Rodeo (Travis Scott album)

Background

In the CR Fashion Book, Scott stated his life was like a circus or rodeo and he feels like he is trying to stay on a bucking animal. "It's like a Beyoncé concert. The carnival, the livestock, and the show are all parts of the event. I feel like that's how my life is. The carnival is like my imagination—it's the drive behind my vision. Even though I don't feel like I'm at a point where my shit is at an all time high, we're working to get there. We are working to get to the level of where your magazine is and to stand on that level. The livestock show is the road to get to where I'm going. At this point, I'm riding a bull for just eight seconds and it's hard as fuck. But we made it."

Release and promotion

On August 18, 2014, to promote the album, Scott released his second mixtape Days Before Rodeo. The mixtape features guest appearances from Young Thug, Rich Homie Quan, T.I. and Peewee Longway. It also includes the production handled by Scott himself, along with these high-profile record producers such as Metro Boomin, DJ Dahi, Southside and Lil' C, among others.

On January 26, 2015, to support the album, Scott announced that he would embark on The Rodeo Tour with Young Thug and Metro Boomin. On January 27, the following day, Scott released two new songs; "High Fashion" featuring Future, and "Nothing But Net" featuring Young Thug and PartyNextDoor. Although neither of them ended up being on the final version of the album.

On June 12, 2015, one song called "Drunk" featuring Young Thug, being leaked online. However, it was still included on the album as "Maria I'm Drunk" with an additional verse by Justin Bieber.

Singles

On June 8, 2015, Scott released the album's lead single, titled "3500", which features guest appearances from fellow Southern hip hop rappers Future and 2 Chainz. It peaked at number 82 on the Billboard Hot 100.

On July 29, 2015, Scott released the album's second single, titled "Antidote". On December 11, 2015, the single was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It peaked at number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Critical reception

Rodeo received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 64, based on 15 reviews. Roger Krastz of XXL stated, "Overall, Rodeo has plenty of bangers and noteworthy collaborations that help bring out a fantastic trap sound that could bleed into the mainstream of hip-hop in no time." Jason Bisnoff of HipHopDX stated, "Rodeo's back end after "Antidote" begin to mesh together and gets repetitive.... Nonetheless, the originality of Scott's sound within this new movement provides for a strong rookie effort leaving the listener excited for a career that is just getting started." Trazier Tharpe of Complex stated, "Travis Scott made an enjoyable album for his fans peppered with undeniable bangers for his detractors." David Jeffries of AllMusic stated, "With Rodeo, Travis Scott becomes a designer drug." Steve "Flash" Juon of RapReviews.com stated, "Somewhere beneath all the hype and production he does shine through."

Martin Caballero of The Boston Globe stated, "His versatility, combined with a high-profile guest list, conspires against him; among 14 tracks, Scott conjures just a handful of moments that hint at untapped reserves of talent." Matthew Cooper of Clash stated, "Yes, the production is razor sharp, the beats are skewed and often very loud which makes them feel important, but in reality, it's all a façade; an image." Kevin Ritchie of Now stated, "Scott goes for spacey sounds, stoner vibes and vocal filters, but despite the eclecticism, he's too elusive and bland for Rodeo to amount to a stylistic--let alone a subversive--statement." Sheldon Pearce from Pitchfork stated, "He is most effective when he harshly distorts his vocals to create texture, and in the company of others he can serve as a welcome change of pace." David Turner from Rolling Stone stated, "Left on his own, Scott can grow tiresome. "I Can Tell" sounds monochromatic without another voice to push this astute curator. Some rock stars are better leading bands than going solo." Matthew Ramirez of Spin stated, "This is a cold, calculated record lacking in personality, though it certainly tries to deliver something that Scott is incapable of."

For its year-end lists of best rap albums, Rolling Stone listed Rodeo at number 33, while Complex placed it at number 36 on its "Best Albums of 2015" ranking.

Commercial performance

Rodeo debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, moving 85,000 album-equivalent units, of which 70,000 are pure album sales. It also debuted at number one on Billboard's Top Rap Albums chart. As of November 2015, Rodeo has sold 110,000 copies in the United States. In October 2016, the album was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 500,000 units.

Track listing

Album credits adapted from Rodeo digital booklet.

Track notes

Sample credits