Since his musical breakthrough in 2016, popular rap artist Jacques Webster II (stage name Travis Scott) has been nominated for 10 Grammy Awards, despite winning zero of the awards he was nominated for. Many rap fans are particularly upset about the most recent Grammys. It was quite obvious Scott’s album “UTOPIA” was the clear winner for the “Best Rap Album” award, but surprising everyone, little-known rapper Killer Mike’s album “Michael” stole the trophy. “UTOPIA” was Scott’s 4th studio album and followed what is considered to be one of the greatest rap albums of all time, “ASTROWORLD.”
“Days Before Rodeo” is Scott’s second commercial mixtape and is a prequel to Scott’s first studio album “Rodeo.” “Days Before Rodeo” was first released on his SoundCloud back in 2014, but officially released on major streaming platforms with a bonus track “BACC” in August on the anniversary of the “Days Before Rodeo” original release.
“Days Before Rodeo” consists of 12 tracks, including features from late rapper Rich Homie Quan, Young Thug, T.I., The 1975, Big Sean, Migos, and Peewee Longway.
Starting off the mixtape, the first track is titled “Days Before Rodeo: The Prayer.”
The song begins with a quiet harmony, then a strong bass begins with a piano track over it. As Scott starts to rap to the beat, a loose drum loop begins giving it an energetic and mean feel.
Track two is titled “Mamacita” and features Rich Homie Quan and Young Thug. The song feels like a classic rock and roll song, with a slow drum beat and notes from an electric guitar and it’s one of my favorite songs on the album.
The third song is “Quintana Pt.2.” Travis includes a retro-sounding synthesizer, and his voice with a distorted voice effect.
“Drugs You Should Try It” is the fourth song in the album. It has a clean beat, a nice melody, and Travis’ sound and flow fits perfectly on the track.
The next track is “Don’t Play” Ft. The 1975 and Big Sean. It’s my personal favorite from the album. This track has an interesting beat utilizing the harpsichord, which is an old, piano-like instrument originally from Europe. I really enjoy the Big Sean feature, I feel like he really suits the beat.
“Skyfall” Ft. Young Thug is the sixth song. It has parts with a chanting choir of voices at the start, and a bass-heavy beat throughout.
Next comes “Zombies.” This is a slower-paced song with more chanting utilizing a distortion effect in between the verses. It has a simple, retro beat like an old arcade game.
“Sloppy Toppy” Ft. Migos and Peeewee Longway is the 8th track on the album. This is one of the worst songs on the album in my opinion. Its beginning is similar to an early 2000s Kanye West song, using a sped-up classic and chopping it up to transform it into something new. This sample is of Edna Wright’s “Spend The Nights With Me”, however, it quickly turns into an aggressive trap beat which wrecks the song.
“Basement Freestyle” comes next on
the album. This song was produced by Metro Boomin, considered to be one of the greatest produce
rs of the generation with a famous discography, including the studio album “Heroes & Villains.” However, this track doesn’t particularly stand out.
The 10th track is titled “Backyard” and it’s another top song with an energetic beat, loud bass, and what seems to be trumpet sounds. It has strong lyrics, and it discusses how Scott’s at the top.
“Grey” is the second to last track in the album. It has a calm, marimba track which reminded me somewhat of “Good Night” by Kanye West ft. Mos Def and Albe Back because of its soft lyrics and chill beat.
The final track in the album is “BACC (bonus).” As the title suggests, this is a bonus track not originally included on the 2014 mixtape. This song is also produced by Metro Boomin. It is a good way to end the album, because it maintains the aggressive feel of the album with the listener.
Overall, I would rate this album a 7/10. I’d recommend it to anyone new to rap, or anyone who hasn’t given it a listen yet. In comparison to its sequel, I do prefer “Rodeo” over “Days Before Rodeo.” Since it is a re-release, “Days Before Rodeo” is not eligible for a Grammy award. In the scenario that it was eligible, I think 21 Savage’s “American Dream”, released Jan. 12, would have “Days Before Rodeo” and other competition beat for the “Best Rap Album”
