Travis Scott

28 Jul 2023

Travis Scott’s UTOPIA Sparks Album Of The Year Debate

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Travis Scott Performs At E11EVEN

UTOPIA, the latest studio album from Travis Scott, dropped Friday (July 28) and the early discussions online around the album were naturally centered on a particular feature. However, others are claiming that the Texas rapper has the best album to release in 2023, sparking a spirited online debate.

UTOPIA is getting a lot of burn on its first day of release due to the appearance of past collaborator Drake on the track “MELTDOWN” and the jabs made toward Pusha T and Pharrell Williams, although they weren’t mentioned by name.

Aside from Drake, UTOPIA has features from Beyoncé, Bon Iver, SZA, Young Thug, Playboi Carti, Future, 21 Savage, and more. Scott also lends his production to a bulk of the project working with the likes of Mike Dean, Hit-Boy, The Alchemist, Metro Boomin, WondaGurl, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, James Blake, and more.

In our initial listen, the album borrows from some of the epic moments found on Scott’s previous studio album ASTROWORLD yet moves into the worlds of dance and electronic music without losing any of his usual punch.

It is too early for UTOPIA to claim the lofty title some are bestowing upon it, especially as some other heavy hitters are due to release albums this year including Drake.

For now, the chatter around the album is high as expected and we’ve got the reactions listed out below.

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Photo: Alexander Tamargo / Getty

28 Jul 2023

Drake Shoots At Pusha T & Pharrell On Travis Scott’s “MELTDOWN”

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Lil Baby & Friends Birthday Celebration Concert

Drake and Pusha T‘s feud might not have the spotlight it once did but it appears to be far from over. The Canadian superstar took a light shot at King Push and Pharrell on Travis Scott’s new album UTOPIA, and fans have their thoughts per usual.

Travis Scott dropped UTOPIA on Friday (July 28) and so far the early returns on the album say that Cactus Jack has another one in the can. Among several standout features that include the likes of Beyoncé, 21 Savage, Future, SZA, Young Thug, Playboy Carti, and more, Drake is also part of that star-studded list. Drizzy shows up on the track “MELTDOWN” and the last few bars of his feature had the aforementioned targets.

From “MELTDOWN”:

My schedule is out, come spin us, for real
Man, f*ck all that spinnin’ the narrative sh*t
I melt down the chains that I bought from yo’ boss
Give a f*ck about all of that heritage sh*t
Since V not around, the members done hung up the Louis, they not even wearing that sh*t
Don’t come to the boy ’bout repairing some sh*t
Don’t come to the boy about sparing some sh*t
You lucky that Vogue was suing, ’cause I would’ve been with the Wassas in Paris and sh*t

As it stands, Drake is alerting his opposition that he’s on his “It’s All A Blur” tour and inviting the smoke in the first line of the lyrics quoted above. On Twitter and Genius alike, fans are noting that the “melt down the chains” line is directed towards Pharrell, who reportedly designed a series of chains the rapper wore in the “Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin” video from Her Loss, his collaborative album with 21 Savage.

The lyric that begins with “Since V not around” is a clear nod to the late Virgil Abloh, who was the artistic director of Louis Vuitton’s menswear line, a role Pharrell now occupies.

On X (formerly known as Twitter), Drake, Pusha T, and Pharrell’s names are trending. We’ve got the best reactions below.

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Photo: Getty

26 Jul 2023

Egyptian Authorities Shut Down Travis Scott’s Planned Concert At The Pyramids of Giza

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2023 Rolling Loud Miami

Source: Jason Koerner / Getty

Travis Scott might be one of the biggest artists in the music game today, but unfortunately his fame isn’t enough to help him book a concert venue on sacred ground in Egypt.

After Roc Nation seemingly confirmed that Travis Scott would be heading down to Egypt to perform at the Pyramids of Giza for his upcoming Utopia album event, Egyptian authorities put the kibosh on the festivities and informed Scott and his peoples that their planned concert was a no-go. According to the Egypt Independent, the concert was canceled due to “strange rituals” performed by the “Highest In The Room” rapper’s at his other concerts which they felt was “inconsistent” with their own Egyptian values.

Looks like those demonic conspiracy theories that were levied against Travis Scott a few years back for the Astroworld tragedy is still a thing. Let the conspiracy theories once again roll.

