Rodeo: A Look Back Into The Greatest Trap Record Ever Made And A Love Letter To Psychedelic Music

Aug 5, 2024

14 min read

Nine light years away, just outside of the Kepler solar system

We find ourselves consumed and utterly mesmerized

With a story of a young rebel against the system

Refusing to conform or comply to the ways of authority

He chose the mood of "Fuck this shit"

Hip Hop has been around for 50 years and has continued to be the top most important genres in music history. I wouldn't even consider it a genre at this point and would classify it as a culture that has taken over the world. Starting from the streets of the Bronx in New York City, it has continued to evolve thanks to pioneers such as DJ Kool Herc, Afrika Bambaataa, Grand Master Flash, and Eric B. & Rakim just to name few. Hip Hop also carries 6 elements that make the culture what it is:

DJing—the artistic handling of beats and music
MCing, aka rapping—putting spoken-word poetry to a beat
Breaking—hip hop’s dance form
Writing—the painting of highly stylized graffiti
Theater and literature—combining hip hop elements and themes in drama, poetry, and stories
Knowledge of self—the moral, social, and spiritual principles that inform and inspire hip hop ways of being.

I consider the background of Hip Hop culture to be crucial to the overarching conversation about this album. We are familiar with the "Golden Era" of Hip Hop back in the 90s also known as "Boom Bap" because of the simple booming drums that were prominent in the genre.

fast forward 39 years in 2015 and we see how Hip Hop has evolved overtime. The first thing we notice is that there are 50+ different sub genres of Hip Hop not including the countless amount of fusion genres starting from Alternative Hip Hop to Rap Metal. Of course some sub genres are more successful then others but you get how expansive Hip-Hop truly is. However, one sub genre withstood the test of time and is still the most popular out of the Hip Hop landscape. Trap would be heavily ingrained in not only Hip Hop but arguable all of music as a whole because of how addictive it was. More specifically the mid 2010s being a cultural flip for trap music with artists like Future releasing "DS2" being the most celebrated trap album in Hip Hop and is often considered to be the golden standard for trap music culture.

I now guide you to the leading conversation of this piece by talking about a sub genre that was born from another sub genre (Sub Genreception). Psych Trap has birthed some of the greatest albums the Hip Hop community has ever heard because of its spacey and addictive aesthetic. Rappers like A$AP Rocky, Future, Isaiah Rashad, Childish Gambino are all examples of what Psychedelic Trap was and still is. However, there was one rapper that stood out from the rest when it came to how they sounded sonically and aesthetically.

Travis Scott (Jacques Bermon Webster ll) was born in Houston, Texas on April 30th, 1991 and helms the rags to riches archetype when it came to living with his grandmother in a troubled area filled with drug addicts and a street littered with crime. He had to get out of the situation he was in and to change the cards he has been dealt in his early life. He then decided to move to Missouri City where his parents lived. Him and his school mate OG Chess formed a duo by the name of The Graduates and proceeded to drop two projects in 2009 and 2010 before disbanding in 2012. Things led to another when he got kicked out of his parents house and was forced to sleep on the couch at a friends place. While living in his friends house, producing beats would be the one thing he enjoyed which lead to Rapper T.I. hearing one of Scotts productions titled "Lights (Love Sick)" and its safe to say that the rest is history.

Travis went ahead and released his debut mixtape "Owl Pharaoh" which had massive backing by Kanye West and Mike Dean. The mixtape was incredibly successful garnering a massive fan base, songs like Upper Echelon and Quintana not only solidified the impact he made on the industry but are pretty important trap songs within there own right. After the success of Owl Pharaoh, he then released his second mixtape "Days Before Rodeo" which would be the precursor to Rodeo. This mixtape is highly regarded in Travis' discography as his best early projects because of how much Travis builds on the psychedelic aspect of his artistry. Songs like Drugs You Should Try and Skyfall lean heavily into the drug psychosis his music invokes with his use of auto tune and spacey production.

All this background information is crucial to the lead up of Rodeo because of how intentional Travis was prior to the release of his debut album in terms of building anticipation. Every artist takes there debut album with the utmost care because it is the album that will either make them a super star or another forgotten artist. A lot of pressure was on Travis and relied on this album to prove himself that he belongs in the culture and goddamn did he deliver.

