Trippie Redd always stood out. From his earliest recordings, the Atlanta-by-way-of-Ohio rapper took a pop sensibility, a punk attitude, trap beats, and something new and indefinable and put them together into a unique mix. After years of building a reputation through SoundCloud-driven free releases, Trippie is now just days away from dropping his debut album, Life’s a Trip. It’s been a long road to get here. Below are some of the highlights (and lowlights) of the journey.
The Road to Trippie Redd’s Debut Album ‘Life’s a Trip’

Shawn is a writer and reporter for podcasts at Complex, and the author of the book Complex Presents Dummy Boy: Tekashi 6ix9ine and the Nine Trey Gangsta Bloods. Shows he has written include Infamous and Complex Subject.
Shawn is also the former editor-in-chief of Rap Genius and the creator and host of The Cipher, a critically acclaimed hip-hop podcast. He has written about music and culture for Forbes, The Atlantic, Vibe, The Source, GQ, Esquire, The Sondheim Review, and more.