T.I.’s Trap Museum Is As American As Apple Pie
No African-American subculture has permeated the American zeitgeist as expeditiously as music. From jazz and funk to hip-hop and soul, music has offered outsiders an entry point into Black culture. That ticket has been both welcomed and protested – see Dolores Tucker. T.I.’s Trap Museum highlights some of the South’s contributions to hip-hop culture and perhaps in more understated ways, peels back the curtains for a glimpse inside one division of contemporary Americana.
Located in Atlanta, the Trap Museum is billed as a “hybrid art gallery and interactive exhibit, displaying realistic scenes that are symbolic of the sound and lifestyle that originated in the ATL.” For the unitiated, a trap house is a location typically found in urban areas (a.k.a the hood) where drugs are distributed to addicts. The art of trapping is therefore pharmaceutical in nature. The act of soliciting drugs has served as the lyrical backdrop for thousands of rap songs from Jay Z to T.I The museum highlights and discusses trapping, but you’ll also find art, paraphernalia, installations like a hot-pink vintage Oldsmobile and temporary exhibits like 2019’s tribute to Nipsey Hussle.
Museum entry is $10 per person. On Thursdays, the museum morphs into a bar with a “Trappy Hour” specials and a private tour of the museum. That’s not the only way to get a private tour of the museum. An Escape Room recently opened at the same venue and priced at $30 a person, also includes an intimate showing of the Trap House collection.
The Trap Museum is located at 630 Travis Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30318.
Eric has revolved in and out of passport controls for over 20 years. From his first archaeological field school in Belize to rural villages in Ethiopia and Buddhist temples in Laos, Eric has come smile to smile with all walks of life. A writer, photographer and entrepreneur, the LA native believes the power of connectivity and community is enriched through travel.
