Here Are Travis Scott’s Biggest Music Moments
Every career has standout moments, especially when the conversation centers around musical artists. Travis Scott is inarguably a megastar now, scoring his first-ever No. 1 album seven years ago with Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight. His career is a lesson in dedication and commitment. Now loved the world over, the moves he's made are a highlight reel of sorts, full of highs and impressive accomplishments. Here, XXL highlights some of his biggest moments as an artist, when he not only rose to the occasion, but surpassed it.
Back in 2020, music fans and gamers alike witnessed Travis Scott's Fortnite concert, a historic event in its own right. The unprecedented virtual performance racked up 27.7 million in-game participants. This made it a cultural moment that was seemingly ahead of its time, and one of Fortnite's most popular in-game concerts to date.
Coming off the heels of 2018's "Sicko Mode" and 2019's "Highest in the Room," Travis Scott was nominated for multiple awards in 2019, including at the MTV Video Music Awards. Although he didn't snag the Best Hip Hop category, he later won the coveted award in 2021 for "Franchise" featuring Young Thug and M.I.A. Then, the following award season, the chart-topping rapper performed "Mafia" at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards, flaunting an all-white winter wonderland on stage.
As of late, in support of his long-awaited Utopia album, Travis Scott was slated to perform at the Pyramids of Giza but the concert was canceled due "complex production issues." He promises the concert in Egypt will still happen though.
All in all, Travis' trajectory is still rising and he's enjoying the ride. Check out more of Travis Scott's biggest music moments below.—Robby Seabrook III
Additional writing by Allison Hazel
Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight Debuts at No. 1
By the time Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight dropped in 2016, Travis Scott was on the rise but not quite the household name he is today. His sophomore album features some of Travis' career-defining songs, like "Pick Up the Phone" featuring Young Thug and Quavo, and "Goosebumps" with Kendrick Lamar. This was Travis first No. 1 album, and it was certified platinum in less than a year.
Starts Cactus Jack Records
First announced in March of 2017, Cactus Jack Records is Travis' record label, created with the intention to bring in other acts and help them rise to the top. The label's first release was the 2017 album Huncho Jack, a Quavo and Travis collab.
The rapper's first signing to the label was Harlem rapper Sheck Wes in February 2018 (Sheck is also signed tot deal with Interscope Records and Kanye West's label G.O.O.D. Music). Sheck dropped his debut album, Mudboy, in October of the same year.
Houston rapper Don Toliver was signed in August of 2018, and that same month he dropped his Donny Womack mixtape. Last month, he delivered the well-received album Heaven Or Hell.
As a collective, the trip dropped the JackBoys compilation project last December. The effort was a showcase of Cactus Jack's members (Travis, Sheck, Don, Luxury Tax and Chase B).
Astroworld Debuts at No. 1
When an artist becomes a superstar, there is always one pivotal moment that you can point to. Travis' big accomplishment occurred right here, when his third album, Astroworld, dropped on Aug. 3, 2018. Moving 537,000 units, it was obvious that Travis' impact could not be denied. He climbed his way to the top once again with his second No. 1-selling album. Astroworld had the second largest sales week of all 2018 albums, following behind Eminem's Kamikaze, and includes the seven-times platinum-selling "Sicko Mode" featuring Drake and Swae Lee as one of its singles.
"Sicko Mode" Hits No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100
Certain songs just have a larger than life sound to them. "Sicko Mode" fits the bill, as it puts Travis Scott, Drake and Swae Lee shoulder to shoulder, with multiple beat changes and quotable lines for every Instagram caption. The song started off as a track on Astroworld, not an official single, but the fan response moved it to new heights. The track debuted at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 after its summer 2018 release. Seventeen weeks later on Dec. 8, 2018, it was the No. 1 song in the country, which was a first for Travis. The video also has some insane views at nearly 500 million on YouTube, and the song still rings out to this day.
Announces First Annual Astroworld Festival
At a time when artists' having their own festivals was a rarity, Travis Scott jumped out to announce that he would be launching Astroworld Festival in his hometown of Houston. On Nov. 17, 2018, the rapper's sold-out fest took off, featuring amusement park rides and other carnival-like attractions, and performances from Post Malone, Rae Sremmurd, Young Thug, Lil Wayne, Gunna and Travis himself.
Breaks The Forum Live Show Record
The Astroworld tour was such a success, spanning 56 North American dates, with two legs and additional shows overseas. The Feb. 8, 2019 show at legendary Los Angeles music venue The Forum was extra special, as Travis sold out the venue. He grossed $1.7 million, setting a record at The Forum. The rapper also sold out the venue in 2018, on Dec. 19 and 20, just months before this show.
