BIO
Phineas Cobb, better known as Troopa, has been living and breathing rhythm since before he could even talk. Beatboxing was his first language—his mum recorded him making sounds around the house, laying the foundation for the artist he would become.​
​
By the time he was six or seven, Troopa was already deep into hip hop, listening to legends like Big L, 50 Cent, Nas, and Eminem. Big L quickly became his favorite—his style stood out as unique and raw, and part of the appeal was that not many people around Troopa knew him. That sense of finding his own lane stuck with him.
​
At around ten or eleven, Troopa’s brother’s mate, Zaydean, introduced him to the world of UK grime, with artists like Skepta, JME, and Wiley. He became hooked on grime sets and street cyphers, watching emcees rap with relentless energy. Skepta became his top influence, admired for his simple but flawless delivery that worked on any beat.​​​
​
At school, Troopa’s passion found its first audience. With his best mate Deano singing beside him, they would pass time in class performing their favorite songs—from I Spy to anti-bullying anthems they knew word for word.
​
Later, Troopa’s older brother Judas and his crew joined in, rapping in a 90s hip-hop style while Troopa laid down the beatbox rhythms.​Those sessions lit a fire.
​
Troopa began freestyling whenever Judas’s mates were around, steadily sharpening his rhymes. When his family moved up the coast at age eleven, he started writing lyrics every day, sending drafts to Zaydean, who encouraged him to never stop. Each trip back, he would share rhymes in person, earning nods of respect from his circle.
His breakthrough moment came during a casual session with friends, when someone recorded him rapping. The video went viral, peaking at 6 million views and proving his talent could capture a massive audience.
​
More clips followed, and even when some didn’t hit the same numbers, Troopa’s confidence only grew. Eventually, he started posting his own raps, with several blowing up and flooding his DMs with support.
​
From there, Troopa transitioned into the studio. He recorded his first tracks, then leveled up by learning how to produce, record, and mix his own music.​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​With a home setup—mic, amplifier, MacBook, and later an MPK Mini and high-quality speakers gifted by his parents—he built the tools to create beats and songs independently. Alongside friends like Jack Park and Shane, he refined his craft, determined to master every side of the process.
​
Today, Troopa is more than just a rapper—he’s a self-taught producer, writer, and performer building a career on his own terms. With viral moments behind him, studio experience under his belt, and a relentless drive to improve, Troopa is stepping fully into his identity as an artist. His music is raw, authentic, and made to resonate.
