Throughout her four albums, countless magazine covers, and scorching guest appearances, Trina still remains "Da Baddest Chick." The Miami rap star easily oozes the same sex appeal that helped her launch her gold-selling debut ten years ago off the strength of her unforgettable cameo on Trick Daddy's "Nann." But while her female counterparts falter, fade, or continue to rely on oversexed personas, Trina has evolved as a woman and artist as evident on her latest album, Amazin'.
"With this fifth album I stepped it up a notch and it starts with where I'm at in life," Trina says. "I'm happy, content, and in a great place. That means a lot when you start recording an album. Sometimes the days weren't so great and that can take away from when you're trying to give your all creatively or trying to get people to understand where you're coming from, but to be happy, feel loved, and show all these beautiful things, I think I'm doing that. You'll be able to see that on Amazin', from the emotion, how I'm growing, and how I'm feeling. It's who I am as a woman."
The project features collaborations with a range of artists, from MCs like Lil Wayne, Flo Rida, and Nicki Minaj to singers such as Monica, Keri Hilson, and dancehall sensation Lady Saw. Hip-hop heavyweight Diddy helps Trina kicks things off on the first single, the party anthem "Million Dollar Girl."
"He is one of the most amazing people that I've ever worked with in this industry, in my entire career," Trina says about Diddy. "He's so swagged out and arrogant, it's just crazy. It was my first time working with him. He can be whatever he wants to be, because he's at that status. But everybody was in a state of shock because he was so fun and energetic."
That energy radiates throughout Amazin's track-listing. The Donk rattling "Currency," which features Lil Wayne and Rick Ross, and "That's My Attitude" are sure to be hometown favorites in the clubs of Miami. The all-girl effort, "Dang A Lang" produced by DJ Frank E will raise eyebrows as Trina, Nicki Minaj, and Lady Saw take charge and tell the fellas exactly what they want from their men. Those tracks set the stage for the raucous "Hoes Fight," produced by Jim Jonsin (Beyonce, T.I., Jennifer Lopez) and featuring Dirty Money's Kalenna. "That's probably the most listened to record by me and everybody in my camp," Trina says of the track.
While those records are guaranteed to get the Stilettos on the dance floor, Amazin' is anchored by a pair of standout tracks, the Monica-assisted "Always" and the sparse "Capricorn." On "Always," which is the album’s second single, the Diamond Princess slows it down to profess her love for her significant other while Monica croons “I will always be there for you, forever.” On explaining how “Always” came together, Trina smiles and says, “Monica and I have been close friends for a very long time and had been wanting to collaborate for awhile. When the producers, Big D and Lamb, played me the song, I knew Monica would be the best person for it.” Trina flew to Atlanta to record the song with Monica and came out with an instant classic.
Trina keeps the mood of love going on "Capricorn," on which she shows her appreciation to a particular person for getting things right. This effort is a departure for Trina. On the record, she abandons rhyming for a more direct approach. "I wanted to do this record that was just poetic," she says of the concept behind "Capricorn." "I heard this particular beat and it was perfect. It wasn't even about a rap or writing a rhyme, just about what I was feeling. It's personal and something I wrote out of my heart, it's for someone. I was just thinking about everything I feel for this person and this Capricorn and how I see things through my eyes. I really just talked throughout the record, explaining it as if the person was in front of me."
Through tragedy and triumph, Trina has endured. A decade into her career, she's celebrating her perseverance and sharing the rewards with her devoted fans - especially those that can relate to her travel.
"My whole career has been a journey," Trina says. "Just going through so much different stuff in my life, having to deal with so much and to be here in a place where I'm happy, to put our a fifth album as a female artist, and people can respect that fact that I've grown, it's.Amazing.”
