By: Tommy Rodriguez
GrownBoiTrap embraces Florida’s darker sound in an aggressive cut that pulls no punches!
Florida rap is different – it isn’t smooth and melodic, it doesn’t stray away from violence or real grit, and it makes sure it hits you with as much force as possible. GrowBoiTrap, a West Palm Beach native with a knack for some of the meanest bars and vocals in the region, is a prime example of how nasty some of South Florida’s music can be. “No Standards”, his latest release, continues this trend with some incredible rebelliousness that doesn’t forgo some solid songwriting and a beat that’s tough as nails.
GrownBoiTrap doesn’t beat around the bush on “No Standards”. As he raps over the sparse keys and booming bass of the song’s hard hitting instrumental, his subdued voice remains grimy and menacing. His self-comparisons to smoke are entirely believable, and his will to bust it down “like a kit-kat” proves he has some clever songwriting chops amidst his threatening nature. As he flows over the beat, it’s not hard to see this track staying in rotation as a song to lift weights to, or to enjoy the sub-bass on someone’s sound system.
At a brisk two minutes and 21 seconds, “No Standards” features no hook, just one lengthy verse, yet it never feels too long or too short. Refrains on refrains remain quotable while the beat continues on; as a piece of South Florida hip-hop, it reflects the area’s chaos and flex-first atmosphere entirely too well while just being an enjoyable listen from front to back. Safe to say, the track is a great listen!
On much the same note, the accompanying video for “No Standards” is equally interesting. Taking a dark visual style featuring GrownBoiTrap’s penchant for toughness, the video also manages to inject lighter moments of zany editing and splashes of pastel colors. It’s compelling enough to maintain interest while never truly distracting from the worth of the song, acting as a nice complement overall. The scenery and acting of the track evoke crime movies of old, focusing on the nail biting danger of the situation…
Overall? “No Standards” is a great single from GrownBoiTrap. It bangs on the beat, and his presence and flow are equally hard-hitting, without the West Palm MC forgetting to drop a few clever punchlines and similes. For anyone into the darker side of Florida hip-hop, or good trap in general, it’s a go-to for you!
Watch the video for “No Standards” below!
