Trap Manny is here to take over the rap game, and he’s not stopping until he gets to the top.
Hailing from the Highbridge neighborhood in Bronx, New York, the East Coast rapper comes from true humble beginnings, discovering his love for music in a shower booth while he was locked up behind bars. With his cellmate teaching him how to make beats, the rhymes came effortlessly.
With a couple dollars in his pocket, Manny decided to commit to the music thing altogether, releasing “Trenches” in 2018 which speaks volumes to his do-or-die mentality.
With Trap standing for “Take Risks And Pray,” the rising star spits his truth in his lyrics, touching on everything from incarceration to fatherhood to signing to a major label.
He states, “I don’t sound like nobody right now. I’m very unique, and I’m mad versatile. I be tryna sing sometimes. [laughs] My topics in music, my substance I’m bringing and the things I’m talking about.”
Currently a part of A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s Highbridge collective alongside Don Q, whom is a long-time friend, Trap Manny is here to give it his all. Most recently, he released his EP titled “IN TRAP WE TRUST,” with all-star features from A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Don Q, Lil Durk, Pop Smoke and Rubi Rose.
AllHipHop: What was the household like growing up in the Bronx?
Trap Manny: It was tough. I didn’t always have everything I wanted, but my mom made it work. I was in a group home, so around that time music came into play.
AllHipHop: Artists you listened to coming up?
Trap Manny: DMX, Jay-Z, Cam’ron. I liked him too, he was a big influence. He’s a trendsetter. He’s flamboyant in his own way. He’s arrogant in a sense, but it didn’t hurt him. He was overly confident, but not so much to where it made you not like him.
AllHipHop: I know you started making music behind bars, right?
Trap Manny: When I went to prison, I had this dude with me. He used to be in the cell with me, he was big into pushing me to try it.
AllHipHop: You were locked up for 6 years, biggest lesson you learned?
Trap Manny: Be patient. Patience, your pride, and ego. Sometimes you gotta tuck that s###. A lot of times I had to tuck that s### when I was in prison, especially the last 2 or 3 weeks in prison when everybody knows you’re going home. The guards know, all the d####### CEOs know you’re going home so they gon’ test you and you gotta tuck your pride. You either gonna swing back that last day or you’ll say “I’ma eat this and go home.”
AllHipHop: IN TRAP WE TRUST out now, how are you feeling?
Trap Manny: I feel good. I’m getting good responses from it. It was a little warm up, I’ma drop another project soon too.
AllHipHop: Talk about the meaning behind the title.
Trap Manny: IN TRAP WE TRUST, in music it’s saying give me my shot. I think I deserve a shot, so trust in me and trust in my music. Me trusting in myself, that’s what it’s all about. Trusting in myself and being more confident in the studio about s### I want to say, how I want to say it, and how I want to get it out.
AllHipHop: Talk about getting Don Q and Durk on the intro track “Shoot.”
Trap Manny: We was working on that song. My man Jay The Great, he did the beat. He sent me the beat and I got on the hook, started doing the hook originally. Durk wasn’t there, but Don got on the beat. Durk was already in tune with what I had going on in the beginning, when I first got signed, so he already knew. It was all Don, he’s the one that mentioned my name in the room when everybody was there. He always throws the rope down.
Even back in the days when I was plain in the back, he always said, “Yo, my man Trap got some s### coming for y’all.” He threw me the rope, Durk already heard one or two songs by me. They’re in LA, Don put that song on and Durk said “yeah I’m getting on this.” He got on the song, it was fun. Don sent it back to me and said “Durk got on the song for you, he f###### with you.” I said “word?” Then he sent me the song, I’m like “oh s###!” [laughs]
AllHipHop: What was your reaction when you heard it back?
Trap Manny: I aleady f### with Durk. He’s at his peak, he’s doing his thing right now with his career. He came a long way too. It’s Lil Durk and Future, those two I look at as far as longevity. They’ve been around for a long time, they finally getting to reach their potential.
AllHipHop: How did you and A Boogie cross paths initially?
Trap Manny: I always lived in Highbridge, was back and forth between jail. When he first went back to Florida, I was locked up. I was still in prison. When he came out, I’d come home but I did a violation. My first violation, that’s when I first started hearing about bro. I been knew bro, but I didn’t know he did music. I heard of him, but we never chilled because I was in and out of prison. Everybody in the circle, they already know of me too.
It wasn’t really too much of a disconnect because we all know the same people. It was pretty organic, he’s from the neighborhood. My bro D3, he told me, “Bro come outside. People know you, they just gotta put the face to it.” And that’s what I did, I came outside when everything was going on. I was still doing my thing, Don’s bringing me around. It was over. I really knew everybody before this.
AllHipHop: What does it mean to be signed to the Highbridge collective?
