Taking A Walk

"Taking A Walk" is a deeply introspective and melancholic track that explores themes of heartbreak, disillusionment with fame, materialism as a coping mechanism, and profound emotional numbness. Trippie Redd uses the song to navigate the emotional wreckage of a failed relationship and the suffocating nature of public life. The central theme is a sense of detachment from reality and his own feelings. He paints a picture of a man who is surrounded by wealth and luxury—expensive cars, ice, and money—but finds no solace or happiness in them. Instead, these material possessions become symbols of his inner turmoil and self-destructive tendencies. The 'suicide doors' on his coupe are a direct metaphor for the perception that he is on a self-destructive path, a morbid fascination with his own mortality that he both acknowledges and deflects with dark humor about a jewel-studded coffin. The 'walk' to the graveyard is a powerful metaphor for confronting the death of his love and the burial of his past emotions, leaving him feeling like an isolated 'alien' navigating a hollow existence.

The song begins with the artist reflecting on the public's perception of him, suggesting that his lavish and dangerous lifestyle, symbolized by a car with 'suicide doors,' makes people think he has a death wish. He morbidly muses that if he were to die, his coffin would be extravagantly decorated with jewels, a defiant gesture against those who seem to want him gone. This introduction sets a tone of glamorous self-destruction, where wealth is used to mock mortality and the opinions of others.

He then shifts to a more personal and intimate space of betrayal and heartbreak. He mentions leaving a note for a former lover, a metaphorical suicide note for their dead relationship, and expresses disgust that she left it on the floor. This imagery conveys a deep sense of disrespect and emotional pain. He declares a cynical rule he's learned: never to trust a woman. This personal pain is immediately juxtaposed with his current coping mechanisms: acquiring money ('get this green') and using drugs ('smoke this green') to stay 'potent' or numb. He lashes out with insults, calling his rivals 'boneless' and 'pole-less,' asserting his own strength and preparedness for conflict ('I keep my ratchet').

The narrative continues with him physically escaping his thoughts by 'taking a walk' to a graveyard. This act symbolizes visiting the grave of his dead love, a place where his feelings are buried. He feels like an outcast, an 'alien' from another planet, further emphasizing his sense of isolation. The world around him feels unreal, as if he's in the Matrix, and he describes a state of emotional detachment, feeling no love or hate. His only remaining connection seems to be to wealth, as he clutches a 'big bag'. The recurring theme of a lavish but empty lifestyle surfaces again as he mentions being with a new woman in a luxury car, but the experience is hollow. He concludes with the haunting repetition that the 'coupe doors are suicide,' reinforcing the idea that his success and the lifestyle that comes with it are intertwined with a sense of danger and inner death.

"Taking A Walk" was released on August 6, 2018, as the third single from Trippie Redd's debut studio album, Life's a Trip, which followed four days later. The song was co-produced by the legendary Scott Storch and Dutch producer Avedon. Trippie Redd, whose real name is Michael Lamar White II, is also credited as a writer alongside Storch and Avedon (Vincent J. Van Den Ende). Trippie Redd had been teasing the song for months before its official release, with the first snippet appearing in December 2017 and another in March 2018. The summer leading up to the album's release was tumultuous for Trippie Redd; he turned 19, was released from jail, and mourned the death of his friend and collaborator XXXTentacion all on the same day in June 2018. This period of his life likely influenced the introspective and somber tone of the track. The song's release served as an instant gratification track for fans who pre-ordered the album.

The rhyme and rhythm in "Taking A Walk" are crucial to its melancholic and hypnotic feel. The song's structure is not built on complex rhyme schemes; instead, it uses simple couplets and internal rhymes to create a fluid, conversational flow. For instance, in the opening, 'die' rhymes with 'suicide,' and 'nice' rhymes with 'ice.' This straightforward AABB-like structure makes the lyrics feel direct and confessional. The rhythm of Trippie Redd's delivery is laid-back and slightly behind the beat, enhancing the track's hazy, druggy atmosphere. This deliberate, unhurried pacing makes the listener feel as if they are joining him on his somber, introspective walk. The interplay between his melodic, often sorrowful vocal rhythm and the steady, unobtrusive trap beat is central to the song's power, creating a mood that is simultaneously calming and unsettling.

