In August 2018 Jacques Webster II, better known as Travis Scott, dropped Astroworld. The album propelled the Texas rapper into the upper echelons of music recognition, received positively among fans and critics alike. However, beyond the likes of ‘Antidote’ and ‘Sicko Mode’, Travis Scott has a discography that goes deeper than just trap bangers. This is a crash course on the works of Travis Scott.
Between 2013 and 2014, Travis dropped his first two mixtapes; Owl Pharaoh and Days Before Rodeo. Owl Pharaoh was a primitive sounding Scott but the album laid the foundations for his style going forward. A year later Days Before Rodeo was dropped as a build up to his first studio album Rodeo. It contained similar angsty and aggressive themes as his first tape, but Travis zoned in on a psychedelic element of music that would separate him from the pack.
There is a huge Kid Cudi and Kanye West influence on the two tapes, as Travis was working closely with Kanye prior to the tapes and cited Cudi as an inspiration in his music. If you’re interested in where Travis Scott curated his unique sound from, these two mixtapes are essential listening.
In 2015, Travis released his debut album Rodeo. Travis had polished off his sound from earlier years and Rodeo displays a natural progression from his previous two releases. With an array of star-studded features and a trippy storyline, it delivered what is often described as the quintessential trap album. It also brought us Travis’ first major hit single ‘Antidote’. Going forward, the impact of this song would be crucial.
Travis rocketed upward and kept the fans on their toes with the release of Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight in 2016. The album may not have the ground-breaking impact that Rodeo did, but it is packed with hits such as ‘Sweet Sweet’, ‘Pick Up The Phone’, and the most prolific track ‘Goosebumps’.
After a surprise collaboration album in late 2017 with Quavo on Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho serving as a mediator between Birds and Astroworld, Travis dropped his magnum opus in August 2018. Astroworld was an amalgamation of everything Travis stood for both personally and musically. It is a sonic rollercoaster ride through Travis’ childhood and rise to the top – the album is his most complete work to date. Travis has kept future releases under wraps, but his latest single ‘Highest In The Room’ may be a tease for what’s to come.
Luke Murphy – Music Writer
