Trap Beckham Birthday Bitch

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2 Trap Beckham Birthday Bitch Trap Beckham is the latest artist to snag a deal with Def Jam. His debut single is titled Birthday Bitch. My goal is to take it as far as I can take it, Trap Beckham said of his fledgling career. I m going for more awards, more hits on the radio. My goal is to stay consistent. I want to be in the game for a long-ass time. I want to be one of those artists that didn t really have to do anything but drop those hits.

3 Trap Beckham Birthday Bitch [New Song] Def Jam signee Trap Beckham shares his debut single for the label, "Birthday Bitch". Jacksonville's Trap Beckham has been making undeniably catchy, universally appealing anthems since he first broke through with the self-produced "Top Of The Line" in His natural hitmaking ability has now earned him a deal with Def Jam, and today he's shared his debut single for the label with "Birthday Bitch," a highly danceable record that continues in the tradition of inclusive, party-starting classics like Juvenile's "Back That Azz Up". It should surely also fall in

4 line with Jeremih's "Birthday Sex" in becoming a go-to record for those celebrating their big day. Beckham's natural charisma on the propulsive banger suggests he's got quite a few more of these in him. Let us know what you think of the rising rapper so far in the comments below. Quotable Lyrics: I'm trying to get you to the birthday bed You can even get the birthday head That's what you call birthday sex You don't need no love from your birthday ex

5 Def Jam s Latest Signee Trap Beckham Presents New Birthday B***h Single Def Jam introduces us to their newest signee out of Jacksonville, Florida, Trap Beckham. We are now presented with the release of Beckham s debut single Birthday B***h. The record is an upbeat banger that has the radio and club appeal. He easily meshes in his sound with the West Coast yet Down South swing. What s most impressive is the additions that continue to show themselves as the song progresses. This surely will make noise for any girl s birthday festivities.

6 The journey for Beckham broke out in 2012, when his single Top of The Line featuring Young Cash became a smash hit. My goal is to take it as far as I can take it, he says. I m going for more awards, more hits on the radio. My goal is to stay consistent. I want to be in the game for a long-ass time. I want to be one of those artists that didn t really have to do anything but drop those hits. Beckham has certainly been moving in the right direction with creating hits for the radio, now let s see the consistency kick into play; we have no doubt he ll keep his word on that.

7 Trap Beckham Shouts Out The "Birthday Bitch" Def Jam's newest signee Trap Beckham drops his debut single "Birthday Bitch," off Deff Jam Recordings. Beckham's legend started growing exponentially in That s when he released his smash self-produced single Top Of The Line, featuring Young Cash. Trap Beckham kicked his verse off by paying homage to Yo Gotti s 5 Star Chick single, giving listeners a way to instantly gravitate toward the song. The cut s hardcore production and smooth sonic accents made it the type of tune that endeared itself to male and female listeners. Trap Beckham says there s a certain magic to his music when he makes his own tracks. My goal is to take it as far as I can take it, he says. "I m going for more awards, more hits on the radio. My goal is to stay consistent. I want to be in the game for a long-ass time. I want to be one of those artists that didn t really have to do anything but drop those hits. He s well on his way. Thoughts?

8 NEW MUSIC: TRAP BECKHAM BIRTHDAY B*TCH Def Jam s newest signee Trap Beckham drops his debut single Birthday B*tch off his upcoming project. Back in 2012, Beckham released his smash self-produced single Top Of The Line featuring Young Cash. Trap kicked his verse off by paying homage to Yo Gotti s 5 Star Chick. The young vocalist states that there s a certain magic to his music when he makes his own tracks. My goal is to take it as far as I can take it, he says. I m going for more awards, more hits on the radio. My goal is to stay consistent. I want to be in the game for a long-ass time. I want to be one of those artists that didn t really have to do anything but drop those hits.

9 Listen To This: Party Like It's Your Birthday! Your new birthday anthem is here!!! Every year needs a good one!! Trap Beckham's follows closely to the mold of 50 Cent's iconic In Da Club. And, like that one, this one has the potential to be a crossover hit too!! Check out the rapper's breakthrough single above! Then CLICK HERE to listen to more music from Trap Beckham!

10 Trap Beckham talks Birthday Chick and signing to Def Jam Trap Beckham is well on his way to success. Don t let his name fool you, his music is indeed different from traditional trap music. His latest single Birthday Chick has become a smash hit in the South and is continuing to spread from coast to coast.

