Neon Shark vs Pegasus

Neon Shark vs Pegasus, also stylized as NEON SHARK vs Pegasus (Deluxe: Presented by Travis Barker), is a reissued album by American rapper and singer Trippie Redd in collaboration with fellow American musician Travis Barker. It was released on February 19, 2021, as the deluxe edition of Redd's third studio album, Pegasus. The album features guest appearances from Machine Gun Kelly, Blackbear, Chino Moreno, Scarlxrd, and ZillaKami.^[4] The original version of the album – which is included – was released on October 30, 2020, and retains features from Myiah Lynnae, Yung LB, PartyNextDoor, Chris Brown, Rich the Kid, Young Thug, Future, Lil Mosey, Quavo, Busta Rhymes, Sean Kingston, Doe Boy, Lil Wayne, HoodyBaby, and Swae Lee.

Neon Shark vs Pegasus
Studio album (reissue)[a] by Trippie Redd
Released	February 19, 2021 (2021-02-19)
Genre	Rock[1] pop punk[2] rap rock[3]
Length	113:42
Label	TenThousand Projects Caroline 1400 Entertainment
Producer	OZ Nik D Oscar Zulu LVNDVN Hammad Beats Quintin Gulledge Frano Burnley AKL Stoopid Lou Deats Goose the Guru LASTNGHT Dinuzzo Loaded ChaseTheMoney Heavy Mellow Starboy RIP Psymun Distance Decay ATL Jacob J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League Mally Mall 1993 Eesean Bolden Lateef Garrett ChopSquad DJ RMG Nu FaatKiid Xeryus Wheezy Rance Khyrie Taylor Sean Momberger LNK Mario Petersen Nick Mira Outtatown CBMix Cardiak Scott Storch Avedon Angel Lopez Travis Barker Yeezo Nick Long John Feldmann Federico Vindver Pearl Lion Trippie Redd
Trippie Redd chronology
Pegasus (2020) Neon Shark vs Pegasus (2021) Trip at Knight (2021)
Singles from Neon Shark vs Pegasus
"Dreamer" Released: June 18, 2020

Neon Shark vs Pegasus sees Trippie Redd explore rock music. One critic wrote that "[p]roduced by Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker, it establishes a totally new distorted rock sound, louder and crunchier than Redd’s previous genre collages."^[3] The album was supported by one single: "Dreamer", released on June 18, 2020. The record project received critical acclaim, with praise directed especially to its successful experimentation. Many critics stated that the album was a rewarding foray into rap rock, where others such as Lil Wayne (Rebirth) had failed.^[3][5]

Background

Trippie Redd released the album's lead and only single, "Dreamer", on his 21st birthday, June 18, 2020.^[6] Including this song, the album features fourteen new songs. However, before the deluxe version was released, it leaked in its entirety on Tidal on January 29, 2021.^[7] It was then taken down swiftly.^[8] The album was officially announced by Redd on February 18 2021, and was released the following day.^[7] It serves as the artist's first rock project, while also marking his first project that does not contain hip hop and rap in it.^[9][10] Travis Barker said: “I don’t think there’s a whole lot of rappers that can make an actual rock album… I think they can make rock-inspired songs, but Trippie is so good with melody and can sing so well. It was really easy for him to do this.”^[11]

Release and promotion

Trippie Redd had stated that the deluxe edition of Pegasus would be a full rock album and would be titled Neon Shark.^[9] Travis Barker said: “It’s a real rock album. It’s not just guitar over trap beats, we went all the way in”.^[12]

When asked about the meaning behind the title, Trippie stated: “I feel like as a person I’m outgoing so, colorful. And then people look at me like I’m a shark, maybe scared, so they keep their distance.” Barker added: “From the first day, … He was sending me little gifs of sharks and stuff.”^[11]

Critical reception

Neon Shark vs Pegasus received critical acclaim. Emma Jackimowicz of The Daily Reveille praised Trippie Redd’s experimentation, calling the project “a refreshing, emo-punk album”.^[13] She highlighted “Without You”, “Geronimo” and “Frozen Ocean” as some of the best songs on the album.^[13] Lucas Fagen of Hyperallergic praised the project as a “pop-punk gem.^[3] Maisy Sullivan of The Tower was also complementary towards the album, writing: “Neon Shark is very experimental. Trippie Redd uses rock as the sort of umbrella genre, yet tries out different branches of the artistic category. He features screamo, pop-punk, trap, and traditional alternative styles to combine into the entirety of the work.”^[12] She concluded: “His discography is messy, his aesthetic is chaotic, and his music tests all styles. Trippie Redd is controversial; however, he does not look to impress. He looks to be himself unapologetically. Neon Shark is a pure reflection of his happy-go-lucky personality. It fits into his emo-style rap genre, and it is easy to discern that he put work into its production.”^[12] The song “Geronimo” was included on Loudwire’s list of the Best Rock Songs of 2021 (So Far) in October 2021.^[14]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
The Daily Reveille	[13]
Hyperallergic	(very favorable)[3]
The Tower	(very favorable)[12]

Year-end lists

Select year-end rankings for Trip at Knight

Publication	List	Rank	Ref.
The Daily Reveille	The Best Albums of 2021 (so far)	2	[15]

Track listing

Credits adapted from Tidal for both editions.^[16][17]

