American rap has revolutionized the music industry. From its golden age in the mid-1980s to the present day, rappers have grown to become legends with their music. Some of these rappers include Andre Romelle Young, Dr Dre, Shawn Corey Carter, Jay-Z to the present-day Michael Lamar White IV, also known by the stage name Trippie Redd. Despite being young, Trippie is known all over the world for the music that he writes and sings. One article described Trippie as a talented rapper whose style is distinguishable from the current wave of new hip hop artists. We can see this in his success as he has famous songs such as “Dark Knight Dummo,” which features Travis Scott and a single project called “Topanga.” Here are ten things more you probably didn’t know about Trippie Redd.
1. Background
Trippie was born on June 18, 1999. According to Famous Birthdays, his real name is Michael Lamar White IV, and he was born in the city of Canton in Ohio State. He is of Native American, African-American, and Irish ancestry. His mother, Tonya White, raised him as a single mother since his father was in prison when he was born. Trippie took his father’s name, Michael Lamar White. He has two brothers: his younger brother nicknamed “Hippie Redd,” and his older brother was known as “Dirty Redd.” His older brother, however, died in a car accident in 2014. Trippie’s childhood saw him spending the most time in either Canton or Colombus, Ohio, before moving to Atlanta in pursuit of his music career after graduation.
2. His inspiration for music
Even the greatest musicians like Michael Jackson admitted that they looked up to some figures for inspiration. According to The Famous People, Trippie started to become interested in music after his mother acted as Beyonce, Ashanti, and Tupac while he grew up. He took an interest in music seriously after 2014 when he recorded his first two songs when he was 15 but deleted them due to poor response from the crowd. He cites fellow rapper Lil Wayne as one of his favorite artists. He also says that his real inspiration came from his late brother Dirty Redd.
3. His brother’s death
According to Complex, his brother’s death in 2014 left him in a very dark place as he felt alone and lonely. Trippie spoke to the site that depression is real, and the only thing that helped him release the energy was his music. He added that recording music took him to a brighter future and played a significant role in him overcoming the loss of his brother.
4. His mother is his worst critic
Even though he has been making waves in the music industry and grabbing the interest of significant artists such as Lil Wayne and Drake, he has had significant issues of doubt among his fans. Key among them is his mother. According to Nicki Swift, Trippie says that his mother would say that he should stop thinking about music and he should get a regular job with a stable income. He tried getting a job at a pizza restaurant but resigned only after two days; since then he has never had another job.
5. His affinity to the number 14
Trippie has had a huge liking to the number 14, evidenced by the number of tattoos he has with “14.” It is tattooed across his body and prominently across the center of his forehead in red ink. The number is also present on his website and records. The figure represents the 14th Street where he grew up in Canton. It also has a spiritual meaning to him. He says that the number keeps recurring in his life and is synonymous with the angels and spirituality that resides in his family.
6. His Debut
Trippie started his career with fellow artist Lil Tae when he released his first songs in the year 2014. These songs were “Sub-Zero” and “New Ferrari.” After his graduation, he joined Lil Wop, who helped him start his career as a professional artist. He worked with Kodie Shane, with whom he recorded three albums, namely, “Beast Mode,” “Awakening My Inner Beast,” and “Rock the World Trippie.” He later struck a deal with his current label Strange Entertainment. His first Billboard 100 song was “Dark Knight Dummo,” featuring Travis Scott debuted at position 72 in the charts.
7. His first complete mixtape
“Love Letter to You” was his first whole mixtape and was released in the year 2017. Its lead song was “Love Scars.” This particular song received 13 million views on SoundCloud and 8 million views on YouTube. He released the “A Love Letter to You 2” in the same year in October. The album was at number 34 on the Billboard 200 after it debuted. Following the success on the records, he was involved in the “XXXTentacion’s album 17” when he sang the song “F*** Love” which went on to peak at number 28 at Billboard Hot 100.
8.His discography
The discography of Trippie consists of four mixtapes, seven extended plays, two studio albums, and fourteen singles. It includes his “Love Letter to you” mixtapes followed by singles such as “Love Scars,” and “Poles1469”. In 2017, he worked with sensation producer Scott Torch to release a song called “TR666,” featuring Swae Lee. His album featured in the top 20 of most charts, including Australia and the UK. He has also featured in numerous songs from other artists such as “66” by Lil Yachty, “Wish” by Diplo, and “Forever ever” by Young Thug.
9. His feuds with other rappers
Feuds are not an uncommon thing in the hip hop industry. We all remember the historical enmity that did not end well between hip-hop’s royalties, Tupac and Biggie. Similarly, Trippie has had disputes with other rappers, and among them is 6ix9ine. The two started as friends and label mates until he dismissed 6ix9ine as a pedophile after 6ix9ine was charged with sexual assault on a minor in 2015. The conflict increased after Trippie’s ex-girlfriend was said to be having an affair with 6ix9ine. However, the two reconciled later.
10. His Net Worth
After making it in the music scene, Trippie bought his mother a $300,000 house, a move that proves Trippie is quite wealthy. Despite being a very young rapper, his net worth stands at an estimated $7 million. He gained this wealth by selling merchandise through his website and through the music that he creates.
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