11 In 2012, Trap Beckham s name began gathering buzz when he debuted his smash single, Top of the Line. Since then, the Florida native has reached new heights after signing to Def Jam. We had a chance to talk with Trap Beckham to find out how life has changed since he signed to a major record label and the inspiration behind his music. With growing up in Jacksonville, Florida, where did you get the name Trap Beckham and how do you feel about trap music? Well, my real name is Travis. At 14, that s where I got my name Trap Beckham because I was from the hood. I feel that my name is a new definition of trap, which makes me a different breed. As far as the name The Golden Boy of the Hood, it came from a kid that my hood always believed in and knew that I would prosper. I always knew that as long as I was doing my thing, the hood [would] take care of me. You say that your music has its own certain magic when you make your own tracks, but what sets you apart from other rappers in the game? My music is versatile. The style of my music varies, but I make it into my own. With rappers nowadays, it seems like they could drop a hot single and then not be relevant anymore. I feel that I could do the same thing, but make more hits. It s like some rappers get hot after a big single, but then a year later, they disappear and fall off. I feel that I can be better than that. What was the inspiration behind Birthday Chick? It s always a girl celebrating her birthday in the club. I wanted to give that club beat for the ladies when it s their birthday. I just finished shooting the video for the song and I have also seen videos [on social media] of people dancing to the song. It s nothing but love.

12 What was it like signing to Def Jam and having them believe in you versus signing to another record label? It was a blessing and dream come true. When I was in L.A., they were like where have you been? When I finished shooting the video for Birthday Chick, it didn t hit me until we finished [that I] knew that this was a real blessing. Being on a label with Jay Z and Kanye West, I know that I am 20 steps closer to meeting them someday. I also knew that this was an opportunity to finally take care of my family and people who never turned their backs on me.

13 Birthday Bitch: An Interview With Trap Beckham One of Def Jam s own Trap Beckham tells Above Average Hip Hop the importance of being a team player and explains to us how It is a central component to his overall success. Beckham, recognizing that you can never do anything alone, has been under the radar for some time. Now with a new single titled Birthday Bitch, Beckham shows off his down south flavor with that southern trap bass. I try to bring that bass back! There is like nobody with the bass now.

14 Trap Beckham has that party vibe, having and an ear for making hits and keeping it real for the ladies. He has a genuine flow and organic feel to his music, generating a very real and strong presence, not only in his hometown of Jacksonville, Florida, but the national spotlight as well. We are on the road on promo in New York! Then following up in the cities with actual material. We are growing organically. Being signed to Def Jam is a dream come true for Trap Beckham. During our interview, he discusses what it s like affiliating with real players in the game. Just coming from where I come from without being a major artist. It is a major accomplishment for my city, and everybody is behind me because they know I stay in my lane. He tells Above Average Hip Hop how he grew up rapping and naturally became a local star on the rise in Jacksonville, Florida, making that southern trap movement soon branded by industry. How has your new single Birthday Bitch been received overall? It s crazy man! The record has just been taking off. I ve been making music for years, so to see it grow is like amazing! It s a dream come true being with Def Jam. So you put out a mixtape every year on your birthday? Yeah! Every year I drop a mixtape on my birthday July 14. Since 2010, I ve been dropping one every July 14. So this year I dropped my seventh one, and it was great to see a legacy going. Even though I was underground when it started, but the world will see the eighth one. Def Jam was all good with it! They like my legacy. They were like do you, don t change you! So they let me do they mix tape so it was all good. I try to bring that bass back. There is like nobody with the bass now. I understand that everybody likes different types of music but like, there are no bass artists. I just want to bring a different aspect to the game. Outside from that, I just want to lighten up the vibe. It s just that there are not enough happy people out there so I want to get the vibe going! Tell me a bit about how you developed your sound coming up in the game. Well, I came up in the game down in North Florida. When I did a song called Top of the Line with a local artist, that was my first single. That was the first one that everybody took to. It was the first song that DJ s picked up and downloaded for no reason. It was just crazy! From that point, I knew that the easiest way was to cater to the ladies and to cater to the party. So that played a big part in like developing the type of music I made. I continue to make party songs, and I continue to cater to the ladies. I just perfected it! In the song Birthday Bitch, I cater to the party and the ladies. It is just the perfect record! Do you have any tour dates set? No, I don t, but we are on the road on promo. Like right now, we are in New York! Then following up in the cities with actual material. It s all good! We are growing organically.

