Popular hip-hop artist Jacques Webster II, better known by his stage name, Travis Scott, released his new documentary “Look Mom I Can Fly” on Netflix, August 28, 2019. A long-awaited project, the documentary is centered on the life and upbringing of Scott and his colleagues during the making of his third album, ASTROWORLD. Scott’s style of music can be described as psychedelic, electronic heavy, and melodic. His inspiration for the album comes from his childhood. Growing up in the projects of Houston, one of Scott’s safe havens was Six Flags Over Texas: Astroworld. This was a place that brought the community together and provided much joy to people from all around, and one day, it closed down. This was monumental for Scott, his favorite place to be was gone, so he digs back through his childhood memories to recreate what was once lost, ASTROWORLD.
The album is a personification of his feelings and expressions of what once was. “Look Mom I Can Fly” follows Scott throughout the making of this album. You see him come from humble beginnings – having 15 people show up to a small gig in Houston – to selling out entire stadiums filled with fans chanting his name. The documentary is not only about the making of this album, but the kind of culture that encompasses Scott now that he is a well-known artist. Diamond chains, fast cars, and an even faster lifestyle is the way Scott lives his life. Scott is very well known for having a big stage presence, the documentary shows lots of footage from different concerts and festivals where crowds go completely berserk. Kids are shown jumping from second story balconies, stage diving, and having mosh pits with hundreds of people involved.
Scott is shown in an interview following one of his concerts where the interviewer asks him why he gets so involved with the crowd during his concerts. And he replies with, “I love seeing the fans have fun. That in and of itself is a show for me. I’m not just putting on a show for you, you’re putting on a show on for me too.” There are multiple shots of people that claim, “Travis Scott saved my life,” because of the amount of care he has for each individual when you get into a room with him. He creates a community where there are no boundaries, where everyone can be themselves, and as an artist with a younger target audience, he gives the people exactly what they want to see.
Through his short career, Scott achieved things that very few have achieved in their lifetime. He received three Grammy nominations, none of which won anything and understandably let down the superstar, but he continued to persevere. He also performed for the 2019 Super Bowl despite all of the racial controversy with Colin Kaepernick and his opinions on supporting the national football league. Scott also received the key to the city of Houston from the mayor, and was the main factor in Six Flags: Astroworld being reopened for Houston.
His career thus far is short lived, but we have much more to see from Travis Scott in the upcoming years. “Look Mom I Can Fly” is a story about the impact Scott has had on the world of music. We see snippets of his childhood, the way he makes music, and his crazy way of living first hand. The film is a feel-good production that proves hard work pays off for those who strive for it. It also makes your appreciation for artists like Scott grow tremendously. Watching someone’s humbling journey to the top opens the audience’s eyes into a whole new world of gratification for starving artists and the music game.
By Michael Burge, staff writer
