In the rapidly evolving world of music and social media, consistency and authenticity remain the key factors that separate true creators from passing trends. Few rising artists embody this more than Robbie Tripp, the viral rapper and internet personality who’s been making waves online over the years with his polarizing music videos and unique platform.
Tripp–known by many for his viral body-positive hits such as “Chubby Sexy” and “Big Girl Banger”–looks to be hitting his stride as a full-fledged artist and creator, pumping out project after project through his independent media/production company Desert Money. After surpassing millions of views this year with releases like energetic rap video “Basic Bro” and mega co-sign “They Said” with BlocBoy JB, the Las Vegas rapper’s momentum has reached a climax with his latest summer smash that features a major name in the hip hop industry on the production side.
Tripp’s highly-anticipated new single, “I Wanna Have Fun…”, is an insatiably catchy tune produced by 3-time Grammy Award-winner Andrew Dawson, perhaps best known as the man behind the boards for Kanye West’s most iconic albums such as Late Registration (2005), Graduation (2007), My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), Watch the Throne (2011), and more.
“As the best things in life tend to do, it all came together super organically,” Tripp says when asked how he and Dawson teamed up for his latest viral release. “I think a lot of artists nowadays feel that in order to get noticed you need to follow the trends. But it’s actually the exact opposite–being yourself is your superpower and that will attract people with the same energy. My music is all about being unapologetically me, and I’ve just stayed on demon time putting in the work and applying pressure to my dreams.”
From his early beginnings as an artist in Las Vegas, Nevada, Tripp has always been one to push boundaries. His released his debut single “Chubby Sexy” in 2019 as a celebration of body positivity, and almost immediately landed in the crossfires of headlines and op-eds across the internet. The song and its official music video–which featured Tripp and plus size women, including his wife, dancing by the pool– were eventually highlighted by GQ Magazine as a “Moment of the Year” and earned Tripp his first pieces of recognition as a viral rapper.
Follow-up singles such as “Luka Doncic”–a fan favorite that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban personally requested to play during pregame warmups at American Airlines Center–and “Flamingo Freestyle” with internet icon RiFF RAFF, further solidified Tripp’s status as a disruptor in the music scene. Collaborations with fellow Las Vegas emcee Dizzy Wright gave Tripp further credibility in his hometown, especially when his song “Raider Gang (All Black Everything)” became a moment for the Las Vegas Raiders during their 2021 playoff push. The snowball effect of hype looks to be at an all-time high for Robbie Tripp, as his bold moves in the music industry are finally paying off.
Tripp first teased his latest hit single “I Wanna Have Fun…” in July by playing an early snippet of the song’s steamy hook for his millions of followers across social media. Shortly after, he revealed the single was a collaboration with megaproducer Andrew Dawson, whose credits include the likes of Beyonce, Jay Z, Tyler the Creator, Childish Gambino, and more.
Tripp shares that he and Dawson first connected years ago through Tripp’s longtime producer/engineer Courtney Ballard–who also co-produced the new single–while Tripp and Dawson were both living in Arizona at the time. After Tripp relocated back to Las Vegas, Nevada, the pair stayed in touch until the right moment to collaborate.
“I had this idea to make a really fun, playful, sexy summer anthem and I just knew Andrew would bring such an undeniable flavor to the concept,” says Tripp about the process for “I Wanna Have Fun…”. “Lucky for me he liked the idea and then once we had the song, I could see the music video so clearly in my head and it all fell into place perfectly. I’m just so proud of what we created and I couldn’t have done it without the amazing team of creatives that helped me bring this vision to life.”
The official music video for “I Wanna Have Fun…” premiered on Robbie Tripp’s official YouTube channel to much acclaim, just as the artist had surpassed the 100,000 subscriber mark on the video platform, earning YouTube’s coveted Silver Creator Award plaque to commemorate the milestone. Tripp also shared exclusive behind-the-scenes of the filming process to his fanbase on Instagram and revealed that the music video was filmed at the Edison House, an urban social club in downtown Salt Lake City. Tripp spent his childhood years in Utah before relocating to Las Vegas with his family, and says he considers the project “a full circle moment for sure.”
Early buzz on the single reached a fever pitch on Tripp’s platforms before the official release, with Andrew Dawson himself commenting on Tripp’s reveal of the official single art, thanking Tripp and adding that they “made the sexy jam of the summer.”
Impressively, it’s not just in music where Tripp has been making his mark online. The polarizing internet personality has established himself as a pro at utilizing social media to connect with his community online that has reached over half a million followers on Instagram and 1 million followers on TikTok, thanks to his knack for creating viral moments. Tripp’s platform first took off in 2017 when he made international headlines as the “curvy wife guy”, and since then has expertly transitioned his growing audience into fans, complete with official merchandise, live performances, and lucrative brand partnerships.
Tripp’s journey is a testament to the power of what can be accomplished through social media when creative content, marketing savvy, and authentic artistry merge. And though the journey has been far from smooth, Tripp never shies away from discussing the bumps along the way and reaffirming his commitment to making his dreams a reality.
“As a music artist I feel like I’m only just getting started and as a content creator I feel like I’ve already lived and worked an entire career online,” laughs Tripp when reflecting on his unlikely journey from body positive influencer to viral rap sensation. “It’s definitely been a lot of ups and downs, exciting moments of accomplishment and celebration, sobering moments of making mistakes and regret, laughing, crying, falling down, getting back up again, the whole influencer lifecycle. What keeps me going is a belief in myself and my ideas and a sincere passion and discipline to fulfill my creative destiny.”
Robbie Tripp’s story is one of believing in your dreams, never being afraid to reinvent yourself, and chasing the magic that can happen when you stay true to yourself. As the rising artist continues to take the internet by storm one creative project at a time, one thing is clear: Robbie Tripp is not going to stop making waves any time soon.
Robbie Tripp’s new single and music video ‘I Wanna Have Fun…’ is out now everywhere on all major platforms.
