An Atlanta location meant to promote rapper 2 Chainz’s new album has become a landmark for visitors who recently held a celebration for change, but businesses say the visits have harmed them.
On Sunday, July 2, Fox 5 reported community organizers gathered at the pink trap house, which is painted to match the one on the cover of “Pretty Girls Like Trap Music,” to encourage community involvement. Organizers want attendees to examine the many issues residents who live in the neighborhoods that spur trap music deal with.
“It was a great marketing campaign for the album, I can’t even deny that,” Pastor Michael Wortham, who helped organize the event, told the news station. “And so, the thing is, since everybody loves the trap and loves to sing about it, now let’s really deal with it.”
“This is serious,” visitor Lamar Avery said. “People are dying, so they just want people do be involved, to stay woke, to know what’s going on in your community.”
The house has been a huge hit with people flocking to the site daily. Its lease expires Friday, July 7, but a 2 Chainz team member said it may be extended. Organizers want guests to not only take photos for Instagram but think of ways to improve the community.
“If we really appreciate the people who make the music, we need to really appreciate the people who are struggling though this life right now,” Wortham said. “And say, ‘How can we as people go beyond listening to the music and actually go down in the trenches and work day after day, block after block, person after person? … to say, ‘Hey, we’re going to help people take it up another level and we’re gonna do it together.’
The house isn’t being celebrated by all, however. Local businesses are upset about trap house visitors parking in their lots, as the tourist attraction has virtually no spaces available. They’ve taken to placing cones in their spaces to prevent people from parking there, and one business owner said customers have left because of the lack of parking. Traffic also has been an issue due to onlookers slowing down to view the house.
“We will continue to monitor traffic in that area in an effort to mitigate any problems,” police told Fox 5 in a statement.
