Here’s proof that bad can lead to good: Travis Scott’s 2016 album Birds In The Trap Sing McKnight was snubbed at the Grammys, but that reportedly lit a fire under Scott, leading to his universally acclaimed record Astroworld. Scott’s A&R Sickamore said back in August, “The Grammy snub was probably the best thing that happened to us. It gave us a chip on our shoulder.”
Sure enough, Scott had no problem earning Grammy nominations this year, as Astroworld is up for Best Rap Album. In a new interview with Billboard, Scott was asked if something has changed in music, since this year’s Grammy nominees for Best Rap Album are “especially diverse” even though “the Grammys haven’t always recognized the full spectrum of hip-hop.” Scott responded:
“Maybe people are getting more attuned, tapping more into this generation and the youthfulness of music. It’s so diverse and so spread across the U.S., the world and all different types of genres. Kids are driving it, so it’s showing what they’re listening to. It’s dope to see a mix of different people get more recognized for their music now.”
Scott also said that Astroworld wasn’t created with the goal of earning a Grammy nomination, saying, “[Birds] was my second album. At some point I was just hoping to be recognized by The [Recording] Academy. But I went back in for [Astroworld] and just tried to make good music. [Getting nominated] wasn’t driving me in my mind. It’s just something that kind of like, happened.”
Scott’s competition for Best Rap Album includes Invasion Of Privacy by Cardi B, Swimming by Mac Miller, Victory Lap by Nipsey Hussle, and Daytona by Pusha T.
Read the full interview here, and find the full list of 2019 Grammy nominees here.
