His second album, Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight (2016), became his first number one album on the Billboard 200. His debut studio album, Rodeo (2015), was led by the hit single " Antidote". It was followed with a second mixtape, Days Before Rodeo, in August 2014. Scott's first full-length project, the mixtape Owl Pharaoh, was self-released in 2013. In April 2013, Scott signed a recording contract with T.I.'s Grand Hustle imprint. In November of the same year, Scott signed a publishing deal with Kanye West's GOOD Music, as part of its production wing Very GOOD Beats. In 2012, Scott signed his first major-label contract with Epic Records. His stage name is the namesake of a favorite uncle combined with the first name of one of his inspirations, Kid Cudi (whose real name is Scott Mescudi). Scott creates a new environment for all featured artists and brings out a new side in each of them, yet the rookie stands out in a project crowded with seasoned elites.Jacques Bermon Webster II (born April 30, 1991), known professionally as Travis Scott (formerly stylized as Travi$ Scott), is an American rapper and record producer. Kendrick comes in unexpectedly with flows from “Untitled Unmastered,” creating interesting textures.ĭespite Scott’s limited thematic content, “Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight” is a solid sophomore album. In “Goosebumps,” Scott sings and raps cockily over an ethereal dream-like instrumental, “Yeah, we gon’ do some things, some things you can’t relate / Yeah, ’cause we from a place, a place you cannot stay.” He creates and exudes superiority, asserting his place as an important figure in the hip-hop game. In “Birds,” Scott manifests dual musical ideas and switches between emotions seamlessly.
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The 14-track album is an emotional roller coaster, a step up from Scott’s unorganized freshman album “Rodeo,” full of too-long tracks with dramatic changes halfway through. This juxtaposition creates a dichotomy of conflicting emotion: You want to dance and simultaneously drown in your own misery - a staple of Scott’s sound. Forest, a poppy instrumental is juxtaposed with a heavy chorus including vocals by all three artists. With Scott’s opening bar being “Nightmares, high life, sleepy, night night,” drugs become the only recurring theme in “Birds.” Although he lacks any sort of overarching message in his music, Scott communicates his drug-addict persona as something he struggles with. Underground rapper Nav brings a generic rap sound to “Biebs in the Trap.” Fortunately, the catchy hook and Scott’s charisma pull out Nav’s half of the song from being a trap anthem, where Scott and Nav do not hold back from drug references.
It eventually grows into a metallic symphony with overdriven guitars and swelling violins.ĭespite their variety, each contributor on the album manages to hit a traditional triplet flow or auto-tune rap similar to the sound that Future pioneered. “Way Back” transitions from an uptempo track into a “808s & Heartbreaks”-sounding track.
Overall, each track on “Birds” blends seamlessly into the next due to smart executive production by Scott himself - a dark, detuned synth extends throughout. A smooth transition into “Way Back” follows. On first listen, you may not even recognize that André 3000 is rapping. In the first track “The Ends,” Scott abstains from his usual auto-tuned vocals in exchange for some solid rapping.
Scott is known for his delinquency and wild stage presence, and those mannerisms emerge out of the dark trap stew that he hosts in “Birds.” After the success of his debut album “Rodeo,” Travis Scott delivers grunge-trap and dark textures on his second studio album “Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight.” Heavily criticized as under-developed, the 24-year-old Scott establishes his place in the hip-hop scene with “Birds.” Despite appearances by big names like The Weeknd, Young Thug, Cassie, Kid Cudi, Swizz Beatz, Bryson Tiller, André 3000 and Kendrick Lamar, Scott maintains the spotlight on this album.