As an avid music listener, there are very few artists that keep me up half the night upon release days waiting for that artist’s new project. On Aug. 8, 2018, I stayed up all night as the long awaited Astroworld was finally slotted to be released. I was not disappointed, and neither were the rest of Scott’s fans.
Fast forward one year and the hype for the album has still not died down. I don’t think there can be much debate when I say that 2018-2019 was the year of Travis Scott: countless sold out shows, a child, many many features on some of the hottest songs of the year and several Grammy nominations have all solidified the man as one of the most influential artists of this generation… And that was all before he released a documentary.
Generally, I’m not much of a documentary watcher, I just don’t see much entertainment value in watching a video full of facts that could be looked up online in half the time. But I was curious when I scrolled through Scott’s Instagram profile and saw that a biopic Netflix documentary titled Look Mom I Can Fly was scheduled to be released on August 28, almost exactly one year after the release of Astroworld.
My curiosity grew as I learned that it was a look into not only the creation of the album itself, but Travis’ life as the album came to fruition. So often I feel that artists live a life separate from their fans and we see only what those we idolize would like us to see. I found the idea of a biopic strangely intimate and I was prepared to break my rule of avoiding documentaries.
On August 28 I was again, not disappointed. Look Mom I Can Fly provided exactly the bridge I needed for my curiosity about the performer to be quelled.
Opening with a montage of his “Wish You Were Here Tour” the intensity only grew as the story followed the making of Astroworld and the reception the album faced upon its release; a reception so intense that at one of his concerts, he was indicted for inciting a riot, despite “riot” simply being the energy of the crowd during the performance.
The lows were low and the highs were soaring high as Scott struggled to find perfection and chase “Hip Hop Album of the Year,” all while maintaining the unique composure and personality that led to his rise in the first place.
The intimacy I spoke of was especially present. I didn’t watch a hip hop artist so much as a man giving his all to the world and hoping that it appreciated what he had to offer. I saw a man and his quest to fly. His story is the same as anyone else’s: one man’s quest to find his niche in the world. I think that is a very relatable message. It just so happened that while he was doing that, he managed to unify thousands of people under a common theme: It’s okay to be different.
In his words: It’s okay to rage.For me, the gap was bridged, and the man became less of a performer with an artificial persona and more of a real dude trying to find his way in the world while making people happy along the way.
It was really fascinating to see Scott come to life. I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds for the man who will undoubtedly continue to keep doing just that.
By Gus Nations | Guest Writer