This album clocks in at 1 hour and 15 minutes in runtime which is longer then his previous mixtapes which is a bold thing to do in my opinion. At first glance its hard to stomach an album that is 1 hour and 15 minutes but you know Travis put in maximum effort for this album to come out this perfect.

Production/History:

Production should be the key aspect when discussing Psychedelic Trap. The word "Psychedelic" is relating to or denoting new or altered perceptions or sensory experiences. We have heard this type of sensory experience before with other genres of music like Psychedelic Rock associated with most famously Tame Impala. Who funnily enough Collaborated with Travis Scott on later projects like Astroworld. The psych aesthetic isn't just held down by Hip Hop but is also spread across all of music. You may be asking... "How do you describe the Psych Aesthetic?" and to that I answer, its more then just an aesthetic. I wouldn't even call it an aesthetic but more of a movement because in the 1960s many people and artists alike were experiencing a cultural shift that involved many individuals indulging in psychedelic hallucinogens like Marijuana and LSD. Lets take a song like "The Wind Cries Mary" by Jimi Hendrix, the guitars are lush and soft, playing along a slow tempo accompanied with Jimis vocal performance floating through out the song. We of course cant forget the bass line that is present in the song to further give the feeling of euphoria. That's essentially the key to Psychedelic music, its the feeling of euphoria.

Now lets look at a song from Rodeo that provides a sense of the psychedelic effect that is so prominent is Travis' music. There are 16 songs on this album and its difficult to find a specific example of the sound I'm describing, but if i had to choose a song I would pick is "Never Catch Me". You get the lush reverbed guitar, the bass line, the background synths, and Travis' amazing vocal performance on this track making you feel like your levitating for almost 3 minutes. Another song that sticks out in terms of production is "3500" which is a hard hitting trap banger that has Travis performing the the chorus with such grace and gravitas making you wonder how he even comes up with a performance like this. While the album is considered to be in the trap sub genre of Hip Hop, there are elements that challenge and experiment with the idea of what trap sounds like.

The second half of 90210 doesn't even feature the rapid Hi Hat and hard hitting bass that trap music is known for. Travis is famously known for being inspired by Kanye West which is evident on the second part of 90210 sampling Kanyes Family Business from The College Dropout. You can also hear the influence when Travis uses heavy vocal distortions that are sprinkled through out the album just like Kanye. According to Genius, Travis described the overall sound behind 90210 as trying to capture: the vibe from when I travel from Texas to L.A…this song is kinda like the vibe, it’s not aggressive, but it’s kinda like the drug.

Overall the album captures the feeling of being in a drug psychosis floating around your bedroom with no care in the world, mixing different emotions as you listen to the album. However, Travis isn't afraid of blending multiple genres at once to diversify the listening experience you get from him. The track "Piss On Your Grave" is the more rock oriented song Travis has made and really shows how unique and versatile Travis is respectfully. Producer Charlie Heat commented on the song saying "This one's definitely one of my best. It was like me and Noah Goldstein's pride and joy. It was originally for Ye, but I'm glad he gave it to Travis. Noah's my boy, he really schooled me on a lot of stuff when I was coming up, so this was a cool moment for us. We were pulling from classic 70's rock, that's why you got the guitars in there and those nasty distortions. Noah's a beast with that."

Travis described the feeling of making Piss On Your Grave as being pissed off with others mistreatment towards him and other people. The song is a rebellious anthem against the corrupt business executives that abuse there authoritarian position. Think of it as a song that is against the powers that be. Anti-Authoritarianism in Hip Hop and music has always been present in music because of the exhaustive state artists are in due to shady business practices. Not only does it affect the music industry but also affects the average worker that is trying to get by just for some shitty boss to tell you what to do and how to do it. Its also the result of unfair treatment minorities receive from governed positions like police officers and politicians.

Ive always loved how Wasted sounded with the sample of the 1970 track Let Your Life Be Free and is honestly the more addicting song off the album. It also features a vocal sample from Pimp C's Havin' Thangs '06 paying homage to the south where Travis grew up. The sample is a very nice tough a shows the love Travis has from his place of origin.

