Travis Scott's 'Rodeo' Is the Overhyped Release of the Fall

To this point in his young career, Houston rapper Travis Scott has gotten all the right shoutouts. His biggest look — and some would argue his formal introduction to the scene — were his contributions to Kanye West’s dark, inward-looking Yeezus, a record that borrowed from the sound Scott was honing at the time. In certain circles, he is royalty. It’s clear that Travis Scott is cool. But is he good?

The answer isn’t so clear as we approach the release date of his first LP, Rodeo. He’s put out a few well-received mixtapes, like the busy-and-cool-sounding-but-kinda-empty-of-substance Days of Rodeo. Scott is a good producer — though I wonder if his sound, the wheezing boom of “Quintana,” is maybe past its expiration date — but he hasn’t delivered much that suggests he’s a voice you can’t ignore. With media low-key tripping over themselves to cover him, it’s possible that rap listeners will be forced to pay attention.

The first single is “3500,” which I think most people (me included) wish were a Future song instead:

It all feels a little “Emperor’s New Clothes” to me; but God, those clothes are nice!