Egypt Independent reports:

The company authorized to organize US rapper Travis Scott’s concert, Ticketsmarche, said that the size of the initial losses of canceling the concert amounts to approximately LE 300 million directly.

The company’s managing director and CEO Mohamed Serag added that he isn’t sure Scott’s concert could still be held while there is only five days before its scheduled date, as the equipment and the foreign team accompanying Scott – who are already in Egypt – were not allowed to enter the pyramids area.

He said that the preparations were supposed to start on July 20, and at the time, no one had informed him of the cancellation.

Serag added that until now it is still not possible to obtain a permit to enter the pyramids area.cThough they’re not letting Scott rock for now, they do remain “hopeful” that the Houston artist will eventually be able to perform at the Pyramids and broadcast the show live to 200 million people, which would obviously help promote tourism for Egypt and it’s pyramids area.

When that might happen is anyone’s guess, but as long as those pesky conspiracy theories continue to float around, it might be hard for Travis Scott to book any venues with historical and cultural meaning to them. Just sayin.’

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18 Jul 2023

Travis Scott Will Not Perform At Giza Pyramids, Music Union Is Responsible For Cancellation

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Travis Scott was slated to debut his latest studio album Utopia via a livestream event at the Giza Pyramids in Egypt near the end of the month. However, the event was called off after a music union in the African nation determined that the image Travis Scott presents doesn’t line up with tradition.

As seen in Egypt Today, Egypt’s Musicians Syndicate issued a statement on Tuesday (July 18) by way of Dr. Mohamed Abdullah, which highlights that the union observed imagery they found disturbing in their research of Scott.

From Egypt’s Musicians Syndicate:

Regarding the concert scheduled to be held on 28th July at the Pyramids area in Giza by American rapper Travis Scott, the Musicians Syndicate, as the entity responsible for issuing licenses for music and singing concerts in Egypt, in coordination with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture represented by the Censorship Authority for Artistic Works and the Ministry of Labor, emphasizes the necessity of considering security aspects and obtaining approvals from the relevant authorities as a top priority when organizing concerts. This is to ensure the safety and protection of the audience.

While the Musicians Syndicate has welcomed various art forms and concerts in recent months, it has set conditions and regulations to safeguard the customs and traditions inherited by the Egyptian people.

As the Musicians Syndicate is part of the fabric of our beloved country, it works towards its stability and security and rejects any tampering with the societal values, customs, and traditions of Egypt and the Arab world. After examining social media opinions and feedback, as well as the news circulating on search engines and social media platforms, which included authenticated images and information about peculiar rituals performed by the star during his performance, contradicting our authentic societal values and traditions, the Syndicate’s president and board of directors have decided to cancel the license issued for hosting this type of concert, which goes against the cultural identity of the Egyptian people.

What isn’t known are what rituals the syndicate observed but there were earlier reports of pushback against hosting Travis Scott at the pyramids due to the Astroworld tragedy.

A scan of Scott’s social media pages does not indicate a response to the move.

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Photo: Mondadori Portfolio / Getty

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03 Jul 2023

Travis Scott Blesses Fan With His Own Personal Pair Of Air Jordan 1 Low’s

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Source: Mondadori Portfolio / Getty

Getting a pair of Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 sneakers is no easy feat, but luckily one fan at a Travis Scott was able to take home a pair of the coveted grails and he actually got the pair from the “Highest In The Room” rapper himself!

Over the weekend social media was abuzz with a post that showcased the moment that Travis Scott took his own pair of “Cactus Jack” Air Jordan 1 Low “Olive”‘s off his feet and gave it to a fan in the front row of his show. According to TMZ the moment went down during Travis’ set at the Rolling Loud show in the Netherlands. After one very intense fan caught his eye, Travis and said fan began rapping along to his song and it was enough to inspire Travis to give the fan a parting gift.

TMZ reports:

The reason … this fella was rapping TS’s own lyrics right back to him, seemingly perfectly and just as animated as Travis too — almost like they were mirroring each other, really.Watch what happens next … Trav appears to be impressed by the fact that the fan was able to keep up, so he rewards him on the spot. He literally yanks his shirt off — an unreleased “Utopia” tee, it seems — and hands it to the kid … and ditto for the shoes off his feet.
We can’t even hate as that man knew Travis’ song word-for-word. He deserved them kicks. Whether or not he actually wears them or just puts them in some display case is on him, but regardless we know that’s a moment he’ll remember for the rest of his life.Afterwards the lucky guy posted pics of the kicks and shirt he copped at the show.