15 I m a fan of organic growth. I wanted to make sure it looked like it was coming from the ground up. When did you first start rapping? I first started rapping when I was like 7 or 8 years old. I started writing music for a while and then my mom bought a tape recorder for my 12th birthday. With that tape recorder, I recorded my first song, and I performed it at a talent show with a pencil, beating on a desk. From there, I was about 14 when my mom bought me an old computer and a magic music maker. That is when I first learned how to structure my recordings and when I first learned how to dub my vocals. When I turned 17, I recorded a song that became very popular around Jacksonville, the one I was telling you about! Ever since then my name has been known around the city. Now you are signed to Def Jam. What is that like? It is a dream come true! Every day I m meeting someone new. It just hits me! Like today, I m supposed to be running into Desiigner, and it s like dang, we are on the same label! Just coming from where I come from without being a major artist. It is a major accomplishment for my city, and everybody is behind me because they know I stay in my lane. If you could do something different with Birthday Bitch like do a remix, what would you do? It would ride out! It would drop, and the beat would flip. It would either be an all-girl remix or an all singer remix. I wouldn t just like get a gangster get on it and just do whatever because you got to cater to the ladies! It s a ladies song. You know what I m saying? What can you tell me about your team Dj Pretty Ricky and Grand Prix? My team is like the three headed monster! I am the voice. Grand Prix, he is the brain and Ricky is the one who is going to snap first! He is going to make sure we get it right. Grand Prix is the one who is going to engage in conversation in any environment and express how much we appreciate you; you know, as men we don t express our feelings like that. Grand Prix will be like listen to what s in your s. He makes sure we get it all! That is a major part of my career because it helps me focus on other things. You need a strong team. If you don t have at least one or two people with while you are making your music, it is going to stretch you out as an artist. Where can I follow you at? You can follow me on all my social media Instagram: Trap Beckham, my snap chat is Yung Trap Beckham

16 Is there anything else out there you want your fans to know? We are coming and we have been cooking up music! I ve been out in L.A and the beats have been getting crazier. The parties are getting crazier. The features are going to get crazier! I m just telling people to buckle up! Trap Beckham will be here for the long haul.

17 TRAP BECKHAM S BIRTHDAY B*TCH [AUDIO]

18 Hip-hop newcomer Trap Beckham comes through with the new Birthday B*tch banger. Listen up and blow out all the candles.

19 RAPPER TRAP BECKHAM REPRESENTS NEW WAVE OF FLORIDA BASS MOVEMENT Jacksonville, Florida Native, Trap Beckham Brings His Hip-Hop Flare To Def Jam Records Def Jam s newest recruit, Trap Beckham, has steadily been on the rise dating back to 2012 when the young & hungry upstart unleashed his Young Cash assisted hit offering, Top Of The Line, which also pays homage to Yo Gotti s smash selection 5 Star Chick. Beckham continues to drop the hits as evidenced by his latest entry, Birthday Bitch. The song has been bubbling since it s release in June and the young emcee, is making his Jacksonville, Florida home town proud. His most recent mixtape, , an annual release celebrating his own birthday, has been buzzing and leaving a fans with much to look forward. In this, his first installment since being signed, he provides 12 tracks that provide an introduction to his style and music, for those who may be unfamiliar. It s clear what Def Jam sees in the young talent. We caught up with Trap Beckham recently to talk musical influences, his come up in the industry and of course the latest single. Check out the complete interview below. Parlé Mag: Tell me your whole inception into music When did it first begin for Trap Beckham? Trap Beckham: It was a long time ago. I was around like eight years old (when) I started writing music, and from there I just kept writing music. About twelve, my mom bought me a tape recorder so that s when I started recording and I heard myself for the first time. Then fourteen, I got software for my birthday and I started recording in the living room. From there, I got better and better and I started getting in the studios. Started from just always loving music; always listening to the radio and listening to the music that my mom would play. Parlé Mag: Growing up who might ve inspired you to do what you re now doing today? Trap Beckham: As far as other artists goes, I listened to a lot things like Michael Jackson, Prince a little bit of everything. Just a lot of southern rap.

20 Parlé Mag: With that being said, how then do you define your sound overall? Trap Beckham: I d say it s like the new version of bass. I call it New Bass 2 Live Crew, 95 South; I m New Bass. I don t like to limit myself to one genre of music because I feel like I m very versatile. If it was a specific genre, it d be New Bass. Parlé Mag: At what particular stage in your life did you actually opt to pursue music professionally? Trap Beckham: In high school, I created a small group of promoters and we started doing I bought like hats and shirts so we can walk around the school with hats and shirts, and I started pushing my music, promoting it, just having people help me promote it online. And it started spreading out, and once people started taking to it, like really taking to it fast, it was like, Yo! Parlé Mag: What particular string of events led to your current signing with Def Jam Recordings? Trap Beckham: It was basically like one day I was just chillin with my regular team, you know doing what we do, promoting music and stuff like that, and I get a call. One of my friends, who s involved with the situation, was like, Man, what you doing tomorrow? I was like, Nothing, he was like, Hey, they want to see you out in L.A.! So the next day, the next morning, I m out in L.A. linking up with these A&Rs at a Def Jam studio, and they wanted to see how I worked. They wanted to listen to some more records. So, that s what we did. We came up with something and they took to it, they liked it, they liked my work ethic. Parlé Mag: Tell me about your single Birthday B*tch Trap Beckham: Well, you know, just being in the club a lot, I just realized that every day is somebody s birthday. I just made a club song, something that I knew that the ladies could move to, about birthdays, and I hit it right on the head with the lyrics. Listen to Trap Bekham Birthday Bitch Below: Parlé Mag: What has been the ultimate key to your success thus far? Trap Beckham: The key to my success is consistency. Every year on the year I drop a tape, on the same date, that definitely plays a big part in my consistency. And then, all the other music I make outta that and just telling the truth and staying grounded, and just knowing that this is what you want to do. Knowing that, Hey, this is what I want and I signed up for! That keeps me going, and I think that ll keep me floating in the future. Parlé Mag: Aside from music, do you have any other future aspirations? Trap Beckham: Well, I m sure that I ll get into something, but as of right now doing music is all I do. That s all I want to do. if I can make the same money just doing what I want to do, versus just doing something else and trying to be an entrepreneur, that s cool, but, I m sure I ll get into something later on down the line, but right now it s about music, selling records, just living the life, enjoying the ride. Parlé Mag: On a more serious note, are you happy with the state of Hip Hop? Trap Beckham: Hip Hop, I m digging Hip Hop. A lot of people say, Hip Hop is dead! I just think its evolving. It s a new artist thing. People getting used to it, same ole stuff. Like people are not gonna be the same. So, I think Hip-Hop is heading in a good direction. A lot of good artists out right now.

