Transcript: Tampa Bay Arts Passport Podcast — Episode with Lil Trini Kid
Full transcript of our Tampa Bay Arts Passport conversation with Lil Trini Kid, covering music, nightlife, identity, and the artist’s creative process.
Listen to the full podcast here
Avery Anderson
Avery Anderson: Hello and welcome to another episode of the Tampa Bay Arts Passport podcast. The Tampa Bay Arts Passport — how many times can I say that in one intro — is your local guide to all things arts, culture, entertainment, behind the scenes, community connection. Please follow, like, and subscribe to hear more conversations like this.
Today we have underground artist, entertainer, all-around pretty vibe and cool, saucy — saucy is something we're going to talk about — saucy person, Lil Trini Kid. He is going to discuss his music, his love of Tampa, how he ended here. Also, we are going to very poorly compare Utah to Korea because apparently they're the same thing, we’ve learned today — or at least I did.
So please enjoy this conversation and like and subscribe for more. All right, we’re going to dive in with Lil Trini Kid. How are you? Big Lil Trini Kid, not the Lil Trini Kid.
Lil Trini Kid: Big Lil Trini Kid.
Avery: Wait, is that your official name?
Trini: No, no, that’s just me.
Avery: I was like, did I mess up the name?
Trini: No, I was just being an asshole because you know, they’ll be like “Big Avery,” you know what I’m saying? But it’s like, I’m Lil Trini Kid so I’m like — how fun would it be if I’m like Big Lil Trini Kid?
Avery: I think you should try it out.
Trini: I think so too. I think it’s already a thing in my head.
Avery: Is this the debut of Big Lil Trini Kid?
Trini: I think it is, everybody.
Who He Is
Avery: Okay, well you're already going, so how about you introduce Lil Trini Kid.
Trini: Hi guys, I'm Lil Trini Kid. I'm an underground upcoming artist, entertainer, dancer, all of the above. I do it all.
Avery: All of the above, here in Tampa, Florida.
Trini: Yes, all of the above.
Avery: And I want to acknowledge that most of your work and life is in the nightlife of Tampa and it’s currently 9:24 in the morning. We are here early on a cloudy day to talk about you.
Trini: Yes, thank you so much for having me. I went to bed around like four. I got home at like three so I slept in a timely manner.
Avery: Is your sleep schedule just always upside down?
Trini: I've just been starting to get into it where it makes sense, but it's pretty bad. I can't even start to explain how bad it is.
Why He’s Up at 3 AM — His Work
Avery: Talk to me about what you do. Who are you? Why are you up until 3 a.m. all the time?
Trini: I want people to know me as just an everyday cool dude who brings the party, brings the life. I am an entertainer. I work late nights in the club scene. I work at a couple clubs locally — Johnson’s and Disco Pony. I also work in St. Pete at The Ball and Cocktails and a few other places.
I really came out here and started doing nightlife when I turned 21 just to get my foot in the door and really promote my music. And it’s actually been okay. I knew I had the sauce — like my shit was hot — and people supported me, but I didn’t think this many people would actually turn me up.
His Music Journey
Avery: Your music career really started like yesterday.
Trini: laughs No, I’m kidding. I have six songs out now.
Avery: So when you say you “had the sauce”… what does that mean?
Trini: I just knew I had it — what curates someone who could be a star. I knew I had like the talent. I was putting out freestyles two years ago and they were getting traction online. I just needed to lock in and get my vibe right.
How He Releases Music
Avery: For emerging artists today, what does releasing a single look like?
Trini: Someone like me — I’m in the influencer sphere. I watch the algorithm really well. If I’m doing content collabs and I have visibility, that’s a good time to put out music. I look at the numbers. If it’s looking like a drought, I’m like okay, let’s make something shake.
The creative process is a different beast. But once I have the vibe and the aesthetic and the rollout set, I release through a personal distributor — not a label.
