On his debut studio album, Rodeo, Scott developed the reputation as “a rapper who raps about nothing,” which was also present in his previous mixtapes, Owl Pharaoh, and Days Before Rodeo. His albums contain songs that are riddled with intriguing imagery yet, their essence is never revealed nor given any form of context. However, this attempt of justification, of trying to understand who he really is or what he is rapping about, is the entire complexity of Travis Scott. This image can also be viewed as completely ridiculous, overly dramatic, and unrelated to what his album is really about. He discusses this theme in the song “Way Back” featuring Swizz Beats and Kid Cudi. This image can be interpreted as Scott’s fall from grace, in regards to losing touch with his southern roots. R Travis Scott’s album Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight, Scott is depicted as a hybrid of what could be a bird and a fallen angel sitting in a hunched over position with white smoke rising from his mouth. Travis Scott’s sophomore album is a source of pride for the artist. Scott creates a new environment for all featured artists and brings out a new side in each of them, yet the rookie stands out in a project crowded with seasoned elites.When looking at the cover art for Houston-based rapper Kendrick comes in unexpectedly with flows from “Untitled Unmastered,” creating interesting textures.ĭespite Scott’s limited thematic content, “Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight” is a solid sophomore album. In “Goosebumps,” Scott sings and raps cockily over an ethereal dream-like instrumental, “Yeah, we gon’ do some things, some things you can’t relate / Yeah, ’cause we from a place, a place you cannot stay.” He creates and exudes superiority, asserting his place as an important figure in the hip-hop game. In “Birds,” Scott manifests dual musical ideas and switches between emotions seamlessly.
The 14-track album is an emotional roller coaster, a step up from Scott’s unorganized freshman album “Rodeo,” full of too-long tracks with dramatic changes halfway through. This juxtaposition creates a dichotomy of conflicting emotion: You want to dance and simultaneously drown in your own misery - a staple of Scott’s sound. Forest, a poppy instrumental is juxtaposed with a heavy chorus including vocals by all three artists. With Scott’s opening bar being “Nightmares, high life, sleepy, night night,” drugs become the only recurring theme in “Birds.” Although he lacks any sort of overarching message in his music, Scott communicates his drug-addict persona as something he struggles with.
Underground rapper Nav brings a generic rap sound to “Biebs in the Trap.” Fortunately, the catchy hook and Scott’s charisma pull out Nav’s half of the song from being a trap anthem, where Scott and Nav do not hold back from drug references. It eventually grows into a metallic symphony with overdriven guitars and swelling violins.ĭespite their variety, each contributor on the album manages to hit a traditional triplet flow or auto-tune rap similar to the sound that Future pioneered.
“Way Back” transitions from an uptempo track into a “808s & Heartbreaks”-sounding track. Overall, each track on “Birds” blends seamlessly into the next due to smart executive production by Scott himself - a dark, detuned synth extends throughout. A smooth transition into “Way Back” follows.
On first listen, you may not even recognize that André 3000 is rapping. In the first track “The Ends,” Scott abstains from his usual auto-tuned vocals in exchange for some solid rapping. Scott is known for his delinquency and wild stage presence, and those mannerisms emerge out of the dark trap stew that he hosts in “Birds.” After the success of his debut album “Rodeo,” Travis Scott delivers grunge-trap and dark textures on his second studio album “Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight.” Heavily criticized as under-developed, the 24-year-old Scott establishes his place in the hip-hop scene with “Birds.” Despite appearances by big names like The Weeknd, Young Thug, Cassie, Kid Cudi, Swizz Beatz, Bryson Tiller, André 3000 and Kendrick Lamar, Scott maintains the spotlight on this album.