The reflective critiques and recriminations that open TRAPPii’s title track may lead some to wonder: Is this the same Jay Wheeler? Having built both a discography and a reputation as a romantic reggaetonero, the Puerto Rican star appears to have taken a different path than on earlier projects like De Mí Para Ti and El Amor Y Yo—at least at first. After all, those who’ve paid close attention to his career will recall the singer’s trap bona fides, both as a guest of other traperos as well as on his own albums. But soon enough, it becomes clear that TRAPPii serves to enhance what he has embodied to date, effectively solidifying his role as an R&B singer confidently balancing on a razor’s edge. From the explicitly sexual appeals of “GANGSTA LUV” and “THROWBACK” to the tough talk of “COMPLICADO” with Luar La L and BM, Wheeler eases into that thuggish loverman mode. Elsewhere, he updates 2023’s Emociones 1.5 highlight “PACTO” with a remix that adds heavy hitters Anuel AA and Bryant Myers to complement features by Dei V and Hades66. Later, he shifts gears considerably, providing an ever-stronger link with his previous records. Another English-language entry in his growing catalog, “WALK MY WAY” takes an overtly pop approach, a formula repeated on “JUMPING OUT THE WINDOW.” These softer tracks contrast in a good way with the harder cuts, not unlike what some of the best R&B singers in hip-hop spaces have done over the decades.