Commits to Performing While Injured
Talk about being committed to the stage. Travis Scott is known for his insane live show, complete with wild stage effects and raging at every turn. While running through his song "Butterfly Effect" at Rolling Loud New York on Oct. 12, 2019, Travis jumped and landed awkwardly on his knee and tries to brush it off. Later on in the show, he admits he hurt his knee but continues on with performing. He gets through the rest of the show and exits the stage. Travis ended up dislocating his knee that night, yet kept raging through the pain.
Earns Second No. 1 Single With "Highest in the Room"
Just when it seemed Travis was going to take a little break at the end of 2019, after such a dominant year, he came right back with "Highest in the Room," a catchy, high-energy track that shot him right to the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Travis was continuing to be a streaming force with the song racking up 59 million streams in its first week. No breaks.
Releases Look Mom I Can Fly Documentary
When you reach the heights of success that Travis has, people want to know all they can about you, from your day-to-day life to the more interesting parts of the superstar experience. On Aug. 28, 2019, Trav gave the people what they wanted and dropped the documentary, Look Ma I Can Fly on Netflix. The film, directed by White Trash Tyler, features Travis through two lenses: the family man with his young daughter Stormi and then-girlfriend Kylie Jenner, and the rap star, hitting stages across the country for his adoring fans.
Receives Three Grammy Nominations in 2019
Like many artists, Travis wasn't silent about wanting to get a Grammy for his solo work. 2019 would be his first chance. The rapper was nominated for Best Rap Album (Astroworld), along with Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song (both for "Sicko Mode") at the 2019 Grammy Awards. Unfortunately, Travis didn't leave with an award that night, but it doesn't seem this will be his last time as a nominee.
Performs at 2019 Grammy Awards
Being a Grammy nominee is a huge deal. Being tapped to perform at the show is just as big. It's a chance for an artist to share their music with the entire world on live television. At the 2019 Grammy Awards this past February, Travis stepped into the moment, hitting the stage to perform "Stop Trying to Be God" then "No Bystanders." His performance of the former song was a calmer more serious vibe, with the latter performance being all high energy, as he invited a bunch of people to rush the stage and mosh with him.
Performs "Sicko Mode" at Super Bowl LIII
On Feb. 3, Travis Scott hit the Super Bowl Halftime stage, along with Maroon 5 and Big Boi. Getting the opportunity to perform during such a big game with all eyes in his direction is a great look, but there was some backlash to Travis' decision this time around. Thanks to the NFL's ongoing back and forth with Colin Kaepernick after his kneeling controversy, and artists refusing to do the halftime show in solidarity (Jay-Z, Rihanna and Cardi B), Travis had to face scrutiny. However, he did get the NFL to donate to Dream Corps, an organization that backs initiatives that close prison doors and open doors of opportunity for all, as part of his agreement to do the show, finding a silver lining through it all.
Headlines Coachella 2020
Being a headlining act at this prestigious California festival is a big deal no matter what kind of music you make. This year, Travis Scott was set to headline Coachella, as was Frank Ocean and Rage Against The Machine. The headlining spot arrived after his meteoric 2019. This stage would give him room to run through his biggest hits, bring guests if he wanted to and put on an electrifying performance. Unfortunately, as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Coachella is postponed, moving from April to Oct. 9-11 and Oct. 16-18.
Headlines In-Game Concert on Fortnite
During the pandemic in 2021, Epic Games’ Fortnite presented a one-of-a-kind concert headlined by Travis Scott. The virtual event known as the Astronomical Tour, consisted of a 15-minute set over multiple days. Over 12.3 million concurrent players participated in the tour’s opening. A giant-sized version of the rapper raged throughout Fortnite island as in-game concert-goers gathered around for hits like "Highest in the Room." At the time, Travis Scott also debuted “The Scotts” featuring Kid Cudi. There were 27.7 million unique visitors total and the concert was seen more than 45 million times, according to Epic Games.—A.H.
Receives Best Hip Hop Award at 2021 MTV VMAs
In 2021, Travis Scott’s song "Franchise" featuring Young Thug and M.I.A. won the award for Best Hip Hop at the MTV Video Music Awards. That year, “Franchise” was additionally nominated, but did not win the VMA for Best Direction.—A.H.
Performs "Mafia" at 2022 Billboard Music Awards
In his first televised performance after the Astroworld Festival tragedy in 2021, Travis Scott hit the stage at the 2022 Billboard Music Awards. While performing "Mafia," the rapper sported fuzzy outerwear and shades for an all-white snow-themed set. Later in the performance, Travis transitioned into "Lost Forever."—A.H.