Trouble Kidd: The Flaws & Imperfections of The 805's Most Misunderstood Antihero
UNDRGRND Magazine | by Andrew Mason | Jan 1st, 2024
‘The 805’ will always be Los Angeles’ “little brother” when it comes to the music space. In Ventura County, the 805’s most southern region and original home to UNDRGRND Magazine, artists like SuperDuperKYLE (Ventura) and Anderson .Paak (Oxnard) have inspired new waves of up and coming artists to make music for the first time.
But while KYLE and .Paak have continued to throw hometown events for the community, they’re level of fame has taken their story past the point of a hyper-relatable “underground 805 artist.” Rightfully so — both artists appeared as XXL Freshmen over seven years ago, and have been making serious industry buzz for a decade now.
For my generation, no case study shows the trials and tribulations of an 805 rapper quite like that of Trouble Kidd’s. While barely old enough to drink, the Oxnard native has already collabed with OhGeesy, Rucci, YeloHill, and other LA notables. His music videos have amassed over five million total views on YouTube, and he’s been interviewed by Angeleno comedian, ‘DoKnow,’ on the NoJumper platform.
Still, Trouble Kidd is far from a role model. His multiple run-ins with the law are documented in his music, and have cost him valuable time behind bars. He has face tats, and is undisputedly an intimidating presence through social media.
It wasn’t until I met Trouble in person that I realized there was much more to this story than I had realized.
Trouble was born in Irapuato, Guanajuato, Mexico, but relocated to Oxnard at five years old. He began releasing music regularly in 2020 under the 52 Mobb title, a music collective that includes Krypt, Hitem, and the late PMF Adrian. The crew caught fire on YouTube, specifically through the channel of videographer and fellow Oxnardian, ‘Authentic Henry.’
“He’s a dope individual—he’s got the eye,” says Trouble of Henry. “I tried so many times doing videos with other videographers, but I never fucked with the video, so I never dropped it. That’s when I found Henry.”
Henry and Trouble’s first music video together was for “WOKE UP” (feat. Lil Traphouse) in March 2020. The video got more traction than Trouble expected, who took the moment as an epiphany of sorts. He found a local recording studio—Record X Studios, a cozy Ventura spot manned at the time by talented engineer (and Issue 2 cover artist) MindOff.
“After my first video, the shit blew up. I was trippin’, like ‘I can really do this shit,” Trouble says. “I looked on my phone, and searched ‘studio near me.’ The second time I went to Record X, we made ‘SO RUFF SO TUFF.’ MindOff’s into that techno-shit. He’s got his own sound, and he applies it to my sound, like a fusion.”
Mixing sounds has been at the forefront of Trouble Kidd’s artistry in recent years. His 2022 debut album, the 14-track Beautiful Struggle featured the City of Angel’s OhGeesy, Rucci, and G Perico. 2023 saw the release of Take A Loss, a collab EP with producer and engineer MixedByCrook, known well in the LA underground hip-hop scene for his quality beats and audio mixing.
For those in the 805, it’s not easy expanding into the grander LA market. But Trouble Kidd is proof that hungry, younger generations are still continuing to do so, and at new levels. Trouble Kidd is hanging with the big dogs, something not all have the confidence to do.
“They feel the presence,” Trouble Kidd says. “As long as you carry yourself, they’re gonna know who you are.”
As we enter the new year, Trouble Kidd is excited to keep his record clean and to capitalize on the connections and momentum he’s built so far. He even has plans to get his GED.
“I’m on probation, and I feel like going back to school is gonna help me,” he says. “They wanna see me locked up, they ain’t tryna see me win, homie. But if I do the right thing, and show them I’m doing the right thing, they’re going to give me a break.”
No one’s arguing that Trouble Kidd is the “end all be all” model citizen. Of course not. But that’s not what rap is. Rap is making it out of your local community—however thick or thin it may be—into broader music success. Hip-hop itself and the archetypes that make it is a metaphor for the old saying “a means to an end.”
That’s why Trouble Kidd fits our antihero role so well. Despite his flaws, he’s found a way to reign supreme atop the 805 underground world. He’s not a traditional warm-hearted success story, but he’s found a way to pave ground for our local music scene. He’s not cocky or boastful, but has the attitude and energy of a winner and leader. And while maybe not every step in his road is for everyone, all artists on the come up should be watching his moves closely.
You might just learn a thing or two.