Travis Scott's journey in the music industry has been nothing short of a thrilling rollercoaster ride, filled with exhilarating highs, challenging lows, and unexpected twists. His electrifying concerts have left audiences in awe, bouncing with excitement, and always hungry for more. From his humble beginnings as an aspiring rapper in Houston to achieving global superstardom, Travis has captivated us with a cinematic narrative, where each album serves as a thrilling chapter, and every live performance delivers an immersive blockbuster experience.
His music defies categorisation, blending iconic drums with elements of trap and rock, creating a powerful symphony that resonates through massive stadiums and personal headphones alike. Yet, Travis is more than just a musician; he embodies a magnetic force of nature. Beyond the recording studio, he crafts mind-bending worlds that unfold in his music videos, live shows, and groundbreaking collaborations with fashion and streetwear giants.
As we commemorate Travis Scott's remarkable career, let's embark on a deep exploration of his concerts and discography, tracing the evolution of his distinctive sound and captivating visual aesthetics while delving into the compelling stories behind his music. With the highly anticipated release of "Utopia," now is the perfect time to celebrate the legacy of Travis Scott's legendary career.
Born Jacques Webster on April 30, 1992, Travis Scott grew up in Missouri City, a suburban area outside Houston, and attended Elkins High School. During this time, Scott would stay with his grandmother while his mother worked for Apple and his father ran his own business.
After attending the University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas at San Antonio, he dropped out during his sophomore year in San Antonio. Scott then secretly left for New York City to pursue music, using the money his parents gave him for books and food to buy plane tickets and studio time, often at Just Blaze's (one of hip-hop's best producers) studio. With no luck, he eventually moved to Los Angeles and continued releasing music while sleeping in a friend's dorm room at USC.
He became interested in music after watching late '90s rap videos from Mase and P. Diddy. He began making beats at the age of 17 and, along with his longtime friend Chris Holloway, released an EP on MySpace in 2009. In the following year, he formed a duo called The Classmates with OG Chess and released two full-length albums in 2011. Scott produced all of the songs himself.
However, the duo broke up later in 2011 due to personal differences and financial disputes. At that time, Travis Scott started to become known for his heavily Auto-Tuned half-sung/half-rapped vocal style.
After moving from Texas to Los Angeles, Scott began recording and releasing music with the help of his friend Mike Waxx, who owns the website Illroots. One of Scott's songs, "Lights (Love Sick)", caught the attention of T.I. while he was staying in Los Angeles. T.I. reached out to Scott and invited him to a studio, where T.I. freestyled a verse for Scott's song "Animal".
While working on his first solo project, "Owl Pharaoh", Scott also caught the interest of Kanye West. He managed to track down Kanye West's engineer, Anthony Kilhoffer, and super producer Mike Dean and sent them samples of his work. Kilhoffer, took notice of Scott's "Lovesick" video, leading to Kilhoffer managing Scott and introducing him to Kanye in 2012. This eventually led to a G.O.O.D. Music contract. Scott's networking prowess and determination resulted in three record deals between 2012 and 2013: Epic Records and G.O.O.D. Music in 2012, and T.I.'s Grand Hustle in 2013. The latter still publishes his music today.
While working with two rap superstars, Scott prepared his "Owl Pharaoh" EP in 2012. However, due to numerous issues, the mixtape was delayed until 2013. When it finally dropped, the hip-hop world took notice. This was not just another new rapper or Kanye West protege. Instead, it was the arrival of a fresh, daring force unafraid to push the genre's boundaries to new, exciting heights. The mixtape's dark southern hip-hop sounds provided a unique sonic blend, challenging what could be achieved within the confines of hip-hop and signposting the innovative direction that Scott's career would later take.
One year after the release of Owl Pharaoh, Scott took another audacious step with his second mixtape, Days Before Rodeo. This mixtape solidified Scott's reputation as a boundary-pushing artist and contributed to the buildup of his first proper studio album.
Promoted with the singles "Don't Play" and "Mamacita," the Days Before Rodeo mixtape was released in anticipation of Scott's studio album. In March 2015, Scott, along with Young Thug and Metro Boomin, headlined the U.S. Rodeo Tour, several of whose dates sold out. The same month, Rihanna's hit single "Bitch Better Have My Money," which Scott produced, was released.
Scott spent the remainder of the year and early 2015 performing live shows, releasing new songs, and featuring in other artists' works. His debut album, "Rodeo," was finally released in September 2015. It showcased a more polished, experimental side of his artistry, and it made waves in the broader hip-hop landscape, reaching No. 1 on Billboard's rap albums chart. The album presented eclectic beats, immaculate guest features with Justin Bieber, The Weeknd, or Kacy Hill, and Scott's unique blend of rap and melody, which he became increasingly comfortable with. The album took listeners on a sonic roller coaster ride.
The album's lead single, "Antidote," was a massive success, earning triple-platinum status and propelling Scott into mainstream consciousness. In the years following its release, Rodeo has become one of the best trap albums of all time.
There was much talk of a follow-up, along with numerous delays, throughout much of 2016. Meanwhile, Scott extended his commercial presence with featured spots on Wiz Khalifa's "Bake Sale," Rihanna's "Woo," and Kanye West's "FML," as well as a collaboration with Young Thug and Quavo called "Pick Up the Phone," a mid-year hit issued as the lead single of Young Thug's JEFFERY. Three months later, after "Bitch Better Have My Money" earned platinum certification, Scott's second proper album was released.
