BEST OF MUSIC
Travis Scott, Latin pop and our critics pick their favorite albums of 2017, both local and national.
Kendrick Lamar and Drake racked up the streams and sales. Cardi B and Post Malone turned viral hits into radio smashes. But no one had a 2017 quite like Travis Scott.
The Houston rapper — he grew up in Missouri City, attended Elkins High School and was a Rockets ball boy — has established himself as one of hip-hop’s most fascinating oddities. Scott doesn’t just go left instead of right. He seems to be moving in all directions at all times.
Music seems to be one extension of what he does. He’s equal parts rapper, performance artist and old-school showman. Brace yourself, then, for a recap of the nonstop ride that was Scott’s 2017.
He joined DJ Khaled in February for Maxim’s Super Bowl party at Smart Financial Centre at Sugar Land and was at the opening of Drake’s Ballet strip club in Houston.
Scott attended and performed at several Rockets games and collaborated with the team on a limited-edition T-shirt. He’s also been a fervent Astros supporter.
He headlined a show in May at Revention Music Center that featured a mechanical bird with glowing red eyes and wings. I stand by my original review: “The first several songs had the explosive energy of a rock concert and the bombast of an EDM show. It was loud. Louder than any show in recent memory.”
Later that month, Scott was arrested for allegedly inciting a riot at an Arkansas concert. He was released 12 minutes later and turned it into a moneymaking opportunity, selling T-shirts featuring his mug shot for $45 via his website.
That same month, Scott broke the record for the most times a single song has been performed by an artist during a concert. He rapped “Goosebumps” 14 times in a row in Oklahoma City.
He returned to Houston in July alongside Kendrick Lamar at Toyota Center, this time riding an animatronic bird over the audience and swooping across the first few rows.
He released a limited line of merchandise in collaboration with the 1974 horror film “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” which was only available for 24 hours on Halloween. It included trucker hats, hoodies and a Scott silicone mask inspired by Leatherface.
Just this month, Scott released the collaborative album “Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho” with Quavo of rap trio Migos. He also dropped a limited-edition leatherbound vinyl album of his favorite songs with Saint Laurent, teamed up with Australian denim brand Ksubi and collaborated with Nike on a pair of sneakers.
The new year brings Scott’s longpromised “AstroWorld” album, named for Houston’s iconic theme park. And, of course, his all-but-confirmed first child with Kylie Jenner.
Expect much more, often at the last minute, to fill up his 2018 schedule. And he’ll likely do it all with plenty of H-Town swag.
THE SPOTLIGHT IS NEVER TOO BRIGHT FOR HOUSTON’S FASHION-FORWARD, SPORTS-LOVING HIP-HOP SUPERSTAR.