Features:

Almost every album has features... that is a proven fact, not much journalism goes into that. However, its important to know how the main artist utilizes there guest features on there songs. You can let the guest feature do there own thing in there own way in theory, but we must recognize that the album is a movie and the main artist is the director and the artist must direct certain aspects of the song but also not change too much of the features style. I will say I don't think Travis was doing much directing because the features that are present in the album know exactly what to do. Quavo on Oh My Dis Side for example flows through the entire beat effortlessly and its all thanks to how he flows with his rhymes which is what makes him a very notable rapper. Travis treats Quavo almost like an instrument (in a good way) to further add a layer the song.

My favorite feature in this entire album is legendary rapper Chief Keef who gives an incredible performance and maybe the feature that wipes all other features on this album. Ive always been a fan of when rappers rap about food in a braggadocio or clever way.

Big Puns feature on Banned From TV:

Champagne on the rocks, sporting a Fort Knox Lazarus

Shark salad with carrots, pork chops and applesauce

A Tribe Called Quest on Han 'N' Eggs:

Asparagus tips look yummy, yummy, yummy

Candied yams inside my tummy

A collage of good eats, some snacks or nice treats

Apple sauce and some nice red beets

This is what we snack on when we're questin'

Keefs verse is no different and while its short it is sweet with him saying

I just ordered me some brunch (Ayy)

Korean spicy garlic (Ayy)

Bitch, I come from eating McDonald's (Uh-huh)

I ain't chicken, Killer Caesar with the chopper (Bang-bang)

Ill admit it's not as crazy as Big Pun or drake lyrically but when it comes to delivery Chief Keef really shines. Especially when he says "I walked up in the gun store", its very addicting and perfectly represents Chief Keefs melody chops and talented vocal performances.

Justin Bieber also surprisingly has a great performance in the track Maria Im Drunk and really shows a side of Justin we are not used to seeing at the time. Justin at the time was having a career shift making more mature music with his album Purpose selling 649,000 units in its first week and also peaking at number 1 on the US Billboard 200. 2015 was a massive year for Justin so it only made sense for Travis to collaborate with him and the results were pretty surprising to say the least. The subject in which Justin is singing about is a bit taboo for him and probably not many of his fans are familiar with it. I remember people hating on his feature because it was popular to hate him at the time but he genuinely gave such a good performance and its always stuck with me nearly 10 years later. Justin actually reached out to Travis for a collaboration on this song while Justin was vacationing in Hawaii. The track did get leaked prior to its release only revealing Travis and Young Thug to be the only ones on the song. The song also took 4 years for it to be finally released being delayed multiple times for unknown reasons. Travis stated in a tweet "Maria I’m drunk can finally be streamed. It's been a legit 4 years don't ask me what took so long !!! I’m just happy I can listen to it."

Another feature that is short but important to mention is Kacy Hills performance in 90210. Its one of the most beautiful vocal performances i have ever heard in music and I cant stress that enough. Kacy Hill actually commented about the making of the song saying "I got invited to the house they were recording at through my A&R and I was just chilling for a while. I didn’t think I was gonna write but then Travis wanted a song he wanted a hook on so I just recorded some stuff upstairs. I didn’t think anything of it. I had such a headache so I just wanted to put something down and go to sleep. It turned out to be on the album. Sometimes things just happen to work!" she told Hypebeast. She is still making music to this day and has actually released her fourth studio album titled "BUG" if you want to indulge into her work more deeply.

Messaging/Theme:

The messaging and theme of this album is different from what the album sounds like. Instead of explaining what the album sounds like with the theme of going through a drug trip, I'm rather explaining the overall message and story Travis is conveying in this album. Travis has described the album as the inner beast within a child going ape shit when the opportunity arises but also delves deep into the consequences of addiction with sex, drugs, and the lifestyle of having fame. 90210 has Travis walking down Beverly Hills until he stumbles upon a beautiful sex worker in the alley. After having sex with her he goes on a rampant drug fueled rage looking for the girl again to obtain the same feeling he felt the first time. The second half of the song shows travis rapping in the first person perspective talking about how far he has came despite his parents discouragement of him making music and witnessing fake friends coming around after the fame. its a reflection on his life and his appreciation for music and the people who have fueled his career like Kanye West.

