Mississippi-born-and-raised artist Trippij is a creative who I rock with on a personal level. The brother and I have a lot of similarities. That’s even down to the fact that we’re pretty open about our dealings with mental health and other things. However, like your favorite(?) No-Fi King, he’s also a dreamer along with his realism. His two latest tracks (well, his two latest that are “Safe for SOTB”) continue this while also giving listeners a healthy dose of lyricism.

In other words, Trippi does what Trippi does and does so exquisitely.

On his “Anxiety Freestyle,” he channels KRIT and a little bit of Big Boi to speak on the way that he’s been trying to survive as an artist, put others into places they can prosper, and maintain his sanity–all at once. The beat is pretty frantic, and kind of reminds me of a Ludacris cut from his 1998-2004 era. It’s bouncy but also hard-hitting. It thumps where it should and bangs where it can. Random words aside, I love the beat. But the lyrics are just as killer. Over a little under two minutes, Trippi double-times and reminds us that “bad bitches have bad days, too” while also showcasing his rhyming ability and punchlines. The flow here also reminds me a bit of Megan the Stallion on “Wanna Be.” I mean that his flow has that “let’s pay homage to Three 6 Mafia and UGK” energy, which allows Trippi to attack the beat like a prized fighter. What really stands out for me on this one is that he understands that some of the anxieties in his world are self-made but tends to them like any other anxiety or pressure: figuring out the cause and resolving the conflict.

On Trippij’s recently-released “HEADOWN Freestyle,” he gives listeners a bit of a protest song against the “grind until I die” mentality. It’s also a song that goes in-depth about Trippi’s fears when it comes to becoming another cog in the machine, just to pay some bills. As a creative who struggles with that on my own time, I empathize fully. There have been many times I’ve sacrificed myself for a few extra dollars. That is, until I finally asked myself: “what am I really earning by being ‘on’ and grinding 24/7 without pause?” I didn’t have an answer, outside of “mo’ money.” And while I like money, I’m not going to go out here and waste life just to make it. Getting back to the track, this one apparently came together in about 30 minutes. In that time, he truly did create something that showcases the “resilience of the human spirit when it refuses to be silenced.”

If you need music that showcases originality, creativity and a general good head on their shoulders, I think you’ll like these. And even if you’re not creaming your seams over the whole experience, I know that you all will at least respect what he’s putting down and how he does it. Crass PG-13 analogies aside, check out these two new tracks and remember to support dope music in all its forms.