Atlanta rapper Trouble was fatally gunned down on June 5, 2022, and it’s officially been one whole year since he passed.
As the rapper’s suspected killer, Jamichael Jones, awaits his fate and the woman Trouble was with tries to move on with her life, fans are still left grieving the late rapper.
In honor of his memory, here are five things to remember about Trouble.
#1
He Ambitiously Set His Sights On Stardom From An Early Age
Starting from the rapper’s earliest beginnings, we must acknowledge that Trouble was serious about carving out a name for himself.
During a sit-down with XXL in 2011, Trouble spoke on how he began to hone his craft when he was only 14 years old.
After noting that his artistry had been compared to Drake, T.I., and Boosie, Trouble declared that he’d change the rap game by “Gettin’ these p***y n***as out the way and bringing reality back to the music.”
Notably, when asked who he aims to emulate in his career, he responded, “No one. I’m the first and only Trouble.” PERIOD!
#2
He Believed In Being Outspoken & Tellin' It Like It Is
Trouble also wasn’t afraid to be transparent and “raw” with his emotions, as he told The FADER in 2018.
When dishing on his Edgewood project, he acknowledged how “Hurt Real Bad” was “the deepest song [he] recorded on that mother**ker.”
“I really was crying tears in there doing that song. I’m in that motherf**ker with my shirt off, I’m off the cognac. And as soon as he played the beat, that shit just hit me off gate. I just went on in the booth, I locked in that b***h, put this s**t in drive, and for real couldn’t even stop.”
Regarding getting vulnerable with his music, Trouble said, “It’s always been like that with me. I don’t give a f**k—it is what it is.”
“I’m going to tell folk whatever I’ve been going through, bruh. That ain’t hard for me at all. I talk about my life. Respect me for how I’m coming, and if you don’t, then that’s on you. At the end of the day, I came straight raw.”
#3
He Had Summer Walker Steadily Bumpin' His Jams
While on the subject of fun facts about Trouble, we have to acknowledge that the rapper had fellow Atlanta native Summer Walker blasting his tracks.
Specifically, the R&B star appeared to gravitate toward “Come Thru,” which featured The Weeknd and was included on Edgewood.
During one video, Summer showed off her pole-dancing skills to the tune of the hit track.
It’s also worth adding that an early video of Summer Walker inadvertently showing off her baby bump featured “Come Thru” in the background.
In other words, Trouble clearly had a big fan in the form of the R&B songstress!
#4
Trouble Was A Major Proponent Of The #CucumberChallenge
Of course, we also have to discuss Trouble’s connection to the “Cucumber Challenge,” which involved women simulating fellatio on the vegetable.
He spoke on the 2019 challenge during a meet-up with Radio One – Baltimore, as—because many women’s videos utilized his “She A Winner” song—it led to him getting a ton of free promo.
“That s**t wasn’t planned at all… It ended up turning out to be a phenomenon.”
Trouble wholeheartedly embraced this “phenomenon.” In fact, Trouble threw a Cucumber Challenge-themed pool party back in the day, and he unapologetically shut down his critics.
#5
He Was An "Icon To The Community" Whose Personality Touched Many
Finally, it’s important to take a moment to highlight just how important Trouble was to his community.
Following the rapper’s death, WSB-TV reports that radio host Frank Ski of KISS 104.1 FM referred to Trouble as “an icon to the community.”
“It’s one thing to be called an artist, another thing to be called an icon to the community. That’s what he was.”
Ski backed up this proclamation by pointing out that Trouble was “always supporting community events,” like the “Guns Down, Water Guns Up” initiative.
“If I needed something for the Frank Ski Kids Foundation, he would say, ‘What do you need me to do? How can I help out?'”
Before wrapping up, Ski proclaimed that Trouble was a “family man” loved by many.
“He was great, a family man, everybody loved him. It’s really hard for a lot of people. He was that personable.”
Rest in peace, Trouble.
