this one. Trippie attacks the beat with gusto with lines like “Put that on my mom, who else?/Mama raised a don, who else?/Murk you, throw you in a pond, who else?” This one is a banger. 8.5/10
“Biggest Bird” This is one of the slower songs on MM, but it’s actually one of the best songs on the project. Trippie Redd is at his absolute best on “Biggest Bird.” Trippie and the alternative “pluggnb” artist Summrs come up with one of the catchiest choruses on the entire project. Trippie in particular delivers the memorable lines, “Pullin' up in a raven, bitch, I'm a god like I'm Raiden/I'm in all black like the Matrix, no time zone in the spaceship/And these niggas not what they appear, and I'm really the one that they fear/Big bird (Ah), what they hear, take one call you ain't here.” Summrs’ part is a good example of what R&B artists are evolving into in 2023. The song is layered over a rather experimental beat that has hypnotic, mesmerizing, and trance-like qualities to it. Without a doubt, it’s one of the strongest songs on MM. 8.5/10
“Hideout” Well this is definitely a “rage” song and Trippie does the beat justice. “Hideout” is easily the most quirky track on the album because it features Fijimacintosh, who can be best described as a talented weirdo. I had never heard of him before this, but after hearing his wacky verse that sounds like it was influenced by Lil Gotit, Lil Uzi, Playboi Carti, Young Thug, and Lil Keed, I’m interested in hearing more from him. It should be mentioned that Lil B paved the way for artists like him, which is why I’m so glad that Trippie goes out of his way to give Lil B his flowers on MM. I have to say that this song would have probably fit in perfectly in the first half of Mansion Muzik but it’s definitely one of my favorites. 8.5/10
“Witchcraft” There’s a guy named Rylo Rodriguez on this one. I'd never heard of him before this, and I’m not impressed by him at all. I thought Trippie’s hook and verses were pretty good. Honestly, the only highlight of the track is the sick beat by Nadddot. 3/10
“Toilet Water” Trippie recruits the increasingly hard to find Ski Mask the Slump God to offer some hilarious lines over a scatalogical beat. Seriously. The beat sounds like someone who is pooping. And to add to that theme, there’s a section of the song where there's literally a sound effect of someone flushing a toilet. Oh, and there are multiple parts of the song where Ski Mask says “flush flush flush.” So yeah. It’s funny and it’s supposed to be comical. You can call it toilet humor, I guess. 6/10
“Pure” G-Herbo is on this one. It’s a street-themed song with Chopsquad DJ on the beat. I think the best part of the track is probably Herbo’s part but that’s about it. I’m not a huge fan of this one. The street songs just don’t really hit on MM. 4/10
“Rock Out” I think Chief Keef’s presence is what makes this song one of the better tracks on the project. Chief Keef almost steals the show on this because his verse is kind of a show-stopper. Keef rides the regal beat sounding like the Emperor of Chiraq or something. It’s epic. Trippie manages to keep pace with the overall vibe, just enough to remind people that it’s still his song. 7.5/10
“Armageddon” Some genius named Rob49 goes: “100 round drum on me, 100 round drum on me, 100 round drum on me, 100 round drum on me Yeah, 100 round drum on me.” Lol. 4/10
“NUN” Just like I did with “Fully Loaded,” I can’t help but hear Playboi Carti all over this beat. Despite his absence, I do have to say that Da Baby proved to be a solid choice for this feature. Da Baby goes full-throttle and even switches up his flow in an extremely entertaining and delightful verse. The repetitive hook where he says “can’t tell me nun” is actually very addicting. My favorite part of the song comes when Trippie Redd goes, “Pullin' up, fleet of trucks like Obama's son (Bah, yeah)/I've been selling out arenas, like I'm Donda's son (Gang)/Told em' make a wish like I'm Cosmo and Wanda's son (Ha)” Those lines put a smile on my face for some reason. This is just a great track and I love every minute of it. It would be even better if Carti was on it. By the way, it’s no coincidence that the strongest songs on MM are the “rage” songs. 9/10
“Swag Like Ohio Pt. 2” Honestly, the main reason why I wanted to listen to Mansion Musik was to hear this gem featuring Lil B The Based God. And it was worth it, for the most part. The beat and the chorus on this song are updated versions of Lil B’s classic “Swag Like Ohio” song that came out all the way back in 2010. Trippie Redd, who is actually from Ohio and was no more than 11 years old when Lil B’s “Swag Like Ohio” came out, must have really liked the song back then. Lil B is a living legend and a visionary who paved the way for people like Trippie Redd so it’s cool to see Trippie collaborate with someone who influenced him as a kid. Trippie Redd and Lil B trade bars in this remix and the 2023 version of the beat is about 70% as good as the original. Lil B blesses this song with his “swag” and “woo” ad-libs which is super awesome. I was definitely hoping that Lil B would rap in his regular voice but he decided to go with the autotune. His guest spot is still epic, but if you’re a fan of Lil B, then you can understand why I would be kind of disappointed. Anyway, it’s definitely a feature for the history books. Thank You Based God. “I just bought the fentanyl, put it on my face, yeah (woo)” ~Lil B The Based God. 8.5/10
“Colors” This serene and somnolent track closes out MM. The mesmerizing Pi’erre Bourne beat is definitely the highlight here. The lyrics on “Colors” are actually kind of disturbing, especially the ones from Trippie Redd, but his violent bars are obscured by the friendly-sounding beat. The contrast is pretty interesting. Kodak Black plays around with autotune on this one and does a good job. It’s a smooth and appropriate ending to the album. 6.5/10
Overall Grade: 6.5/10
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