In mid-2016, Scott announced that his second and third albums would be titled ‘Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight’ and ‘AstroWorld’, respectively. He premiered ‘Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight’ on his third episode of .wav radio in September 2016, and subsequently released the album on iTunes and Apple Music. By September 11, 2016, the album had become Scott's number-one album on the US Billboard 200. The following day, he signed a deal with Universal Music Publishing Group.
‘Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight’, titled after one of Quavo's lines in "Pick Up the Phone," featured contributions from the likes of André 3000, Kid Cudi, and Kendrick Lamar. The woozy, mostly mid-tempo set went straight to the top of the Billboard 200.
Leading up to his third LP, Scott was featured on a slew of tracks, including platinum singles headlined by SZA ("Love Galore"), Drake ("Portland"), Miguel ("Sky Walker"), 2 Chainz ("4 AM"), and Trippie Redd ("Dark Knight Dummo"). During this time, Scott's own "Butterfly Effect" was released in May 2017 and promptly went platinum. Seven months later, ‘Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho,’ a collaborative full-length with Quavo, entered the Billboard 200 at number three. The following May, Scott released "Watch," a non-album track featuring Kanye West and Lil Uzi Vert, and within three months released ‘Astroworld,’ which he considered the true follow-up to ‘Rodeo’.
Travis Scott began dating Kylie Jenner in April 2017. In September of that year, rumors spread that Jenner was pregnant with their first child. In February 2018, the couple welcomed their daughter, Stormi. In September 2019, they ended their relationship. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, they quarantined together for the sake of their daughter and rekindled their relationship. In August 2021, they announced that they were expecting their second child. On February 2, 2022, the couple welcomed their son, Aire Webster. Unfortunately, the couple once again parted ways in 2023.
Scott's decision to establish Cactus Jack Records was a testament to his drive to have an influence beyond his own music. As a record executive, he has taken on a mentorship role, fostering new talent and shaping the genre's future stars.
This move has not only elevated his own standing in the industry, but also his potential to make a lasting impact on the careers of many young artists. The label's current acts include Scott, Sheck Wes, Don Toliver, SoFaygo, and WondaGurl.
In August 2018, Travis Scott released his third studio album, titled 'Astroworld.' The album received massive acclaim upon release and peaked at number 1 on the US Billboard 200. It was certified triple platinum by the RIAA and won the 'BET Hip Hop Award' for 'Album of the Year.'
Astroworld topped the Billboard 200 for the first two weeks of its release, and then returned to the top spot for a third week in December of the same year. Travis Scott scored his first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Sicko Mode" featuring Drake. The album was also nominated for Best Rap Album, Best Rap Performance, and Best Rap Song (for "Sicko Mode") at the Grammys.
Travis Scott recently held an unprecedented concert inside the popular video game "Fortnite." While his music is already popular, he's mostly known for his larger-than-life concerts. During the concert, as millions of fans watched live, an asteroid crashed into the ground, with a giant Scott emerging from the explosion to perform "Sicko Mode," his chart-topping single with Drake. Over the course of the 10-minute concert, Scott also led gamers underwater and into outer space. The concert was a visual marvel, with vibrant colors and a stunning barrage of graphics. It was also the perfect time to premiere "The Scotts," his new song with Kid Cudi that hit streaming services shortly after the concert. "Fortnite" saw a record turnout of 12.3 million attendees to its virtual concert, surpassing the prior record of 10.7 million for a virtual show featuring DJ and music producer Marshmello.
The tragic events that took place during Travis Scott's 2021 Astroworld Festival are still fresh in the minds of many music fans. Sadly, it will forever be remembered as one of the most heart-wrenching incidents in recent music history, and a defining moment in Travis Scott's career.
In November 2021, a crowd collapse occurred during the first night of the festival at NRG Park. The incident resulted in several injuries and the loss of at least ten lives. Video footage later revealed that Scott had done little to prevent the tragedy and kept the performance going despite the pleas of the crowd to stop.
As a result of his reckless behavior, Scott faced severe criticism, and he was sued for $1 million by Kristian Paredes, one of the victims of the incident.
At the Wireless Festival on July 8, Travis Scott told the crowd that listening to Utopia takes him back to his early days, specifically referencing his first studio album, Rodeo, and his first mixtape, Owl Pharaoh.
The footage in "Houston" shows a young Travis in choir practice while he talks about his dreams of creating expansive worlds beyond his hometown. "Miraval" features footage of Scott recording the album in France and discussing his return to making his own beats, a hallmark of his early work. The most exciting clip is "Malibu", which shows Scott in the lab with legendary producer Rick Rubin, actively working on a track. Rubin enthusiastically praises the beat, highlighting how far Scott has come since he observed Kanye and Rubin finish Yeezus in Malibu ten years ago.
Scott has been hyping up Utopia for years, stating in a February 2021 interview with i-D that he wants to create a "fucking new sound". He also says that being a father has influenced the way he makes music.
As part of his promotion strategy, Scott has been seen carrying an elegant leather briefcase with the word "Utopia" on the side. This has been an ingenious viral tactic to tease which of Scott's peers will be featured on the project. So far, artists such as SZA, Bad Bunny, and The Weeknd have posted photos with the briefcase.
Utopia was released today, and we are still listening.
Comments