21 Parlé Mag: To date, what has been your biggest career moment? Trap Beckham: When I got my jacket at Def Jam, that was a big moment. They had did like a little meeting they had for me, I met everybody up there, and they kinda crowned me into getting a letterman jacket. So, I felt like I was joining the team. Parlé Mag: Looking ahead, futuristic-ally speaking, where do you see yourself? Trap Beckham: I see myself as the CEO of Back Door Music Group, which is my music group. So that will be my music venture that I get into in the future. I see us signing artists, doing the same things that I m doing now. Basically I m setting the foundation so we can do that in the future. Parlé Mag: Right now you ve been out there on the road heavy, grinding, what can be expected from that live experience? Trap Beckham: My live show is pretty lit, you know! We turn up, we like to turn up with the crowd, I like to share my liquor with those over age. Yeah, we just like to have fun, you know. Who knows what can happen!?! Parlé Mag: Any parting words? Trap Beckham: Thank you for reading. You know, look out for Trap Beckham, Back Door Music, Def Jam, coming!

22 Trap Beckham Releases New Video Going Down Trap Beckham is a new Trap artist from Jacksonville, Florida who values the meaning of team work. As one of the newest additions to the Def Jam family, he recently dropped a new video titled Going Down. Beckham has proven to be an effective player in the game. Taking the time to address his recent success, he tells The Hype magazine a bit about his journey and what it s like being a part of the Def Jam team. The record has just been taking off. I ve been doing music for years, so to see it grow is amazing! It s a dream come true being with Def Jam. Trap Beckham Beckham is a dope artist that has that southern bass sound and 808 Trap down to a science. He writes party music for the ladies which is best illustrated with his latest video Going Down., streaming from Def Jam Presents: Direct Deposit Vol. 1. Now after hitting the road this summer, Beckham is back in the studio recording another mix tape following the success of his current single which is also available on itunes, Spotify and Tidal. Hosted by Dj Pretty Ricky, is one of the hottest mix tapes of So you put out a mix tape every year on your birthday? Yeah! Every year I drop a mix tape on my birthday July 14. So this year, I released my first one with Def Jam. I was kind of underground when it started, but the world will see the eighth one soon. Def Jam was all good with it! They like my legacy. They were like do you, don t change you so they let me do the mix tape and it was all good!

23 I try to bring that bass back! There is like no body with the bass now. I understand that everybody likes different types of music but like, there are no bass artists. I just want to bring a different aspect to the game. Outside from that, I just want to lighten up the vibe! It s just that there are not enough happy people out there, so I want to get the vibe going and give people what they want! Tell me a bit about how you developed your sound coming up in the game! Well I came up in the game down in north Florida when I did a song called Top of the Line with a local artist. That was basically my first single and was the first one that everybody took to. It was the first song that DJ s picked up and downloaded for no reason. It was just crazy! From that point on, I knew that the easiest way was to cater to the ladies and to cater to the party. So that played a big part in developing the type of music I make. I just perfected it! In the song Birthday Chick, I cater to the party and the ladies. Do you have any tour dates set? No, I actually don t, but we are on the road on promo. Like right now, we are in New York! Then following up in the cities with actual material. It s all good! We are growing organically. I m a fan of organic growth. I wanted to make sure it was coming from the ground up. When did you first start rapping? I first starting rapping when I was 7 or 8 years old. I started writing music for a while and then my mom bought a tape recorder for my 12 th birthday. With that tape recorder, I recorded my first song and I performed it at a talent show with a pencil, beating on a desk. Then when I was about 14, my mom bought me an old computer and a magic music maker. That is when I first learned how to structure my recordings and when I first learned how to dub my vocals. When I turned 17, I recorded a song that became very poplar around Jacksonville. Ever since then my name has been known around the city. Now you are signed to Def Jam. What is that like? It is a dream come true! Everyday I m meeting someone new. It just hits me! Like today, I m supposed to be running into Desiigner and it s like dang, we are on the same label! Just coming from where I come from without being a major artist. It is a major accomplishment for my city and everybody is behind me because they know I stay in my lane.

