Trapo • The Black Beverly Hills EP
We understand that These Days is a Chicago multimedia platform. We also understand that 17-year-old rapper Trapo is from Madison, Wisconsin. That being said, we're going to make an exception to the rule and post an article about Trapo's new EP, The Black Beverly Hills, because it's that good. Thanks to his collaborations with Chicago native Max Wonders, Trapo has been featured on our site in the past, so it's only right that we talk about Trapo's debut EP.
“A Short Project About Black Prosperity”, Trapo explains in his SoundCloud description.
The Black Beverly Hills EP is nine songs that play out like a handful of police officers angrily searching your car while you have guns stuck in your crotch. Drunk driving contrasted by sobriety. Easing of the soul meshed with weed smoke. High intensity contrasted by soulful confessions. Some of these tracks have been heard before, like the anthemic “Modelo” ("I can't be your role model") and the stunning “Cards and Conversation”, the first song where Trapo really gripped me. The remaining seven songs on the EP are all new, and many of them instantly stand out. “Raisin in the Sun”, for example, packs a punch with an Allan Kingdom feature, while racially focused “Tree” might be Trapo's strongest (and shortest) track yet.
The project features minimal vocal assistance and unfortunately doesn't credit the producers involved, but the 20 minute playlist is an eye opener, especially considering the lyrical content on top of Trapo's age. So again, while Trapo is a Wisconsin native, we think it's necessary to talk about this EP. Listen to it once and I'll expect you to be talking about it as well. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to give this 50 more listens.