Now, now, now. If you know rapper Trina, then you’re already well aware of the fact that the Miami-based rapper refers to herself as “Da Baddest B—h” (as well as “Diamond Princess” and a few other things). The queen of Slip-N-Slide Records is celebrating a birthday today, (the jury is out on whether she’s turning 40 or 44…), and she is still turning heads 20 years after she made a name for herself and held her own on the Trick Daddy hit, “Naan Ni–a.” She also is still maintaining her place in hip-hop when many female rappers from her group have gotten quiet and moved on to other things. She says the key to her longevity has been her fan base.
“It’s my fans really, the energy, the love, the love is over-pouring, and I’m having fun,” she told the Huffington Post last year. “The day I stop and stop making music is the day I stop having fun.”
And while her skills on the mic haven’t changed, or her beauty, Trina’s sense of style has indeed changed. Watching her star rise back in the day, when she was on the red carpet she enjoyed rocking a lot of the dated trends we all did: Baby Phat flip phones, studded bandannas, crimped curls, jersey dresses, graffiti-adorned clothes and chunky heels. And looking back on her sense of fashion, it’s an entertaining evolution to see. What better way to celebrate her birthday than to hit the flip and check it out?