Rodeo is the debut album of rapper Travis Scott. Many people listen to the album and hear it as just another trap album, but I think it’s much more than that. It’s an album that Scott uses to reflect on his life, but more specifically his journey and rise to stardom. Additionally, it’s sequenced in a way that shows the progression of his life, including the highs and lows along the way.
The first four songs in Rodeo (“Pornography”, “Oh My Dis Side”, “3500”, and “Wasted”, in order) are about Scott’s juvenility. He raps about his upbringing and his childhood ambitions to become a famous rapper. Many of the lyrics in this song highlight his immaturity at this stage of life, where he glorifies drugs, alcohol, and partying. At this point, he shows that his ego was too big, as he doesn’t ever think about the decisions he’s making; he just expects them to work out in his favor.
The next two songs (“90210” and “Pray 4 Love”) mark a turning point in the album. In 90210, he takes a big risk by moving from his hometown Houston to Los Angeles in pursuit of his dreams. He raps about the feelings of homesickness and being lost in the world. Pray 4 Love continues on these themes. He feels humbled after moving, but he recognizes that he has to keep moving forward in his new life.
The next three songs (“Nightcrawler”, “Piss on Your Grave”, and “Antidote”) represent Scott making it big in LA. These songs are basically telling the world that he made it and nothing can stop him, so he embraces the party lifestyle again.
However, after a little bit, he goes back to feeling lost in the next two songs (“Impossible” and “Maria I’m Drunk”). In Impossible, he raps about the negative side of being famous. None of his friends feel genuine, and he can’t find true love because he feels used by everyone. Maria I’m Drunk is similar. He raps about trying to find these things again.
The next song, “Flying High”, goes back to talking about how he achieved his goals of being famous, and he feels euphoric.
Finally, the last two songs (“I Can Tell” and “Apple Pie”) are reflections of his journey and where he wants to go next. He knows he made it, but nostalgia makes him long for the simplicity of his past life. However, he decides that he should keep going on this journey because he feels that he’s destined to.
Overall, I think Rodeo relates to the American Dream in many ways. Firstly, Scott highlights his ambitions and how far he’ll go to achieve them. Secondly, many of the songs touch wealth and materialism. Finally, Scott also talks about the sacrifices and struggles he had to endure to achieve his American Dream.