New Music Alert: Travis Scott – Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight

Travis Scott was a rather mysterious character when he first became known in the world of Hip Hop in 2013. He was the new kid who was spotted with Kanye on multiple occasions and had production credits on Kanye’s polarizing sixth album, “Yeezus” and  his first project, “Owl Pharaoh,” had features from artists like Toro y Moi, Wale, and T.I., among others. These cosigns acted as double-edged swords in his ascension to popularity and forced people to pay attention to him to see what the hype was. The flip side was that this raised expectations of Scott, which was detrimental as he failed to live up to the hype on “Owl Pharaoh.”  His critics felt he lacked lyricism, that his instrumentals were overproduced, and that he lacked focus. Critics aside, it made for an interesting listen and his potential was undeniable. In 2014, he dropped “Days Before Rodeo,” his second full-length project that acted as a preview of his first major LP, 2015’s “Rodeo.” DBR displayed Scott’s progression and with the release of 2015’s “Rodeo,” Scott turned his naysayers into believers. After Travis became a mainstream success with the critically acclaimed “Rodeo,” it left everyone with one question: what’s next? Almost one year later, he answered with his sophomore effort, “Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight.”  It has a rather puzzling title but it has oddly turned out to be a fitting one. He has used his signature style of production which merges EDM, R&B, and slight rock influences with the trap sound. But unlike “Owl Pharaoh,” the record sounds streamlined, focused, and mature. The McKnight part references Travis being more melodic than ever, letting his vocal melodies carry his verses a la Brian McKnight. It is an interesting project that I encourage all to give a listen to.