24 If you could do something different with Birthday Chick like do a remix, what would you do? It would ride out! It would drop and the beat would flip. It would either be an allgirl remix or an all singer remix. I wouldn t just like get gangster get on it and just do whatever. But yeah, I d like an all-girls or an all singers. Because you got to cater to the ladies! It s a ladies song. You know what I m saying? What can you tell me about your team Dj Pretty Ricky and Grand Prix? My team is like the three headed monster! It is me, Iam the voice, Grand Prix, he is the brain and Dj Ricky is the one who is going to make sure we get it right! Grand Prix is the one who is going to engage in conversation in any environment and express how much we appreciate the support! You know as men; we don t really express our feelings like that. Grand Prix will be like listen whats your s, and contacts? He makes sure we get it all! That is a major part in my career, because it helps me focus on other things. You definitely need a strong team. If you don t have at least one or two people with while you are doing your music. It is definitely going to stretch you out as an artist. Is there anything else out there you want your fans to know? We coming and we have been cooking up music! Ive been out in L.A and the beats have been getting crazier. The parties are getting crazier. The features are going to get crazier! I m just telling people to buckle up! Trap Beckham will be here for the long hall.

25 Trap Beckham Goin Down [Music Video] New Def Jam signee fresh out of Jacksonville, Florida Trap Beckham had the summer jumpin with his single, Birthday Bitch. The self-proclaimed Golden Boy of the Hood is looking to continue his rise in popularity throughout the winter with some new heat titled, Goin Down. Director Jon J follows Trap around his old stomping grounds during the popular Florida Classic car show and shows the genuine love and support the up and coming recording artist receives from his home crowd. Throughout the video, we see exotic dancing and lavish custom automobiles. Hit the play above and enter the world of Trap Beckham.

26 Trap Beckham and his new single is currently featured on the new Def Jam compilation album titled, Direct Deposit, available now for streaming. The album also features fellow Def Jam signees 2 Chainz, Pusha T, YG, and Dave East.

27 VIDEO: TRAP BECKHAM GOING DOWN After heating up the summer with his breakout hit Birthday Bitch, Trap Beckham is back with another banger. The rising Jacksonville, Fla. rapper keeps the party going in the lit video for Going Down. Originally released as part of Def Jam s Direct Deposit, Vol. 1 compilation, Going Down is full of bounce, fun, and boasts. The video, premiering exclusively via Rap-Up, matches that energy as Trap dances with double red cups in hand in front of the Magic Mall. As the clip continues, The Golden Boy of the Hood does what he loves, performing in front of adoring fans at the Florida Classic. Elsewhere, they dance along and twerking even ensues in the parking lot. I can t wait to present to the world another release from Trap Beckham, and show the world another side of my myself as an artist, Beckham told Rap-Up. I m proud to represent the Def Jam roster and be one of the artist whose song was selected on the Direct Deposit EP. I m going to be here a long time so get used to the voice and recognize the face because I got this bitch going down!!! It s the new Def Jam! Look out for more from Beckham in 2017 with the release of his EP.

28 NEW MUSIC: TRAP BECKHAM BIRTHDAY BITCH Make A Wish Def Jam rookie Trap Beckham s celebrating birthdays every day on his lead single. Says Beckham: My goal is to take it as far as I can take it. I m going for more awards, more hits on the radio. My goal is to stay consistent. I want to be in the game for a longass time. I want to be one of those artists that didn t really have to do anything but drop those hits.

29 DEF JAM S NEW ARTIST TRAP BECKHAM RELEASES NEW SINGLE BIRTHDAY B*TCH

30 Def Jam s newest artist Trap Beckham just drops his debut single Birthday Bitch off Def Jam Recordings! The song is anthem for men and women around the world celebrating their birthday! Birthday Bitch which is guaranteed to be played in clubs across the country, features Beckham coming in over a hip-hop beat chanting One time for the birthday bitch. Two times for the birthday bitch. Three times for the birthday bitch. Fuck it up if it s your birthday bitch! The song contains all the recipes for success; a trap beat and catchy lyrics Beckham s career started growing exponentially in 2012 when he released his smash selfproduced single Top Of The Line featuring Young Cash. The song s hardcore production and smooth sonic accents made it the type of tune that endeared itself to male and female listeners. Trap Beckham says there s a certain magic to his music when he makes his own tracks. My goal is to take it as far as I can take it, he says. I m going for more awards, more hits on the radio. My goal is to stay consistent. I want to be in the game for a long-ass time. I want to be one of those artists that didn t really have to do anything but drop those hits. Go listen to Birthday Bitch on all music streaming sites, and buy the single on itunes!