The track Pray 4 Love is a deep dive into Travis' conflict with his fame and popularity he possesses, presenting certain vices like drugs, sex, and alcohol. While he does appreciate the opportunity that has been gifted to him, he often indulges in unfavorable acts that could possibly change his character for the worse. Its the concern of turning into something he is not but it is hard to avoid temptation that offers easy access to pleasure and joy.

I feel its important to explain the intro and outro to the album that has Travis giving us almost a catharsis. You noticed I put the intro of the album at the beginning of this piece in order to set the tone for the rest of this piece. The young rebel in question is Travis and he refuses to abide by the common rule that has been bestowed upon the regular man in order to follow what truly matters within his life. he wants to lead a generation of lost souls and while not many may not make it to where he is going, wherever they will end up will be far better then being stuck in the same place. This isn't Travis telling us he wants to be a leader of a generation but more so a guide for the youth to determine where they truly want to go in life instead of what the world thinks is best for them. This intro alone has most likely inspired so many young adults to pursue there dreams and aspirations as opposed to what there parents want them to do. Obviously other artists have spread the message of doing your own thing like Tyler, The Creator being a big advocate for working a job you actually enjoy doing instead of what is financially safe or favorable to your parents. The many reasons why I am becoming a journalist in order to educate and spread positivity to those that are mentally thirsty for the culture.

Conclusion/Aftermath:

I know I drove home the idea that this album is inspired heavily from the Psychedelic aspect of music and Hip Hop which it definitely still is. However, the album blends a lot of unique perspectives that are outside the Trap aspect of Hip Hop, leaning towards a nuance and contemporary sound that we aren't otherwise used to with other Trap albums. It still has the sound we are familiar with but flips it on its head giving a one of a kind experience within its respective genre. The album is a constant reminder of what taking risks can achieve in someones career. just like how they casted Heath Ledger as The Joker, everyone hated the decision, but now its considered not only the best live action portrayal of the character but the best acting performance we have ever seen in cinema.

This album opened up countless opportunities for him that have led to meeting his idols growing up and also collaborating with industry titans like Rihanna. We mustn't forget his insane marketability working with companies like Nike to secure a sneaker deal back in 2017 with the release of the Travis Scott x Nike Air Force 1 Low. But it wasn't until in 2019 Nike and Travis would release the iconic brown Air Jordan 1 that featured the famous backwards swoosh on the side of the shoe. This shoe not only grabbed the attention of the sneaker community but also grabbed the attention of EVERYONE being the most sought after sneaker Nike has released in a while. The shoe to this day is at a resale price of $1,400, that's if you didn't get a fake pair. His collaboration with Nike is still on going to this day with a brand new pair coming out in spring of 2025 named Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low OG "Medium Olive" according to Nice Kicks

He has also worked with McDonald's releasing an exclusive meal named "The Travis Scott Meal" which was just a quarter pounder with bacon, medium fries, and a sprite with extra ice but goddamn it did it work. According to New York Post "Demand for the Travis Scott meal gave a major boost to McDonald's quarterly sales. The fast-food giant said Thursday its comparable sales in the US rose 4.6 percent in the third quarter — sharply reversing the 8.7 percent decline they had suffered in the second quarter due to the coronavirus."

Here are other collaborations he has been involved in:

Dior

Reese's Puff

PlayStation

Fortnite

SB Dunks

Byredo

Helmut Lang

Bape

Virgil Abloh

Saint Laurent

Houston Rockets

Hot Wheels

Nerf

KAWS

A24

Netflix

(These are just the popular collaborations, there are many more)

We also cant ignore the live experience he has given to the fans around the world. Just recently his Circus Maximus Tour has been one of the most impressive displays of a live music performance we have seen from a rapper. Billboard said "The North American leg of the Circus Maximus World Tour has proved equally impressive, grossing $95.7 million across 44 dates with a total attendance of 686,000 and making it the highest-grossing rap tour of 2024." Travis Scott performed in front of 80,000 people in Milan City and the only words I can describe this as is... Holy Shit.

To wrap this up Travis has made a name for himself in music and pop culture because of his marketable reach and music reach spreading across the entire globe. Travis has been the most influential artist of the new generation and has so many young souls screaming "fuck this shit!" and pursue what they want to do with there lives. There is no sign of Travis stopping his popularity streak anytime soon and we all cant wait what he does next.