K Trap burst onto the scene in late 2016, with a unique combination of sharp lyrical imagery and a hungry, distinct voice setting himself apart from most drillers at the time. Coming out of Gipsy Hill in Lambeth, he associated himself strongly with some of the most prominent south London rappers at the time, such as Youngs Teflon and LD. However, Trapo would go on to carve his own space within the world of drill, becoming renowned across the country for his unfiltered telling of the trials and tribulations of life as K Trap. Tracks such as “David Blaine”, “Paper Plans” and “Edgware Road” created a cult following around this masked trapper, with his anonymity only serving to further increase the hype around him. There was a certain mystique to K Trap; who exactly was this balaclava-wearing, trapper of the year?
Eventually, music started to take over K Trap’s life. It became impossible for him to be as embroiled in the streets as his music, and as a result, taking off the mask seemed a more and more attractive opportunity. With promises of real money to be made in the music game, K Trap used the video for “Big Mood” as the chance to start a new chapter in his career, revealing his face and in doing so setting himself on an irreversible path of further success and fame. Fast forward to 2021, and Trapo shows no signs of slowing down; he continues to release banger after banger and is gearing up to release Trapo an extended project, out today. We took this chance to review K Trap’s career to date, charting his journey through ten unforgettable songs.
“David Blaine”
In December 2016, K Trap made his solo debut with “David Blaine”. Little did he know at the time that this track would become immortalised in UK drill history. Currently sitting at just over 3 million views, this song struck a chord with a whole generation of British youth, whilst introducing Trapo as a star for the future. This is a great track to go back to once in a while, as it offers a snapshot of a young, hungry K Trap intent on leaving his mark on the drill scene. The conviction when he raps is mad; lines such as “I’m David Blaine with the magic” left you with no doubt as to both the talent and the realness of Trapo.
“Paper Plans”
If “How” was iconic, then “Paper Plans” was legendary. Released just two months after “How”, “Paper Plans” confirmed that K Trap was here to stay as a top-tier drill rapper. “Paper Plans” is a certified hustler’s anthem, featuring motivational lines from Trapo over a bouncing Soundboi100 production. This track struck a chord with anyone obsessed with making the most out of their day. Whether it helped you push through a final set in the gym, pumped you up for a long day of work, or made you long to live a life of luxury like Trapo, there is no denying that this song captures the hustler mentality perfectly.
“Watching”
By this point, K Trap had clearly established himself as one of the most exciting artists in the current UK scene. His no holds barred, unapologetic rhymes about life as a street entrepreneur had led to a loyal fanbase, who were desperate to hear more from Trapo.
As a result, K Trap entered 2018 with a bang, releasing “Watching” and demonstrating that he had no plans on slowing down anytime soon. “Watching” combined what had become his trademark quotables about lifestyle and hustling with tighter flows and astute wordplay. A particularly memorable line was “Copped me a Lil Pump, way before I turned Gucci Gang”; highlighting that K Trap was beginning to evolve as an artist.
“Edgware Road”
At this point, the K Trap wave was undeniable. He had released multiple songs which did well over a million views, and his emerging fame was becoming synonymous with the increasing popularity of drill music. But what better way than to cement this moment than with a collaboration with one of the pioneers of UK drill music in the first place?
Enter “Edgware Road” with fellow south London native LD; an absolute smash which to this day has over 10 million views on youtube. LD and Trapo both absolutely kill it, spraying relentless bars over an iconic Soundboi production. From LD rapping “I’m on Edgware Road with a gorgeous one and shisha smoke” to Trapo professing “I was in jail, that’s bowls of oats, now it’s two pyrexes, bowls of coke”, this track is full of quotables. There’s little doubt why even three years later this song still has immense replay value; it’s two of the UK’s best drill rappers at their best, and it’s glorious.
“The Re-Up”
September 2018 saw K Trap drop visuals for one of the biggest songs on his recent project by the same name. Rapping about his lavish lifestyle is a common theme in Trapo’s music, but this song felt like a direct ode to the luxuries that “The Re-Up” can bring. Lines such as “Only mummy and the plug be on speed dial” and “Cook it daily but I still gotta eat out, Calamari or a Crab salad” evokes images of a man who will do whatever it takes to secure the bag; and when it’s secured, he’s going to make sure he celebrates correctly.
This song also showed Trapo begin to be self-aware about his changing status; rapping of how he is both “A rapper and a runner” gave insight into his attempts to juggle both worlds at this particular time. Clearly, Trapo knew he had the chance and ability to take music completely seriously, but did he have the drive to leave behind everything he had ever known?