31 New Music Alert: Trap Beckham Drops Birthday Bitch Def Jam s newest signee Trap Beckham drops his debut single Birthday Bitch off Def Jam Recordings! Beckham s legend started growing exponentially in That s when he released his smash self-produced single Top Of The Line featuring Young Cash. Trap Beckham kicked his verse off by paying homage to Yo Gotti s 5 Star Chick single, giving listeners a way to instantly gravitate toward

32 the song. The cut s hardcore production and smooth sonic accents made it the type of tune that endeared itself to male and female listeners. Trap Beckham says there s a certain magic to his music when he makes his own tracks. My goal is to take it as far as I can take it, he says. I m going for more awards, more hits on the radio. My goal is to stay consistent. I want to be in the game for a long-ass time. I want to be one of those artists that didn t really have to do anything but drop those hits. He s well on his way. Does this song make you want to party?

33 ON THE RISE: TRAP BECKHAM AIMS TO MAKE YOU DANCE Trap Beckham is living up to his name as a rapper whose forte is getting the party started. The Jacksonville, Florida rapper is a Def Jam signee who emerged on the college scene and soon entered the radio and club circuit. His songs Top Of The Line and Birthday Chick were instant favorites, earning him a solid spot in the trap genre.

34 Trap says his music is a reflection of his life and is meant for people to have fun with. I m from the south, so the type of tempo I rap to is one for people to twerk with. Trap says that artists like T-Pain and Kanye West helped to shape his musical ear and outlook professionally. Top Of The Line is also the name of Beckham s mixtape, which dropped July 14. He says he releases projects annually on the date, which is also his birthday. The rapper, producer, and entertainer revealed the journey to get where he is hasn t been easy as an introverted artist, but he s getting better with time. We chopped it up with Trap to get the scoop on his past and what we can expect in the future. How did you get started? I got started by just listening to the radio and developed a love for music. When did you realize it was more than just a hobby or a passion? Around 12 I realized it was a passion. I had this talent show and I performed a song I made on a tape recorder with a pencil in my fist, and that s when I realized I m doing this with nothing, but I m making something. How do you describe your sound? It s backdoor music and versatile. There s not one stamp on it. When I say back door it s like, the truth about relationships and truths about the whole world. I say things that people are scared to say, the real, the facts. Who are your influences? What is some advice that has stuck with you? I am influenced by greatness like Michael Jordan, 2Pac, Biggie, Serena Williams and Lebron James. If you re great I m rocking with you. What do you hope people take away from your music? To have a good time. It s like a party. I want people to know what it s like to live my lifestyle and experience the dynamics of a guy who could ve been anything in life. A thin line separates a doctor from a dope boy; one mistake or felony can take all that away and leave the streets as your only option. I want people to walk that thin line with me. How long have you been doing what you do? I ve been recording since 14, so I m rolling in on 10 years now. Is there an early memory you d like to share about getting into your craft? When I rapped in front of a school, on a beat that wasn t legit and the audience vibed with the performance. That was a major moment for me.

35 ON SMASH Trap Beckham Going Down We actually caught this track on Soundcloud and were about to add this shit to our rap playlist because it was going hard, but it turns out there s a video for it. Wouldn t you know this is Trap Beckham s first post on OS? The name certainly caught out eye and our ears. We re introducing you to him through this Going Down single, which is quite the ignorant record. The video doesn t say much besides the fact that he likes to turn the fuck up in front of Magic Mall in Florida (but we should have already known that since his Birthday Bitch buzz song that caught waves in the summer was the ultimate birthday anthem) and perform for a crowd if there s a stage. We re not mad at the fatty s that make a cameo randomly in the visual either. Going into 2017, it s obvious he s going to start making some noise with this one. Oh yeah, the young bull out of Jacksonville, FL is signed to Def Jam Records.

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37 TRAP BECKHAM IS CREATING A NEW GENRE WHILE CARVING HIS OWN LANE [INTERVIEW] JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA S OWN TRAP BECKHAM IS SETTING HIS OWN LANE IN THE HIP-HOP INDUSTRY. SINCE 2012, TRAP BECKHAM HAS BEEN ON THE RISE AND HIS HARD WORK EARNED HIM A SPOT ON THE DEF JAM RECORDS ROSTER. IN 2016 TRAP BECKHAM S SINGLE BIRTHDAY CHICK BECAME A HIT, PLAYING IN CLUBS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY. THE SONG CAUSED TRAP BECKHAM S POPULARITY TO GROW AND NOW HE S ABOUT TO SHAKE IT UP AGAIN. Trap Beckham, with the current mindset he has, can really make noise in this industry. It makes sense why Def Jam took him in. He has all the traits of a successful artist and he s poised for national prominence. He can only go up from here. I was able to speak with Trap Beckham on a number of things such as his inspirations, what it s like being apart of the legendary Def Jam Records label, and his 7.14 mixtape series. Check out the complete interview below. ME: For those who aren t familiar, can you tell us in one sentence who is Trap Beckham? TB: Trap Beckham is who it is. That s what I call myself. That s my alter-ego.