We’re just glad he made it out that place in one piece.

Check out the clip of the moment everything went down below and remember to be ready to recite Travis Scott’s lyrics at his show going forward. Might go home with a pair of grails.

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25 May 2023

Travis Scott Talks Life After Music, His Influence, & More With ‘PIN-UP’

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Travis Scott is one of the most interesting musical acts to emerge in years and his body of work captures not only his creativity but also his sense of style. In a new interview, the Houston star discusses his career goals after music, his influence on the culture, and much more.

Travis Scott, 32, sat down with PIN-UP magazine, a publication that covers architecture and design. In the piece, Scott discusses a number of design principles using the alphabet. In the images, Scott renders his body to the corresponding letter and offers an insightful blurb under each post.

From PIN-UP:

ARCHITECTURE

Architecture is my true passion. I plan to apply to the architecture program at Harvard GSD when I’m done with music, which won’t be for a while. It would be dope to do both at the same time.

Further in the piece, Scott riffed on what it means to be an influential figure and the responsibility that comes with it.

“Making an impact is fun. But sometimes people also flip the question on you in weird ways. There are people who don’t understand why you’re influential, and it can become an issue. The person who had the greatest impact on me and my taste level was Virgil. He was a true inspiration,” Scott shared.

More of these gems are sprinkled through the piece, which certainly drums up anticipation for his upcoming album, Utopia. It will be the fourth studio album for Travis Scott, following 2018’s acclaimed Astroworld album.

[h/t PIN-UP]

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Photo: Getty

19 May 2023

Travis Scott’s Security Is Handcuffed To A Briefcase Containing His New Album

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Travis Scott - Astroworld Festival 2019

Source: Kevin Rawls / Radio One Digital

Travis Scott is not taking any chances with his new project. His security guard has been spotted handcuffed to a briefcase containing his new album.

As per on HipHopDX the Houston, Texas rapper has been in the studio working on his new LP. On Thursday, May 18 TMZ spotted him leaving a vinyl record store in Hollywood, California. While walking to his car he is seen being protected by an unidentified man bearing a fair resemblance to wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin. The man’s wrist was noticeably handcuffed to a brown leather briefcase bearing the name of Cactus Jack’s upcoming album Utopia.

While it is uncertain if the security detail is really responsible for safekeeping of the album, Travis Scott was also wearing some never seen before Nike’s also featuring Utopia branding. Thus, many music insiders claim this is all a clever ploy to tease his forthcoming fourth album. Back in February Epic Records CEO Sylvia Rhone was interviewed by Billboard Magazine and revealed that Travis Scott’s new album is indeed slotted for a June 2023 release. Additionally, producer Mike Dean recently shared a screenshot of a mixing session for the album. He later removed the photo from his social handles.

Travis Scott fans have been waiting for new music for close to four years. La Flame’s last album Astroworld was released on August 3, 2018. This effort spawned multiple hit songs including “Butterfly Effect”, “SICKO MODE”, and “Star Gazing”. It has since sold over three million units.

Photo: Kevin Rawls

14 Apr 2023

Travis Scott And A$AP Rocky To Headline Rolling Loud Miami 2023

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Travis Scott - Astroworld Festival 2019

Source: Kevin Rawls / Radio One Digital

One of the most popular concerts is back in a big way. Travis Scott And A$AP Rocky will be headlining Rolling Loud Miami 2023.

This week the entertainment entity unveiled the line up for this year’s edition. Taking place at the Hard Rock Stadium the festival will be scheduled throughout three days this summer. Slotted to close each night are Playboi Cart (Friday, July 21), Travis Scott (Saturday, July 22) and A$AP Rocky (Sunday, July 23). Concert goers can also expect performance from other top talents including Lil Uzi Vert, 21 Savage, Kodak Black, Lil Yachty, Trippie Redd, City Girls, Don Toliver, Ice Spice, Coi Leray, Central Cee, GloRilla, Rae Sremmurd and Freddie Gibbs, and promising prospects like Destroy Lonely, Lola Brooke, Babytron, redveil, Luh Tyler, Bktherula, and many more.

