The Human Pinterest

Travis Scott searches for Utopia after Astroworld

Travis Scott is a musician who learned early on that the purpose of a musical collaboration is actually similar to that of a brand collaboration. Scott came into the rap game with 2013’s Owl Pharaoh mixtape in tow, featuring cosigns from 2 Chainz and T.I. that boosted his name recognition and gave him the kind of instant credibility that had fans calling him an industry plant. As his album releases piled up and garnered more attention, Scott went on a feverish world domination campaign where he seemingly linked up with every company on the planet.

Scott has collaborated with Nike, Helmut Lang, Maharishi, Ksubi, Saint Laurent, Hot Wheels, Dior, Evisu, A24, Houston Astros, Nerf, A Bathing Ape, Reese’s Puffs, Houston Rockets and Sony PlayStation among others. He put on a virtual Fortnite concert where he performed inside of the game. McDonald’s launched the Travis Scott meal in 2020, making hip-hop’s “Keep It Real” era immediately feel like a distant bygone memory. A walking brand activation, Travis Scott is the poster boy for the crassly commercial times we live in, the perfect soundtrack for a social media era where human beings proudly refer to themselves as brands.

This synergy has made him fabulously wealthy and one of the world’s most famous people. His career is a case study in what could happen if one says yes to every offer. But there always seemed to be a contingency lurking in the background of his life: he’d be rewarded with untold wealth, as long as he didn’t do anything to fuck up the money for the panoply of corporations he was beholden to.

Travis Scott has long had a complicated relationship with crowd safety.