Since his 2013 debut tape Owl Pharoah, authenticity has proved to be a polarizing issue for 23-year-old Houston native Travis Scott. Every track seems to beg the same question: Is Travis Scott on the forefront of the blatantly aggressive maximalist movement in hip-hop (think: Jazz Cartier, Yeezus) or is he simply a puppet for a few producers and audio engineers to refine and radioize a pre-existing sound? While the latter seems to be more realistic given the extensive amount of assistance he has at his fingertips (curtesy of T.I. and Mr. West), the both are true and represented in Rodeo: a pop-inflected radio push of the hostile, in-your-face sound that’s taking over mainstream hip-hop.
On the record, Travis extends a firm welcome to the 65-minute deranged spectacle that is Rodeo. Each track is a glimpse into the fantastical purgatory he thrives in, a world marked by a consistent marijuana high and MDMA comedown haze, strippers dressed in BDSM black leather and ridiculous amounts of Hennessy. As expected from a major label debut, the album is more polished and accessible than past projects Owl Pharoah (2013) and Days Before Rodeo (2014). Despite its apparent layer of million-dollar audio engineer varnish, we are still left contemplating the actual role Travis Scott plays throughout.
What Travis Scott may lack in creativity he makes up for with decadent instrumentals and colossal gravitas. The Sonny Digital/Metro Boomin-produced “Pornography” kicks the show off to a strong start, with a spoken word verse from hype man/mentor T.I. and sinister, buzzing synths that open to a doped-up chorus: “No monogamy / menage with me / pornography, surrounding me / you get high with me / you come down with me.” On “Pray 4 Love,” The Weeknd’s piercing falsetto nicely contrast Travis’ intentionally numb, off-kilter vocals and on “Maria I’m Drunk,” Just Bieber’s clean voice and steady flow serve as a nice break from the Travis Scott/Young Thug rasp.
Despite strong verses from The Weeknd and JB, features throughout the record walk the line between thoughtful and useless. The six-minute-long “On My Dis Side” spotlights a perfunctory contribution from Quavo of Migos, and on the seemingly never-ending single “3500,” verses from Future and 2 Chainz leave us looking at our watch. Arguably the worst song on the record, “Piss on your Grave” is some sort of angry hybrid between "Black Skinhead" and what Rodeo should be. Influence apparent as ever, West chants “Piss on your grave!” with emphasis over unrhythmic drums and wining, Hendrix guitar. Rare miss, Ye.
On Rodeo, Travis successfully proves his ability to craft and engineer a finite sound with commercial appeal, even if it’s with the assistance from T.I., Kanye West, Mike Dean, DJ Dahi, Justin Bieber, Metro Boomin’, Sonny Digital, Zaytoven, The Weeknd and Pharell, just to name a few. Overall though, hooks on the project are adrenalized and catchy. Instrumentals are powerful and meticulously crafted and Travis Scott’s vocals tell us about the perils of fame. If we learned something from this project, it’s that good networking can lead to commercial success.
