Travis Scott’s Utopia is finally here. The fourth studio album by the rapper has been in the making since 2019 and is the first since the Astroworld Festival disaster that took ten lives and injured hundreds more. The Utopia features is quite the list, the writers and producers even longer. With names like James Blake, Boi-1da, The Alchemist, Mike Dean, and Metro Boomin making up the credits, one of the bigger names to feature on it is that of Kanye West.
Kanye’s efforts on Utopia are so palpable it almost feels like Yeezus 2.0. I’m a big fan of Ye’s genre-bending, polarising, abrasive album, although I realise that public reaction is quite mixed. Travis had a hand in the production of Yeezus – he’s listed as an additional producer on “New Slaves” and “Guilt Trip” – and parts of this album feel like the continuation of that working relationship. So heavy is the inspiration that Travis lifted the cadence of “Black Skinhead” and laid it (thickly) on “Circus Maximus”.
The features comprise Beyoncé (insert Tiffany “New York” Pollard Beyoncé meme), Drake, Bad Bunny, James Blake, Future, The Weeknd, Young Thug, Westside Gunn, Kid Cudi, SZA, and 21 Savage amongst others. Drake’s disses in his verse include the obvious jab at Pusha T and the hilariously surprising diss towards Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour. Scott also seems to take aim at Timothee Chalamet, who is rumoured to be dating his ex, Kylie Jenner.
Overall, Travis serves up a really great offering with breathtaking production value. He gets experimental with his delivery, and while he’s never been the strongest lyricist, he gives us his own version of vulnerability in an effort to show a different side to him. He takes you into the world of Utopia and invites you to continue raging.
His first album since 2018’s Astroworld, If you haven’t listened yet, you can find Travis Scott’s Utopia here.
