Rio Hondo College Newspaper

El Paisano

Rio Hondo College Newspaper

El Paisano

Rio Hondo College Newspaper

El Paisano

Travi$ Scott brings ‘La Flame’ on his second mixtape

Review Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Jacques Webster, better known by his stage name “Travi$ Scott” or his nickname “La Flame”, released his second mixtape, “Days Before Rodeo” on Aug. 18.

The mixtape is a prequel to Scott’s Grand Hustle/Epic Records debut studio album which is slated to be released sometime in 2015.

Scott is most notable for producing tracks for big names such as Kanye West (“New Slaves”, “Guilt Trip”) Jay Z (“Crown”), and Big Sean (“10 2 10”).

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In fact, West liked his productions so much that he signed Scott to his GOOD Music label under the production wing known as Very G.O.O.D. Beats.

Scott would later produce three tracks (“To the World”, “The Morning”, and “Sin City”) off of the GOOD Music compilation album, “Cruel Summer”.

“Days Before Rodeo” features Scott at his best after the release of his first mixtape “Owl Pharaoh” in May of 2013.

Scott is known for his auto-tune vocals at times before he delivers his fast paced flows over “trap” beats that are typically co-produced by Scott himself.

Days Before Rodeo” really stands out in the sense that Scott has finally established a name for himself and has risen in popularity over the course of a year.

Coming from the South in Houston, Texas, his style of “trap” really reflects the environment and background he comes from on the mixtape.

Many artists such as Big Sean, Migos, and Young Thug all make appearances on “Days Before Rodeo”.

The intro song of “Days Before Rodeo: The Prayer” gives listeners a taste of what Scott’s production is like and a different type of track as opposed to the rest of the mixtape in the sense that it sounds more like a traditional “boom-bappy” hip-hop song.

Scott’s vocal delivery is very reminiscent of a young Kid Cudi, and a combination of present-day Kanye West.

The second track, “Mamacita”, is your typical “play loud in the car” type song, not quite evolving into a club hit.

There are however a share of potential club hits such as “Quintana Pt. 2”, “Sloppy Toppy”, and the mixtape’s single, “Don’t Play” featuring English indie-rock band The 1975 and GOOD Music rapper Big Sean.

Throughout the mixtape you can hear Scott’s signature ad-lib of “STRAIGHT UP!”, and his auto-tune intros that provide a great element before the “trap” beats drop.

Lyrically wise, the album feature its memorable lyrics here and there such as the hook in the mellow track “Drugs You Should Try It”.

“When the day gets better, the night gets brighter, I always feel this way/ Through the hills I hear you callin’, miles and miles away” sings Scott on the track about the drugs he has tried throughout his years.

“Drugs You Should Try It” is actually Scott’s favorite song off the mixtape as said by the rapper himself on radio music talk-show, “Sway’s Universe”.

The mixtape solidifies itself overall as a somewhat decent hip-hop album; however it establishes itself as a hard-nose, unique “trap” album from the 22 year old that is currently breaking into the rap scene as a household name.

If you’re looking for “bangers”, this album is right up your alley.

Tracks like “Bacc”, “Backyard”, and “Basement Freestyle” will have you “trapping out” with your friends and wanting to get “turnt”.

Look out for Scott’s debut album “Rodeo” next year.

You can download “Days Before Rodeo” for free via http://www.datpiff.com/ or listen to the full mixtape by clicking the YouTube link below.

Full mixtape stream of “Days Before Rodeo” courtesy of Grand Hustle Records via YouTube

Music video of the mixtape’s single, “Don’t Play” courtesy of VEVO

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