On “Dreamer,” Trippie Redd takes a sip from the bottle labeled “emo,” picks up a guitar, and throws caution to the wind.

Now more than ever before, hip-hop artists have been embracing new genres and trying their hand at concocting new sounds. In truth, it’s hard not to credit Lil Wayne’s Rebirth as being more influential than initially thought, especially for young rappers inclined to dabble in rock-and-roll territory. No stranger to Weezy’s tutelage, Trippie Redd has put forth his brand new single “Dreamer,” a track that implements many key lessons from the Rebirth curriculum.

Fuelled by guitar chords and a steady acoustic drum beat, Trippie lets his autotune-laced vocals soar. Lyrically, he tends to center around the age-old theme of unrequited love. “Already know I know I felt the pain, I shedded tears, let me go blindfold, and I can still see that you’re here,” he sings, a major stylistic departure from his expected sound. It’s unclear if the “Dreamer” vibe will be consistent throughout Pegasus, though it wouldn’t be surprising to see Redd gravitating further into that particular realm. He’s already promised that the Deluxe Edition would be a full-on “rock album,” which seems to indicate that it’s been piquing his creative interest. Check out his latest now, and look for Pegasus to arrive in the imminent future.

—HNHH