Whilst I anxiously await the authorised release of Travi$' latest mixtape 'Days Before Birds' I find it incredibly easy to still enjoy his recently dropped album. 'Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight' is the kind of album you can listen to repeatedly for weeks while still enjoying the melodramatic tones of Travi$. He excels at sounding cool, it's what he does. We first heard hints of this with tracks he lent to Kanye and were treated to more in his 2014 project 'Days Before Rodeo'. Travi$ consistently serves us with albums and mixtapes that push the boundaries of the genres that we are unknowingly bored of.
'Rodeo' is reminiscent of a whirlwind duo of days, crammed full of experimental ideas and fruitfully transitioned tracks. 'Birds In The Trap' is joyfully filled with these contrasting moments. 'SDP', backed onto washed out vocals is transcendent in its eerie unorthodox vibe, similar to that of pre-mainstream Weeknd. Travi$ Is unique, whether this is down to his signing with both T.I and Kanye or merely a pre-requisite to his evolving path as a rapper is up for discussion.
Some will argue that Travi$ is the modern rapper symbolic of artificiality, we do not listen to these people. Mirroring successful traits of tracks is not the be confused with the highly employed ghost writing or song stealing methods of some artists of today. Granted, Swizz Beatz jumped on a 'Way Back', most likely due to direct influences from Kanye's 'Famous'. This is unsurprising to the point of expectation; Scott has named Kanye as not only a mentor but a father figure. Drake and a future are somewhat mimicked on 'Coordinate' and the most recognisable recycle comes in the form of unmodified Kid Cudi. Scott is notorious for being a hardcore Cudi stan and it is not only illustrative of a rapper paying homage to an idol, this particular feature significantly showcases Travi$' position within the game. He has the clout to have rappers such as Kid Cudi on his album. He has the audience to successfully release albums exclusively to Apple music, and he has the traction to debut on the Billboard 200 in spite of this.
If his relationship with Kanye is anything to go by, we can expect great things. Similar to Yeezus Travi$ has the eye for great culmination, bringing together oddly but surprisingly well matched individuals to create masterpieces. Rewinding to 'Rodeo' and we see Bieber, Future and Quavo, an A1 track list. So how is it that in just four years Travi$ Scott projects now hold the reputation for demanding excellence? The answer is clear, he is overtaking all others in the game, through the expertise of his master and through his careful but seemingly effortless culmination of excellence. This one is worth watching out for and his journey toward reaching rap god status will be legendary.
