Trills
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Trills

Newark, New Jersey, United States

Newark, New Jersey, United States
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"Breaking The Fourth Wall: Trills....And How He Had Me Up All Night Long"

Any chick from Northern New Jersey KNOWS that Newark niggas are just a different breed of dude. At first glance you would think they are all the same since most everybody dresses in the standard concrete jungle attire ready made for urban survival. Blending in is part of the prerequisite to survival out here in what they affectionately call “Brick City” but make no mistake, there is nothing routine or nondescript about the dwellers of the state’s largest city. Especially when it comes to Trills.
For all you beautiful ethical thugs pursuing your college degree; and you wonderful health conscious car thieves that hack GPS’s to put bread on the table; and for all of you philosophical street thugs who read James Baldwin in between squeezing your trigger I’m so stoked to share with you one of my favorite MC’s whose music is just as diverse as the historic neighborhoods dotted throughout the large gray city.

Can I just say that Trills makes me happy to hear fucking Hip Hop, son. I won’t lie. I’m getting bored and frustrated with everyone BUT the Indie artists for the last year. Trills’ lyrics are not only clever; they are meaningful. When was the last time you re-wound (um, back pressed) the stream to listen to a verse AGAIN and AGAIN…“What dat dude say?”

Trills is versatile as hell with the linguistics. While listening to the album I had to check the credits to make sure I was still listening to him since it sounded like an entirely different MC. Not many people are able (or think) to switches styles, dialects and voice tone. All the variety from one man is like a threesome with hot twins. Same person; but different. I appreciate that.

For those who don’t know, Newark is a historical racial hot spot and many of it’s residents are second generation conscious Black radicals that carry on a tradition of holding the world accountable for their oppressive treatment. Newark soldiers are critical of society and the use of spoken word, music and art remain their methods of communication and Trills is no different. He never misses an opportunity to say something provocative about race, black self perception and social challenges (Trills is also a talented visual artist). His social commentary is transparent and easily conveys the shared existence felt by brown skin folks within and beyond the borders of Newark. It could be Compton, it could be the Bronx, it could be Brazil.

There’s nothing like a Black man that insists that you pay attention..to yourself and others.Influence is a bitch.

There is something for all music lovers, I especially loved “Boss Nigga” simply because of the blend of horns, echoes, big band and rock music. Close your eyes and tell me if this song doesn’t sound like the theme song to a Blaxploitation movie..soul, sex and funk (the good kind!). Ask your uncle about Cleopatra Jones if you don’t know no better or better yet, Google her and enjoy the pretty brown brown.

The Motley Crew-like electric guitar loop in “Pop” woke my ass right up. Trills uses simple verses that sting like an open handed face slap with references to West Coast legends NWA in the first few verses. “Pop” is a reminder to those who may have forgotten that gangster rap originated with urban gangsters and some of them are still gangsters waiting on their come up and it might just be you. This is from a brother from Newark though similar sentiment is surly felt from Brazil to Bangkok.

“not for the love of extorting//nigga just starving//plus..I hear alot of you balling”

I had the urge to put on my leg warmers, and skate backwards while picking out my afro out during the bonus track “Grown Penny”. Trills uses this nostalgic game show beat for an owed to the ladies via a clever Mack session full of your favorite references from the 70's. I bet Penny forgets all about Jay-Jay after hearing about the things Trills suggests to her in this song. And it’s not what you’re thinking; he’s known for making a geek girl shift uncomfortably in her seat. Good girl gone bad style..but for one special dude only. Gotta love it.

The production is by Alex Goose unless otherwise noted. Seems these beats were turned down by mainstream artists during 2009 and then released for download on the internet. I’m fucking grateful-because dude’s sound is very right now! I think commercial Hip Hop is coming to a close and what will be considered REAL Hip Hop by those who were raised on it and those who truly love it will come from MC’s that have something relevant to say. And complex sentences require complex beats. Hip Hop is no longer just a beat and a hook. In order to compete in the ‘music’ genre that rises from the burnt ashes of current Hip Hop producers will have to display more and more creativity, risk taking with their blends and mastery of sound. Alex Goose understands this.