The song is a prime example of Trippie Redd's signature style, blending elements of emo rap and cloud rap with psychedelic undertones.

• Vocal Delivery: Trippie employs a melodic, crooning vocal style that often drifts into a rap cadence. His delivery is relaxed and angst-laden, conveying a sense of weary resignation that complements the lyrical themes of numbness and despair.
• Production: Scott Storch and Avedon's production is key to the song's atmosphere. It features a subdued, Rhodes-like organ melody over a trap beat, creating a dreamy, almost hypnotic soundscape. This smooth, mellow instrumental provides a stark contrast to the dark and introspective lyrics.
• Lyrical Content: The lyrics are direct and raw, presenting honest and unfiltered thoughts on death, love, and materialism. Trippie uses a conversational tone, making declarations like 'rule number 1 never trust no bitch,' which feels like a personal, albeit cynical, piece of advice learned from hard experience.
• Contrast: A major technique is the juxtaposition of a flashy, materialistic lifestyle with deep emotional pain. Lines about diamond-studded coffins and expensive cars are immediately followed by expressions of betrayal and loneliness, creating a complex emotional texture.

Released as a single from his debut album Life's a Trip, "Taking A Walk" became one of Trippie Redd's most successful and defining tracks. It peaked at number 46 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and charted internationally in countries like Canada and New Zealand. The song was certified 3x Platinum by the RIAA in the United States, signifying massive commercial success. Culturally, the song was significant in cementing Trippie Redd's status as a leading figure in the emo rap and SoundCloud rap movements of the late 2010s. His style of blending raw, emotional lyrics about mental health and heartbreak with melodic flows and trap beats resonated strongly with a young audience and influenced many of his peers. The track is often cited as a fan favorite and a quintessential Trippie Redd song, showcasing the introspective and genre-blending style that made him a "rap's next Rockstar."

"Taking A Walk" is rich with symbolism and metaphors that convey its themes of death, love, and alienation.

• Suicide Doors: The most prominent metaphor is the 'suicide doors' on his coupe. This serves a dual purpose. On the surface, it's a flex about owning a luxury car. However, it's a direct and dark metaphor for the public's perception of his self-destructive lifestyle and his own flirtations with mortality. The repetition of this line underscores its centrality to the song's meaning.
• The Graveyard: The act of 'taking a walk to the graveyard' is a clear symbol for visiting the remnants of his dead relationship. It's not a literal walk, but an emotional journey to the place where he has buried his love and affection, highlighting the finality of the heartbreak.
• Aliens and Space: Trippie Redd's lyrics about being 'an alien' who 'had to spaz on the world' and needing 'my space' symbolize his profound sense of isolation and feeling like an outcast. He feels disconnected from the world and the people around him, as if he's from another planet entirely.
• The Note: Leaving a 'note' is a metaphor for a final, unheard message to his ex-lover, likening the end of the relationship to a suicide. Her casual disregard for it ('you left it on the floor, bitch') signifies the ultimate disrespect and the death of their connection.

Several key phrases and motifs are repeated throughout "Taking A Walk" to reinforce its central themes.

• 'The coupe doors are suicide': This is the most significant recurring motif. It appears in the chorus and serves as a constant reminder of the link between Trippie's lavish lifestyle and a sense of self-destruction and perceived death wish. Its repetition makes it the song's haunting thesis statement.
• 'Taking a walk': The title phrase itself is a motif for escape and introspection. He is walking away from his problems, but also walking towards a confrontation with his buried emotions at the 'graveyard' of his past love.
• Death and Wealth: The motif of death is consistently intertwined with materialism. He imagines his 'coffin would be nice' and 'stud that bitch up with some ice.' This recurring idea highlights his coping mechanism of using wealth to confront or even glamorize his own mortality and emotional pain.
• Betrayal: The idea of being wronged by a lover is a strong motif, encapsulated in the line 'rule number 1 never trust no bitch.' This phrase, born from the pain of his 'note' being discarded, becomes a recurring cynical mantra.