Trap Manny: It feels good. I was in prison so to come home and see it happen the way it did, to actually be a part of it — from coming to shows and being in the background to being a real player on the team, it’s amazing. I always knew I had some talent in me, but I didn’t know it was going to turn out like this. It’s great, it’s beautiful. It’s a neighborhood thing too so it’s real beautiful. It’s a beautiful thing.
AllHipHop: What’s the best piece of advice A Boogie has given you?
Trap Manny: S###, a lot of little things we talk about. I can’t really pinpoint it but probably being on the stage and stage performance. Certain little things like making eye contact with the crowd, how to move around. In the beginning, I’d be a little stiff. S###, just give it y’all all. That’s pretty much what he told me, go hard with it. Everytime we get on a song together, I’m giving my all. Go hard with it, that’s it.
AllHipHop: What’s one thing you want fans to get from this project?
Trap Manny: A fresh ear for my sound. I don’t sound like nobody, my sound is unique. I got a lot of topics on there. I can switch it up, I’m very versatile. I’m a hustler at the same time too, but I’m an artist. I got more music in store for y’all.
AllHipHop: How was linking with Rubi Rose on “Mine”? That’s my girl!
Trap Manny: Rubi’s dope as f###. I always admire her voice from her first song, “Big Mouth.” From a woman’s perspective, this song’s cool. Even from a guy’s perspective, I can hear it so that intrigued me. She’s a dope artist. I was f###### with that song, I had did the “Mine” song already with DJ Choose.
They said “you should put a girl on it.” I talked to a few of my female friends I hang out with, we be outside or whatever. They said “yeah, Rubi Rose.” I said “yeah, I like her too.” I usually go around asking about certain things like that, but I’d already did my own research. When I realized she had a little thing going on, yeah let me get her now before she takes off. She did the record, she did the video. It was cool. She’s cool.
AllHipHop: What was the highlight of the video?
Trap Manny: Probably when she was all touching on me. [laughs] That was the highlight. That was the best part to me.
AllHipHop: What inspired you to sample the Sisqo song?
Trap Manny: My mom, she’s an older lady. I got aunties and uncles so growing up, I was listening to their music and whatever they’re playing in Atlanta. That was one of them songs from back in the day, “Thong Song.” I remember watching the video and seeing Sisqo being one of the biggest artists in the world behind that song, so let’s recreate these vibes. I got an old soul when it comes to music. I got a lot of old s### from listening with my grandmother and my mom, mixed with the new s### that I like. The new sound I like. I try to put it together and incorporate it, bring a new sound to it.
AllHipHop: What do you want fans to get from your story?
Trap Manny: Don’t stop! Never stop, keep going. It’s gonna be some hurdles, some hiccups. You might meet some people that don’t like you or f### with your s###, don’t let that stop you or detour you from doing whatever it is you really want. Nothing happens overnight too. Rome wasn’t built overnight. You gotta take your success and hold on to it. Keep pushing forward, don’t just stop there. Don’t get complacent. Don’t stop, keep going no matter what. Make sure you love it too, you gotta love whatever it is that you’re doing too. If you don’t got no love for it or don’t wanna see yourself being at the top, then you should try something else.
AllHipHop: 3 things you need in the studio?
Trap Manny: Nice girls, some cool vibes to see what they think. I like having females in the studio for certain music that I make. Water or apple juice, I like apple juice. And weed, I gotta have some weed.
AllHipHop: How would you describe your drip?
Trap Manny: I just do me man, I’m GQ. I think I could be on the front of the GQ magazine. [laughs] I’m Manny, I do me. I gotta have that s### on, some Highbridge s###.
AllHipHop: Any goals for yourself at this point in your career?
Trap Manny: I’ma get a Platinum plaque or a Gold one. That’s not even a goal, I know I’ma get one. Once I do reach that status to where I have money for myself, just to empower other people. That’s what my goal is: to empower everybody around me. Doing whatever they need, help them be successful. Tor the help they’re giving me, just return it back. Whoever helped me get this far from writers to producers, I want to empower them with whatever they need to make it better. Make their situations better, make their lives better for helping me. That’s all I want to do, return it back.
AllHipHop: What can we expect next from you?
Trap Manny: I got another project. I got another video coming off the project. It’s called “Drip,” going to be released soon. I’m gonna come back with another project in June, in the summertime put out a mixtape. I’ma aim to put 10 songs on it.
AllHipHop: Anything else you wanna let us know?
Trap Manny: Keep streaming In Trap We Trust. I got one of the best tapes out right now, from top to bottom.
AllHipHop: Why?
Trap Manny: It’s a new sound. I got a whole vibe for everything on that tape. I got a whole vibe for every vibe you tryna look for. You can go to Puerto Rico right now and play that tape right now, you gon’ find something to get into the water too and do something to have a good time. I’m confident in bringing a whole lot of vibes.