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This installment has a noticeable point of difference as this is the first year that the concert series will feature talent outside of the Hip-Hop genre. Among these artists are UK phenom PinkPantheress, R&B superstar Bryson Tiller, hardcore punk heavy-hitters Turnstile, genre-bending songstress Foushée, and Spanish language rapper YOVNGCHIMI.

Tickets for Rolling Loud Miami 2023 go on sale Friday, April 14 at 10AM EST. You can shop passes here. 

Photo: Kevin Rawls

03 Apr 2023

Travis Scott Reportedly Settles Dispute In Nightclub Assault Case

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Travis Scott - Astroworld Festival 2019

Source: Kevin Rawls / Radio One Digital

Travis Scott has one less problem to worry about. The Texas rapper has settled his recent case where he apparently raised hell at a nightclub.

As spotted on TMZ the Houston, Texas native has cashed out on a looming legal issue. The celebrity gossip outlet reports that last week he settled his dispute with the staff at Nebula in New York City. Back on March 1 he and his crew were performing a surprise set at the hot spot but were not doing the best job with the audio. Their resident engineer says he went to the rapper and suggested he lower the volume so the sound could be better heard during the performance.

The man, who will only identify himself as Mark, spoke to FOX 5 and gave his side on what occurred. “I was trying to tell him to lower it so it sounded good for the performance,” he explained. “But he just stuck his middle finger in my face, so I lowered the monitor a little bit so I could talk to him, and that’s when he ran around the speaker and attacked me.” He went on to say that the volume was so high “it was distorting the sound system.”

TMZ claims a source with “direct knowledge” of the situation says that Cactus Jack has settled the issue with the venue and “Mr. Mark”. It is unclear how much he had to pay but it should be noted that he also damaged some audio equipment which is estimated to be worth at least $12,000.00. The New York Police Department has confirmed this is still an open case but did admit that the victim has stopped cooperating.

Travis Scott has not commented on the matter.

Photo: Kevin Rawls

22 Mar 2023

L’s On Deck: The Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 “Olive” Set To Drop In April

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Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1

Source: Nike / Sneaker News

Once again it’s on!

It’s that time of the year for sneakerheads when they get amped up for a limited edition Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 that will end up getting backdoored, botted and bootlegged like there’s no tomorrow. For months rumors have been swirling that the “Olive” colorway to the Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low would be dropping sometime this year. Now, Sneakernews is reporting that the coveted colorway of the backward-swoosh silhouette will be hitting the streets next month.

Official images of the next pair of grails hit the internet yesterday, and these joints are a beaut. Many sneaker aficionados will surely try to add to their collection. (Good luck.) While the colorway alone is enough to have hypebeasts drooling, the devil truly lies in the details.

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Much to the liking of the hip-hop multi-hyphenate, the silhouette boasts its typical assortment of premium embellishments, dipping its tumbled leather overlays in “Sail” while sitting atop contrasting charcoal-treated suedes. In keeping with his already expansive collaborative catalog, Cactus Jack motifs litter the insoles and upper tongue while pairing with the Jumpman logo on the heel in a vibrant swatch of red. Color matching the latter within the tongue tabs branding, “Olive” tinted Swooshes coordinate with the tread underfoot for a tasteful accent while the aged aesthetic applied to the midsole ties up the fifth AJ 1 Low collaboration to hit retail.

Needless to say, these will be releasing via raffle (i.e. L’s for any and everyone that doesn’t have a plug or isn’t a bot). If history has taught us anything, quantities will be limited to around 100,000 pairs (if that). That may sound like a lot but given that there’s tens of millions of sneakerheads around the world, that’s like a grain of sand in the desert as far as we’re concerned.

Also one would have to take into account that these are rumored to be the very last Travis Scott Air Jordan 1’s that will be releasing. Scott will be focusing on making the Air Jordan 3’s and 7’s his next hit remixes. That’s just going to make these 1’s that much hotter of a commodity out in these streets.

The Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 “Olive” is set to release April 26 in women and kids sizes. Will you be trying to land a pair? We know we will. Sound off in the comments section below.