Lil Zay Osama is primarily known for penning lyrics that hit close to home. Oftentimes he speaks on losing loved ones, being betrayed, dealing with heartache, and keeping individuals at a distance. The rapper also reflects on personal experiences that left a bad taste in his mouth and his come up. With hard work and dedication, Lil Zay Osama has earned several accolades.
The themes mentioned make way in Trench Baby 2, the latter of Trench Baby. On his 11-track project, Lil Zay Osama doesn’t bite his tongue. He addresses opps and other people who talk negatively about him. Additionally, he explains how to become successful and happy.
Songs like “Okay” and “Needed You” see Lil Zay Osama at his most vulnerable.
Aside from reflecting on fallouts, he expresses his gratitude. Not only is he thankful to see another day, but he’s financially free and living his dream. Trench Baby 2 ultimately teaches listeners how to roll with the punches. After all, he’s living proof. The artists featured on his album include EST GEE, Sean Kingston, Luh Kel, Mook6340, and Benny the Butcher. Sonically, the project takes on various approaches to trap. They also carry a heavy bassline. Some beats are more upbeat and aggressive, while others take on a somber tone.
One standout record from Trench Baby 2 is “Okay,” which sees Lil Zay Osama reflecting on the past.
“Okay” is a melancholic trap offering that allows listeners to dive into Lil Zay Osama’s mentality. In just two minutes, the rapper speaks about his grandfather’s drug addiction, getting out the streets, and discovering his former girlfriend’s infidelity. Moreover, he gives others a raw look at street culture. While the street culture may be glorified in music and media, there is nothing pretty about it.
One notable excerpt goes,
“They wanna know what go down behind these street signs/Whole lotta blood shit and R.I.P signs/Man that shit happened so fast wish I could rewind/It been too much on my brain, I need some me time.”
About Lil Zay Osama:
Throughout 2020, Zay has touched fans with singles like “Loyalty,” which encapsulates the emotional impact of his heaviest songs.
In one half-sung couplet, he distills the callousness of Chicago street life. One of six children born to a single mother, Zay employed every hustle available to him growing up—selling newspapers, playing bucket drums, illicit grinds—to provide for himself and his family.
But though Zay was in the street early, he was in the studio well before. By the time he was a teen, he was a budding star in the early 2010s Chicago drill scene alongside compatriots like Chief Keef.
Zay dropped his celebrated and celebratory Hood Bible (2019) while glowing from signing to Warner Records, but his forthcoming project Trench Baby takes a different tack. He captures grief, trauma, and romantic heartbreak as much as he articulates the joy of survival.