38 ME: What first sparked your interest in music? TB: The sound of it. Maybe I just liked it more than the average kid you know? I starting writing when I was 8 so like I can t exactly tell you what triggered it. Back then Busta Rhymes had the Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See, like stuff like that. Like Missy Elliott, that type of stuff made me start writing. ME: What made you want to start rapping as a profession? TB: I was writing since I was 8 so like I just took it seriously. I never looked at as a profession until I got older and I was like ok I learned the world and it is a profession. As a kid, I was always just a rapper. It wasn t like a job. I was recording in my house at age 14 and I had a single by the time I was 17 in my city. I stayed consistent and I was already ahead of the curb. A lot of people start rapping late so now they got to learn how it goes. I m already up on it. I know how do my stacks, do my dubs I know how to work within my voice to make some good music. Doing it as a kid put me in a good position. ME: What was the first record that you listened to that made you fall in love with hip-hop? TB: What was the record that made me fall in love with hip-hop? Again I don t know. It s more like projects than records. So I would say The College Dropout by Kanye West, that was a big thing for me. Epiphany by T-Pain that was a big thing for me as far as me revolutionizing my sound and getting out of that local sound. That played a major part because as a kid I was just rapping. It sounded like everything else you hear on the streets so I had to diversify myself and get better. Those were the albums that played a part in that. ME: Who were some of your inspirations growing up? TB: I don t really get inspired like that by people. I just think people are doing their thing. People who I would want to be like I guess I would say Kanye, T-Pain, Rick Ross, Lil Boosie. Just anybody who has a situation, even if it isn t the biggest situation, you know anybody like that. ME: How would you describe your sound? TB: It s southern but it s north Florida so it different. It s a really bouncy sound. I say it s like mixing The Ying Yang Twins with Kanye you know? Somebody who s really gonna get in there and give you something to listen to but at the same time, it s on a jumping beat you know? So I m that type of guy. ME: How does being from Jacksonville, Florida play a role in your career? TB: It played a major role in my career because most rappers know you have to take over your town first. I ve been putting down and it helps me move when I m not in Jacksonville just by having clout in Jacksonville. People go across the country people travel and they all talking about me because I been here. So having the city on my back is a major thing you know because you need that. Those are fans it s just like any other city. So I appreciate the support. Without Jacksonville, I wouldn t be where I m at now. It s crazy because the music marketing isn t even that great but like all you have to do is take over your town. ME: So you re looking to put Jacksonville, Florida on the map?

39 TB: Yeah I mean I feel like it s only so much we can do. We re on the map like Lil Duval is big. I m finna be big. We have a football team the Jacksonville Jaguars. We got some good picks we finna try to cook it up you know what I m saying? So like Jacksonville, it s not off the map. We just need more great people to emerge. Like it s not even us having the record Lil Duval this, Lil Duval that, no. We just need more great people like my homie Woody the Great, he s from Jacksonville and he played Bobby Brown [BET s New Edition Story]. People don t even know he went to Lee High School in Jacksonville. Jacksonville doesn t know that because it s not about that. It s about him being great and being from there you know what I m saying? So we just need more people to chase their dreams and just be great. ME: How does It feel to be a part of one of the most historic labels in hip-hop? TB: It feels great like my life changed when I got signed. When I signed to Def Jam I started traveling to the most places ever man. Last year February I had never been on a plane in my life. This year I m a professional flier [laughs]. It s crazy. I ve been to Utah, Vegas, New York, Houston, L.A., Miami wherever you know I ve been to it all. I go and meet people and just the events you get to go to, the treatment it s just VIP everywhere. I get to be backstage or I get to hang out in the same area as T.I., Chris Brown, Big Sean because I m in there I m in the door you know? Oh, he s cool, he s good, he s with us you know. People don t realize it s that, it s the fact of being there, the network factor and that s the stuff that matters. That s what s gonna make you great, just being in the building you know? You gotta be patient. ME: How do you separate yourself from other Def Jam artists? TB: I m single driven. A lot of people be on their own little wave. You know they got their cult followings on Def Jam so they be on their own little waves. It sounds like them that s their sound it is what it is. Me, I feel like I got my own bouncy little wave and I m real single driven. A lot of my music is going to be like up, high tempo type stuff. That s just all I ve ever been. I m a club head like I came up with teen parties like a teen party promoter. So like I ve been in it, I ve been in the clubs, I haven t paid for the club since I was 17. We lit [laughs]. ME: Let s talk about your single Birthday Chick, what was the inspiration behind that record? TB: I was in the club. There were hella birthdays going on in the party and I was just rapping to myself. It was a song with a beat similar to it and I was like ok this is a cool little vibe. I m freestyling in my head one time for the birthday chick, two times for the birthday chick and I just went home and started making the beat. It worked out, it was automatic, the first time we played it it was like what is this? ME: How did it feel to see that song on the tracklist for NOW That s What I Call Music 59? TB: That was just another dream. It was like dreams on top of dreams come true. Like damn I m on NOW you know? Everybody knows how long that s been around. I m on Def Jam, I m on NOW, it s crazy. I m on HBO, I m on Insecure. It s bigger than life. To see people s reaction and see people be inspired by it, that s the best you get out of it. I love sharing information telling dudes like you can try this and I like to shoot advice to people younger than me trying to do it, I know bro, I know. I was in my room recording bro, I was outside, like dudes in Florida know me from just being around, handing CDs, people taking them, I know what it s like. It s

