Why Travis Scott doesn’t really consider himself a hip-hop artist
Some rappers don’t like being put in a box. Travis Scott is one of them. In fact many of the most creative and innovative hip-hop artists despise it because it often doesn’t allow them to grow and change. Furthermore, it prevents them from being able to experiment. That said, we have seen more and more figures in the genre make it known that they are not strictly hip-hop artists.
Whether that be Kid Cudi or Lil Uzi Vert some of the most beloved rappers have released projects to prove they are capable than much more. As such, it is unsurprising that Travis Scott once insisted that he does not consider himself a hip-hop emcee.
Following the release and success of his 2015 debut project Rodeo, Scott spoke to numerous media outlets about the creative direction he was looking to go in and what he wanted to achieve with his album. That said, during an interview with the French outlet Clique TV, Scott explained why he decided to feature such a vast range of acts on Rodeo including, Kanye West, Chief Keef, Toro y Moi and more.
Explaining the creative vision he had, the 33 year old, stated, “It was kinda like what I was feeling when I was trying to get to this point right now. To be sitting in this chair. And then it’s kinda like a blueprint for kids who wanna do the same.”
He continued, “It’s like the inner-child-beast-man. It’s kinda like the person that might be misunderstood. Might be mistook as an asshole. Taken as a mean person, a rude person. But it’s really just super-energized. I’m just here for good times, man. I want people to have the best time ever. Especially if they’re around me. I feel like God put me here to help out with people’s soul, man.”
Although Rodeo didn’t reach the same heights his 2018 album Astroworld did, even in 2015 Scott was eager to make sure fans and critics alike knew that he wasn’t merely a rapper and was insistent that he didn’t want to be categorized as hip-hop.
Emphasising this, Scott told Clique TV, “I don’t consider myself hip-hop. I don’t want you to put me up next to n*ggas cause some of them n*ggas are just like, straight corny…I think with production I pay very close attention.” He later added, “Cause that’s my favourite thing in music. That’s the whole drive. That’s the reason. So, I gotta just make sure I have that ill sh*t n*ggas just can’t get. N*ggas just can’t be playing they beats and have the same producer that sound like a Travis Scott song. I just don’t f**k with that.”
It’s perhaps typical that one of the world’s most famous hip-hop artists doesn’t consider themselves to be such, it likely speaks to just how wide a range of talent Travis Scott has at his disposal.