Trippie Redd
Biography
Michael Lamar White IV, known professionally as Trippie Redd, was born on June 18, 1999, in Canton, Ohio. His father was incarcerated at the time of his birth, leaving his mother to raise him. He grew up with a younger brother, "Hippie Redd," and an older brother, "Dirty Redd," who was an aspiring musician. The tragic death of his older brother in a car accident in 2014 was a pivotal moment that motivated Trippie Redd to pursue a music career seriously. His early musical influences included artists his mother would play, such as Ashanti, Beyoncé, Tupac, and Nas, and he later drew inspiration from artists like T-Pain, Gucci Mane, and Lil Wayne.
Career Beginnings
After graduating from high school, Trippie Redd moved to Atlanta, where he met rapper Lil Wop, who helped him get started in a professional recording studio. He initially released songs like "Sub-Zero" and "New Ferrari" in 2014 but later deleted them. He gained significant attention with the release of his debut mixtape, "A Love Letter to You," in May 2017. The mixtape featured the lead single "Love Scars," which became a commercial success. This project, along with his increasing online presence, led to a record deal. His sound is noted for its blend of cloud rap, emo rap, and trap.
Rise to Prominence
In 2017, Trippie Redd released his second mixtape, "A Love Letter to You 2," which debuted at number 34 on the Billboard 200. That same year, he was a featured artist on XXXTentacion's song "Fuck Love," which peaked at number 28 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was later certified Diamond by the RIAA. His single "Dark Knight Dummo," featuring Travis Scott, released in December 2017, became his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100 as a lead artist.
His debut studio album, "Life's a Trip," was released in August 2018 and debuted at number four on the Billboard 200 chart. The single "Taking a Walk" from the album also charted on the Billboard Hot 100. He followed this with the mixtape "A Love Letter to You 3" in late 2018, which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.
Studio Albums and Major Success
Trippie Redd's second studio album, "!" was released in 2019 and reached the top five of the Billboard 200. Later that year, his mixtape "A Love Letter to You 4" became his first project to top the Billboard 200 chart. He continued his success with his third and fourth studio albums, "Pegasus" (2020) and "Trip at Knight" (2021), both of which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200. The lead single from "Trip at Knight," titled "Miss the Rage" with Playboi Carti, peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming his highest-charting song.
In 2021, he also released a deluxe version of "Pegasus" titled "Neon Shark vs Pegasus," a rock-influenced project presented by Travis Barker. His fifth studio album, "Mansion Musik," was released in 2023 and debuted at number three on the Billboard 200. This was followed by the mixtape "A Love Letter to You 5" in the same year.