40 the life bro, you gotta live it. But the fruits are so great. That s why I have so much respect for the people still killing it you know? It s like man, you re great. ME: You have a new single dropping on Friday called Lil Booties Matter how did that come about? TB: It was a little different. We were in the studio just drinking and basically my homie, Pretty Ricky, he was doing drops for me. He just came out his mouth like Ay Trap! I feel like a little joint on this one. Lil booties matter, Lil booties matter, Lil booties matter. But he was talking on a whole different record. He was talking on a song I got called For Me just another little twerk song to keep them going. But him just talking on that record I was like I m finna take that a capella. That s a song. I was like oh my God. My arms started sweating, I was like that s it! I love these moments. Those moments where you re like oh s**t I done struck again. We went in there, did the drop, I took the acapella and the beat was finished on that end. I sent the beat out to interns then to Grammy nominated producers and they sauced it up to a radio level. We got it mixed and mastered and now we re here. ME: So it s about to be something big on Friday, huh? TB: Oh yeah. 7/14 is my birthday, by the way, July 14th. ME: Does that have anything to do with the mixtapes you dropped every July 14th since 2012? TB: Yup is something I came up with because I didn t know what day I wanted to drop my mixtape. So I said f**k it let me give a gift to myself and drop it on my birthday. Since then it s been a pretty successful mixtape series for me as far as like getting to know people and getting DJs rocking with me and really doing the groundwork the hard way. It was good music that got me far. There s a I do have a project in the chamber. I gotta talk to my higher ups to make sure everything is everything with the project but know that it s done. ME: This new project is different than ? TB:: Yeah is just something to keep my culture alive. It s like my dream. Unfortunately, I was in a situation to where the beats and everything weren t lining up to the core of the project. I couldn t get the date I wanted which was my birthday so we had to push it back. But Lil Booties Matter drops that day. I had to still drop 7.14 because that s just what I do I can t just skip it. It s that important to me. So I made sure I at least had it done. ME: What s the difference between each 7.14 release? Is it a sign of growth? TB: It s just about what type of music I like or what type of wave I m on that year. It s not necessarily growth because I have songs from 2012 that s great and I got songs this year that are great. So it s not really growth. It s just like we re here. This is Trap Beckham. It s like Jeezy. It s Jeezy growing or just like anybody else. Not to bust them down or anything like that but people like 21 Savage, they grow. You start from a level, you start from a way and now you get more musical. But with certain people, there s just no growing. ME: Who do you want to work with most in the industry? TB: Kanye, T-Pain. I just want to create a classic. It doesn t even have to be a single.

41 ME: What do you want your influence to be on hip-hop? TB: Just to have fun. Life is Lit is the name of my EP. Just getting the pressure off. Think twice. Don t kill yourself out here, don t be dead, f***kin around. ME: Is that the message you give your fans? TB: Yeah I make the music that takes your mind off the s**t. When Birthday Chick come on, you re not thinking about nothing else but the birthday chick because it s about her in that moment. If Tear The Club Up come on you might fight. I try to make that music where people don t really boot up. It ll save somebodies life if that Birthday Chick came on and a girl done twerked. You getting a dance, get off the beef. ME: Do you have anything special to say to your fans? TB: I love y all. I think Ima call the genre commercial ratchet. That s my genre it s commercial ratchet. I feel like the hood could really rock with it but it s still commercial enough to be played on Top 40 stations, out in LA stuff like that. But yeah to my fans make sure you guys follow me on Instagram. If you not a fan you will and Life is Lit this August, Lil Booties Matter this Friday, 7.14 July 14th that s my birthday write it down remember it. Link up when I come to your city I ain t shy or nothing like that [laughs]. We rocking out.