ArtistInfo

Trouble

*1987 US
of Hip-Hop/Rap
A.k.a. Mariel Semonte Orr

American rapper born on November 4, 1987. “My face ain’t new at all…” – Trouble The artist known as Trouble is still viewed as ‘new’ by those just hearing of him. But he’s 8 solid mixtapes in, and a seasoned veteran to those that love his music. As far as life outside the studio goes, Trouble probably looks familiar. The bold stare. The tattooed face. The toothy smile.. All of these features run in the streets and perhaps somewhere in your own family tree. Which is why Trouble’s real life approach to music has garnered a following of devout fans who either relate to his story personally, or know of someone who has seen a similar life. As Trouble grew up in the rough Zone 6 neighborhood of Atlanta’s Eastside, the lure of drugs and crime disguised itself as independence from his parents and before long, he earned the nickname Trouble and had no problem living up to it. Seeing the path he was headed down, neighborhood street king Big Bank Black offered Trouble a glimmer of hope, recruiting him to his Duct Tape Ent. label to start a career as a rapper. However, on the same night that Trouble was helping write Black’s future hit “Try It Out,” he was later caught in a home invasion gone wrong. Charged with a barrage of felonies ranging from kidnapping to armed robbery, Trouble was sentenced to two years in prison. Upon his release, Trouble locked himself up again, but this time in the studio to record his debut mixtape December 17th, named after his prison release date. The critically acclaimed tape introduced a blend of hard core street narratives with emotion driven confessions that chronicled a life in Atlanta that was rarely heard. Every release since then has cemented Trouble as one of rap’s most earnest and authentic voices. Trouble learned quickly that the music industry had its own version of treachery that often rivaled street life, except that the music business couldn’t be approached with the same solutions he’d learned in the ‘bricks’ of Zone 6. So Trouble reaffirmed the decision to put all of his effort into creating great music and building a career that could change his life and the lives of those around him. He attacks every aspect of his career with the tenacity of a pit bull and the tact of a diplomat. Over the past two years, Trouble has released 4 critically acclaimed mixtapes, been featured on numerous top selling records with Young Thug, Fetty Wap, Lupe Fiasco, Pusha T, Yo Gotti, YFN Lucci and others, establishing himself as a force to be reckoned with among today’s top upcoming artists. Standout songs that Trouble has released or is featured on include “Ready”, “Thief In The Night”, “Anyway/Everyday” & “Key To The Streets” to name a few. Trouble’s career has seen continual growth mostly thanks to his ‘refuse to lose’ attitude and straight from the hip realism in his music. “I’m not ashamed to tell people who I am,” says Trouble. “When I go through struggles, I make more music. I feel like anything I’m going through, there is a beat for.” Even though he has the street credibility that many rappers dream of having, Trouble isn’t out to promote his rap sheet. He’s here to make his raps matter. “I’d rather see young people make it, rather than go through the things that I did,” Trouble says. “People say I’m more conscious now, because I know people are listening. You don’t have to go through the streets to be respected. It’s about being real with yourself.” And people are listening in droves.