“Big Mood”
By 2019, K Trap had left no doubt in the minds of both his fans and haters that he was one of the hardest drill rappers in the country. But Trapo had a deep desire to prove his value outside of just making raw street bangers. As a result, he released “Big Mood” in June of 2019, a party anthem that celebrated living life to the fullest and enjoying oneself. This track combined a bouncy rap beat by Nana Rogues with boastful claims by Trapo, such as “Ever see the way I’m living, you’d say ‘Big Mood’”.
This track would make its way into clubs across the country, as well as still maintaining that street appeal; marking the development of Trapo from a driller who made music for other drillers to a musician who made music for everyone to enjoy. Complete with the fact that K Trap used this video as the opportunity to take off his mask and reveal his face, this track felt like a massive turning point in his career, illustrating that he was ready to dive headfirst into the music game.
“Off White”
K Trap continued to diversify his sound, tapping Nafe Smallz for “Off White”, a wavy track dedicated to the finer things in life. Rapping over an exquisite JB Production, K Trap demonstrated once again his versatility, swapping his usual street-themed rhymes for two reflective verses which dealt mainly with his love of high fashion and his relationship struggles with his girlfriend at the time.
Complete with an excellent hook from Nafe Smallz, this is a banger which perhaps didn’t amass the recognition it deserved. However, it is undeniable that it proved once again that Trapo was dedicated to experimenting sonically, always looking to try new styles and further prove his value outside of standard drill music.
“Street Side Effects”
Having released multiple mixtapes (The Last Whip, The Re-Up, and No Magic) the world was waiting to see what a K Trap album would sound like. Would he stretch his musical ambition even further, offering a new side to the Trapo we all knew and loved? Or would he stay in his lane, offering more and more drill bangers about lifestyle and trapping? The answer was the former; Street Side Effects is by far the most multifaceted offering by Trapo to date, blending aggressive drill, colourful party bangers, and introspective rap songs together to great effect.
The titular track, “Street Side Effects” was one of the latter mentioned introspective rap songs, with a soft piano-led production, the soundtrack to over 3 minutes of venting by Trapo. Talking on a range of emotional topics, such as his struggles to manage his relationships since his fame, his cousin Bis’ death, and his ambition to make more of himself despite his success. This track cemented the fact that K Trap is a full-blown artist, who is committed to exploring the realities of his mental state through his music.
“Warm”
Just when he had made it clear that he was so much more than a drill rapper, Trapo embarked on a hot streak of releasing certified drill bangers. Reminiscent of the music he burst onto the scene making, tracks such as “New Opp Block” with Abra Cadabra, and “Whip that Work” illustrated that he still very much had the ability to make these street anthems if he wanted to.
But the release this year of “Warm” really hammered this point home; rapping over an incredible M1onTheBeat production, with swagger and conviction, Trapo made it clear that he has no issue getting back in his drill bag when he wants to. “Warm” is not only reminiscent of the drill music he came up releasing, but also demonstrates how he has improved as a rapper since. He switches intricate flows with ease, dropping charismatic punchlines seemingly at will. Lines such as “Wanna fly bae out overseas but we’re up and down like BTC” leave you with no choice but to laugh and shake your head at how cold Trapo actually is.
“Pick N’ Mix”
In a similar vein to “Warm”, “Pick N’ Mix” was another statement by Trapo that he is still more than comfortable jumping on a drill beat and flexing his stuff. Once again tapping M1onTheBeat for production, K Trap rides the beat with ease, employing a clever sweets-inspired rhyme scheme for the chorus before shelling both of his verses with a relentless combination of flows and bars.
What made this particular track feel even more reminiscent of his earlier work than “Warm” is that for the duration of the music video, Trapo is wearing his beloved balaclava which made him so identifiable when he first came up. The only difference now is that everything is elevated; his technical ability as a rapper has improved, the diamonds on his neck are bigger, and the setting for the video is a luxury mansion as opposed to his council estate. Lines such as “I was young with the Euros I felt like Saka” highlight how strong his pen game has become, as well as pointing to his undeniable swagger on the mic.
“Pick n’ Mix” is the first single for “Trapo”, which is out today! Be sure to stay connected to GRM Daily for all the updates regarding this project, and be sure to stream it when it drops! Check out our piece exploring K Trap’s rise to the top even further right here