Rapper Trippie Red: ‘It Just Felt Right to Make a Rock Record’ With Travis Barker

Rapper Trippie Redd has shown hints of his rock and metal influence in the past, but the prolific hitmaker is engaging with the rock world more than ever before on his upcoming Neon Shark Vs. Pegasus deluxe release, which is getting an executive producer assist from Blink-182's Travis Barker.

And Barker isn't the only rocker helping Trippie pull off the transition. Deftones' Chino Moreno jumps on the song "Geronimo," Scarlxrd and Zillikami turn up on the album closer "Dead Desert" and Machine Gun Kelly assists on two tracks – "Red Sky" and the single "Pill Breaker," with the latter also featuring Blackbear.

Speaking in a statement to Loudwire, Trippie Redd discussed why now was the right time to record a rock record. “I’ve known Travis for a while and always thought it’d be cool to do a project together," he explained. "I’ve loved rock since I was a kid and grew up on Blink-182. It just felt right to make a rock record with him.”

Barker has already overseen the transition of one rapper in delivering a rock record, with Machine Gun Kelly delivering one of 2020's top selling rock efforts, Tickets to My Downfall.

Trippie counts Slipknot and Rob Zombie as early influences alongside rap icons Tupac Shakur, Nas and Jay-Z. And this past year during the quarantine, he dropped his Pegasus album on Halloween, then took the big step toward realizing his rock side by teaming with Barker for the deluxe version of his record.

Neon Shark vs. Pegasus is due Feb. 19 via 10K Projects / Caroline. You can check out the artwork and track listing below and pre-orders can be placed here.

1. PILL BREAKER FT. BLACKBEAR & MACHINE GUN KELLY
2. WITHOUT YOU
3. SWIMMING
4. FEMALE SHARK
5. GERONIMO FT. CHINO MORENO
6. SEA WORLD
7. RED SKY FT. MACHINE GUN KELLY
8. MEGLADON
9. SAVE YOURSELF
10. DREAMER
11. IT’S COMING
12. LEADERS
13. FROZEN OCEAN
14. DEAD DESERT FT. SCARLXRD & ZILLAKAMI