The Creative Process
Trini: For me, it’s really a couple things. If I hear the right beat, I’m gonna kill that right there. That perfect beat — I'll get that song done in 30 minutes. Sometimes I have a concept saved and I’m shopping that around. Sometimes I’m looking around at what’s hot.
Lately I’m working on a mixtape, so I have concepts in my head and I’m fitting pieces together like a puzzle.
How He Finds “The Vibe”
Avery: When you're going through life, what does “looking for the vibe” feel like?
Trini: For example, right now I want an arcade kind of beat for a concept I have. Or I might have a person I want to do a song with, so I’m thinking about the beat that fits that back-and-forth. Or I already have a song in the tuck. It’s like a puzzle.
Why He Moved to Tampa
Avery: You’re not from Tampa. Why Tampa, Florida?
Trini: I moved here to be close with family. My whole family moved here and I was the last stranded penguin. Before here I lived in Korea, then Utah. I move around like a crazy person. Florida… it’s a trap. Once you get here, it’s chill — like retirement state energy. You get here too soon and you’re stuck.
Utah vs Korea?
Avery: But you know what they say — Utah is the curry of America.
Trini: That actually makes so much sense, bro.
Avery: Is that a thing?
Trini: No, it’s not a thing — but it makes sense.
Avery: Tie those together?
Trini: I was being sarcastic. I don’t even know where Utah is.
Being Queer in Florida
Avery: What is it like being a person of color and a queer person in the Tampa nightlife scene?
Trini: I grew up West Coast — very woke. People here treat me really nice. It feels like a big melting pot. Probably not like that in Tallahassee, but here it’s crazy enough that no one’s worried about you.
In Utah they would point me out — like “oh my gosh, I’ve never seen anyone look like you.” Here it’s like fine. Florida is easy.
I lived in New Mexico too — super trap, super hood. So West Coast mixed with that… Florida is a breeze.
Where He Wants to Live Next
Avery: Is there a place you want to live that you’ve not experienced?
Trini: I’ve been in LA a few months. If I could live long-term tomorrow: California.
Avery: What does success look like to you?
Trini: Comfortability. Where I can be hungry and creative without literally being hungry. Spaces where I don’t have to put in too much work for someone to know what I’m about. I want people to hear me and take me seriously.
Who Inspires Him
Trini: Coming over here I was listening to Ariana Grande. She’s my favorite pop star. I’m also a big Barb — Nicki’s my queen. Lil Wayne, Lil Uzi Vert, Trippie Redd, Kanye West, Beyoncé.
Avery: Any local artists you want to collaborate with?
Trini: You might see it coming soon.
“Waist So Slim”
Avery: We can talk about “Waist So Slim.”
Trini: I love that song. Do you listen to it?
Avery: Yes, I listened on the way here.
Trini: I have a lot of fun punchlines. You can play my music and if you're paying attention you’ll pick up on something. My favorite part is the callback I do — I write my songs like that.
Rapid Fire
Avery: What does artistic community mean to you?
Trini: It means everything.
Avery: One word — your hope for the arts in Tampa Bay?
Trini: Discovering me.
Avery: One artist, living or dead, you’d have dinner with?
Trini: Ice Spice. Maybe she would DM me back. I already got the follow.
Avery: If Ice Spice was in Tampa, where would you take her?
Trini: The gay clubs. Or the strip club. Both. A little bit of gays, a little bit of girl shit — that’s all we can ask for.
Trini: Thank you so much for having me. Please listen to “Waist So Slim” and all my songs — Lil Trini Kid on all streaming platforms. On social media I am L-I-L-L-T-R-I-N-I-K-I-D — Lil Trini Kid with two Ls.
Avery: This was not a cooking podcast but we did cover sauce, seasoning, and a little cooking with words. Join us for upcoming events — our December book club with Tombolo Books reading My Broken Language, then heading to Stageworks for Latin History for Morons on December 7. Follow, subscribe, support all things arts in Tampa Bay. See you soon.