Music is about a journey, an experience, an emotion….I don’t know at what point in time the land of the sexually abused, misogynistic, and hell bent for destruction became the destination of Hip Hop. Trills understands this and he gives us more.

Breaking the Fourth Wall didn’t disappoint. Not once did the music smother the clarity of any of the MC’s verse. Not once did I skip a track. As a matter of fact, this post is late as hell because I kept getting caught up enjoying the album instead of critiquing the album. But sometimes when you want to write a good review, getting caught up and enjoying the music is the only true way to tell you guys about it.

One last thing, enjoy Trills while his music is still free. Mark my words..it won’t be for long! - Tracy Renee Jones


Discography

Trills Presents: Eargasm/ April 2010

Breaking The Fourth Wall/ February 2011

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Bio

“Contemporary nostalgia:” That is what Trills proclaims he brings to Hip Hop. Born and raised in Newark, New Jersey, a city full of resilience, Trills is exactly that. He has gone from his humble beginnings with his former group 4.5.6 who scored plays in local skating rinks, to his current successes that include being played on various online and college radio stations across the country. With this fueling his passion, its only full steam ahead.
Trills never had a chance to do anything outside of the arts. Early into elementary school his parents realized that he could draw far beyond any kids his age. “I respect my parents for understanding I had something and supporting it. That opened the ability to be comfortable with my creativity in any aspect.” He also grew up with rap music at every turn. His brother (a member of The Zoo Crew) was heavily involved in the New Jersey music scene. He himself appeared in many Naughty by Nature and Lords of the Underground music videos. His closest friend Supreme C and “brother from another mother” was featured on the LOTUG song Neva Faded in 1994. From there he began to write lyrics of his own.
As Trills entered junior high school he began to rebel and hang with friends that sold drugs, stole bikes and eventually cars. “I’m from the car theft capitol; it was inevitable to have friends that were into that. I’m just lucky I entered a situation that could turn that around.” That situation was his acceptance to Arts High School in Newark, New Jersey. Attending the school that groomed Tisha Campbell-Martin, Savion Glover, Melba Moore, Tame One, Sarah Vaughan, and attending with Kat DeLuna meant that things were looking up for a young man born around such turmoil.
While attending as a visual Art Major, he discovered that he had a great knack for painting but also befriended music majors that would help develop his writing as well. After meeting a few creative counterparts that included writers, singers, and producers he began to experiment and find his voice. During these years Trills lost family due to drug use, incarceration, and a very close cousin in a gang initiation. This only pushed him much harder. “Those were the hardest years of my life. There was a lot of searching and a lot of tears.”
He has since developed a company alongside those same creative friends from high school. Triple Beam caters to and surely isn’t limited to Music Production, Photography, Graphic Design, and host of other artistic elements. While Trills may be selling pop art paintings or working on screenplays he is by far more concerned with Hip Hop. The most recently released "Breaking The Fourth Wall" has already been called "Possibly The best mixtape we will hear this year" and it's reach is massive “A woman who loves country music hit me on twitter and said her daughter who goes to Ithaca College heard it on the schools station. The mother told me she likes what I’m doing but doesn’t particularly like the genre usually. I’m like is she gassing me? Who cares if she’s listening and following I am happy.”
Inspired by Gordon Parks, Trills plans to bring a lot of substance to the culture. He has been conditioned to love art and music and has plans on extending what it means to be an artist.”Trills is definitely the epitome of the neo rapper. If the future means rappers who are in tune with the streets and are vastly creative in many other aspects we are all in. Trills isn’t about a coast, a sound, or a trend, he has much more to share. “I love the essence of Hip Hop. There is so much beauty in the struggle. I love it! My favorite photography medium is urban decay. I paint and mock pop culture and politics. I love to be heard sonically and visually. There is so much to say, Hip Hop is the perfect platform. I won’t be muffled; I go too hard with expression.”