RapReviews | Review: Trinidad James – Don’t Be S.A.F.E.
For all intents and purposes, I’m sure that Nicholas Williams is a nice guy. However, his on-stage persona, Trinidad James, makes some people feel a certain way about him and the current state of hip-hop music. The jokes have been plentiful and have spared no mercy on the Trinidad & Tobago-born and Atlanta-raised rapper who has been said to look like everything from a cross between Jimi Hendrix and Master P to the Jerome character from the 90s sitcom, Martin. James is getting the last laugh though, all the way to the bank, as he has reportedly inked a deal with Def Jam to the tune of two million dollars off the strength of the buzz created by his single “All Gold Everything” and subsequent mixtape, “Don’t Be S.A.F.E.” Not bad for someone who will readily admit that he just started rapping barely a year ago.
So what’s the fuss about? “Don’t Be S.A.F.E.” (the acronym stands for Sensitive As Fuck Everyday) can’t possibly be any worse than other projects that are polluting the airwaves and taking up precious hard drive space as part of the genre I like to refer to as “Recycle Bin Rap.” Stop reading right now if you’re interested in thought-provoking witty wordplay and the like, you’re not going to find that here. What you will find is exceptional production and a personality that seems to be compelling enough to hold your attention…at least for a moment.
“Don’t Be S.A.F.E.” opens up with the braggadocious “Tonk For The Money” and “Females Welcomed.” The latter is the tale of James swapping out the women in his life after falling out of favor with his “main bitch.” At the start of the sparsely-produced and lush-sounding “Gold On My Macbook,” James admits to surprising himself with the project while feeling amazing about it all. The old adage of “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” is explored on “Team Vacation” as James and the crew shine bright like Vegas lights at a Vegas fight on a Vegas night. Smoking kush, popping mollies and having their way with other men’s girlfriends are all viable options. Speaking of rap music’s new apparent drug of choice, “One More Molly” all but confirms that James and company love doing drugs and aren’t ones to skimp when it’s time to have some fun.