Pegasus: Neon Shark vs Pegasus Presented By Travis Barker (Deluxe)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Pill Breaker" (with Travis Barker featuring Machine Gun Kelly and Blackbear)	Michael White IV Travis Barker Colson Baker Matthew Musto Andrew Goldstein Matt Malpass	Barker	2:57
2.	"Without You" (with Travis Barker)	White Barker Nick Long	Barker Long	3:09
3.	"Swimming" (with Travis Barker)	White Barker Will Swan	Barker	2:15
4.	"Female Shark" (with Travis Barker)	White Barker	Barker	2:43
5.	"Geronimo" (with Travis Barker featuring Chino Moreno)	White Barker Camilo Moreno Long	Barker Long	2:59
6.	"Sea World" (with Travis Barker)	White Barker Malpass	Barker	2:36
7.	"Red Sky" (with Travis Barker featuring Machine Gun Kelly)	White Barker Baker John Feldmann	Barker Feldmann	2:32
8.	"Megladon" (with Travis Barker)	White Barker Malpass	Barker	3:14
9.	"Save Yourself" (with Travis Barker)	White Barker Feldmann	Barker Feldmann	2:40
10.	"Dreamer"	White Francis Palladino	Yeezo	2:50
11.	"It's Coming" (with Travis Barker)	White Barker Malpass	Barker	2:34
12.	"Leaders" (with Travis Barker)	White Barker Federico Vindver Jared Scharff Jose Velazquez	Barker Federico Vindver Pearl Lion Angel Lopez	2:40
13.	"Frozen Ocean" (with Travis Barker)	White Barker Malpass	Barker	3:24
14.	"Dead Desert" (with Travis Barker featuring Scarlxrd and ZillaKami)	White Barker Marius Listhrop Junius Rogers Malpass	Barker	2:41

Pegasus – Standard edition

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
15.	"Let It Out" (featuring Myiah Lynnae)	White Myiah Lynnae Ozan Yildrim Oliver Carnival Nicholas Frascona	OZ Nik D[a] Oscar Zulu[a] LVNDVN[a]	2:56
16.	"Moonlight"	White Adrian Rupke Quintin Gulledge Joe Talamo	Hammad Beats Quintin Gulledge Oscar Zulu[a]	2:41
17.	"Love Scars 4"	White Rupke Talamo	Hammad Beats Oscar Zulu[a]	2:36
18.	"The Nether"	White Yildrim Frano Huett Jordan Lusitini	OZ Frano Burnley AKL[a]	2:37
19.	"So Stressed" (featuring Yung LB)	White Fetaiaki Teaupa Rupke	Hammad Beats Stoopid Lou[a] Oscar Zulu[a]	3:24
20.	"Excitement" (with PartyNextDoor)	White Jahron Brathwaite Yildrim Nik Frascona Dominik Patrzek	OZ Nik D Deats	4:43
21.	"Mood" (featuring Chris Brown)	White Christopher Brown Nickalas Turner Kyle Edwards Darien Overton	Goose the Guru LASTNGHT Dinuzzo	2:23
22.	"Pegasus"	White Rupke	Hammad Beats Oscar Zulu[a]	2:17
23.	"Weeeeee"	White Kamil Budek	Loaded	2:32
24.	"Personal Favorite" (featuring Rich the Kid)	White Dimitri Roger Chase Rose Everett Romano	ChaseTheMoney Heavy Mellow	2:35
25.	"V-12"	White Anton Mendo	Starboy RIP Psymun Distance Decay	2:06
26.	"Spaceships" (featuring Young Thug)	White Jeffery Williams Jacob Canady	ATL Jacob	2:54
27.	"Never Change" (featuring Future)	White Nayvadius Wilburn Jamal Rashid Larrance Dopson Khirye Tyler	Mally Mall J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League Dinuzzo 1993 Eesean Bolden LASTNGHT Lateef Garrett Rance1500 Khirye Tyler	2:53
28.	"Good Morning"	White Darrell Jackson	ChopSquad DJ	3:21
29.	"No Honorable Mentions" (with Lil Mosey featuring Quavo)	White Lathan Echols Quavious Marshall Jackson	ChopSquad DJ RMG Nu[a] FaatKiid[a] Xeryus[a]	4:18
30.	"I Got You" (with Busta Rhymes)	White Trevor Smith, Jr. Wesley Glass Roger McNair Rashia Fisher William Lewis Leroy Jones	Wheezy Rance[a] Khyrie Taylor[a]	3:05
31.	"Too Fly"	White Rupke	Hammad Beats LNK[a] Mario Petersen[a]	3:04
32.	"Red Beam" (featuring Sean Kingston)	White Kisean Anderson Yildrim	OZ Deats[a] Nik D[a]	2:07
33.	"Oomps Revenge, Pt. 2"	White Rupke	Hammad Beats Oscar Zulu[a]	1:57
34.	"Take One"	White Nicholas Mira	Nick Mira	2:01
35.	"Sleepy Hollow"	White Tobias Dekker	Outtatown	1:41
36.	"Kid That Didd" (featuring Future and Doe Boy)	White Wilburn Isam Mostafa Jackson Christopher Barnett	ChopSquad DJ CBMix	3:37
37.	"Don"	White Jackson	ChopSquad DJ	2:24
38.	"Hell Rain" (featuring Lil Wayne and Hoodybaby)	White	Cardiak	3:47
39.	"TR666" (featuring Swae Lee)	White Khalif Brown Scott Storch	Scott Storch Avedon	3:00
40.	"Sun God (Above You)" (featuring Myiah Lynnae)	White Lynnae Jose Velazquez	Angel Lopez	3:12
Total length:				74:11

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies an uncredited additional producer
• "TR666" was initially released on December 26, 2017.^[18]
• All songs on the deluxe stylized in all caps.

Sample credits

• "TR666" contains samples of "A Garden of Peace" by Lonnie Liston Smith.
• "Female Shark" contains samples of "True Love" by nothing,nowhere. and Travis Barker.^[19]
• "I Got You" interpolates "I Know What You Want", performed by Busta Rhymes and Mariah Carey.^[20]

Notes

1. Released as part of the deluxe reissue of Trippie Redd's third studio album Pegasus