In a new interview with Adweek, Travis Scott rejects terms like “branding” and “marketing,” which may strike some as sort of ironic. Over the course of the past year, his brand partnerships netted him over $30 million, landing him on Forbes magazine’s coveted 30 Under 30 list thanks to deals with McDonald’s, Nike, and Sony PlayStation. He also launched his Cactus spiked seltzer brand earlier this year, pulling down some truly impressive sales figures for a brand-new product. Still, despite all that, he insists his process is based on vibes, not a business strategy based on branding.
Receiving Adweek’s inaugural Creator Visionary of the Year designation, Travis downplayed his gift for selling himself, saying, “I don’t like words like ‘branding’ and ‘marketing.’ I just wasn’t ever really into it, you know? I guess I’m a naturalist in that sense… I’m just more about putting out very cool things that inspire me and I hope one day inspire other people. I’m trying to bring a utopian effect … hoping to inspire the next person to just get creative or even just live their life in an aesthetically pleasing, vibed-out way.”
However, he also pointed out how choosy he can be when picking partners to collaborate with. “I can’t do anything that I’m just not totally comfortable with,” he said. “I was never into being handed anything and just standing behind [a product]. Then we wouldn’t be creators. I’ve always set out to formulate something to bring to each partnership. I’ve just stood on that since day one and maintained it… I do think there is care in how you present things. It’s all about how you deliver things to people. My intentions aren’t to market a brand.”
Houston rapper Travis Scott‘s long-awaited return of the Astroworld Festival is officially secured. The hip-hop star has announced the mighty comeback of his jam-packed and music-filled Texas takeover. Travis Scott’s Astroworld Festival Returns Cactus Jack’s huge event is slated to go down this November. For 48 hours, attendees will get to experience a lineup of […]
Don’t get us wrong, Jordan is still the biggest name in footwear. And when a hot new sneaker designer bursts onto the scene, best believe they’re going to want to put their spin on a fresh pair of Jordans above all else, so we don’t imagine another name is going to surpass it anytime soon. But big names are coming (relatively) close, and none of them are known for their skills on a court.
We’re talking not about performance shoes but “performer shoes” (a term dubbed by DJ Clark Kent) — made by people like Kanye West, who has now realized his dream of making a pivot from the hottest rapper in the game to the hottest sneaker and streetwear designer with his Yeezy Brand; Pharrel Williams, who has been toiling away at Adidas for a minute now with his Hu line; J Cole who seems to be constantly pumping out Pumas and actually has the hoops skills to bring in ballers; Bad Bunny, who — despite starting it all off with a few Crocs — is now two for two with his Adidas collaborations; and Beyonce, who continues to make tremendous leaps with each drop of her Ivy Park line.
It’s undeniable that, save for Virgil Abloh and Aleali May, the most exciting sneakers to drop right now are coming from the world of hip-hop. And no name is more exciting than La Flame — yes, we’re talking about Mr. Cactus Jack himself, Travis Scott. Together in partnership with Helmut Lang, Nike, and Jordan Brand, Scott has been dropping some of the most hyped sneaker releases of our modern era of streetwear, offering remixed designs of the aforementioned brand’s most popular silhouettes draped in Scott’s signature dusty desert aesthetic and vibe.
Over the last three years, Scott has dropped 14 sneakers and today we’re here to rank every single one of them from worst to best. Let’s dive in.
15. Travis Scott Jordan XXXIII Army Olive
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Amongst fans of Scott’s sneaker collaborations, these are absolutely hated. It’s easy to see why. I mean… look at ’em!
Some people feel that hate is overkill, arguing that these are slept on but they still deserve their spot at the bottom of this list. It’s not simply that they’re bad — this army olive mesh upper and brown suede heel panel is a pretty solid design for the XXXIIIs and pretty emblematic of the looks to come — but it’s just so boring in comparison to everything else Scott has done with Nike.
It feels mean to place any Scott shoe dead last, but it’s hard to argue that this is better than any of the other shoes on this list.
Find the Travis Scott Jordan XXXIII Army Olive at GOAT.
14. Travis Scott x Helmut Lang Low Top
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Before Travis Scott started lending his aesthetic to classic Nike and Jordan silhouettes, he linked up with Italian designer Helmut Lang for a sleek all-black high-top and low-top sneaker. The Helmut Lang collaborations are soft of an anomaly in the lineage of Travis Scott sneakers, but looking at it does make us wonder what the Cactus Jack label would’ve looked like if it never linked up with Nike. Thank God it did!
Featuring a nylon upper with leather and velcro straps across the heel and upper, the Travis Scott x Helmut Lang was made in Italy and features graphic bull imagery on the tongue and Helmut Lang branding on the heel tab.
It’s… okay. Just that and nothing more. Definitely a step up from the XXXIII, though.
The Travis Scott x Helmut Lang Low Top is currently unavailable on the aftermarket.
13. Travis Scott x Playstation Nike Dunk Low
Nike
Originally, we ranked this one last. It’s a three-way collaboration that coincided with the release of the Playstation 5, which just felt like tacky branded overkill. But the more we look at the design — which is actually kind of dope and borrows from the OG Playstation’s look for its colorway — the more it grows on us. This one is certainly a grower.
We still don’t like the Sony branding on the heel (Playstation logo can stay) but we can’t sit here and pretend that the Jordan XXXIII is somehow better than this sail and light blue upper, with its charcoal grey reverse swoosh and embroidered branding.
Find the Travis Scott x Playstation Nike Dunk Low at StockX.
12. Travis Scott Nike Air Max 270 React Cactus Trails
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You’ll notice that Scott has a definite preference for Nike’s more retro silhouettes, so the Air Max 270 Cactus Trails is unique in that this is one of the most futuristic-looking Cactus Jack sneakers released yet, thanks to the aerodynamic design of the 270. It’s ironic that it’s also the most artificially aged, with a yellowed midsole and a messy mix of textile, nubuck, and TPU Overlays over a dirty cream colorway.
It really earns its moniker “Cactus Trails,” this is a grimy, dusty mess of a design.
Find the Travis Scott Nike Air Max 270 React Cactus Trails at GOAT.
11. Travis Scott Nike Air Force 1 Low White
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Travis Scott’s long and fruitful collaboration with Nike begins with this take on the Air Force 1. Released in celebration of the 35th anniversary of the silhouette, this white canvas take on the AF-1 dropped at ComplexCon 2017 and featured interchangeable removable swooshes that were meant to evoke Scott’s trademark grill.
The laces have a Cactus Jack logo covering them and the whole thing sits atop a contrasting gum sole. It’s perhaps most notable for looking so different than the designs that would come to define Scott’s work with Nike.
Find the Travis Scott Nike Air Force 1 Low White at StockX.
10. Travis Scott x Helmut Lang High Top
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The High Top version of Scott’s Helmut Lang sneaker is a massive improvement over the low. This may be the last time this particular sneaker stays in the top 10 as Scott and Nike have a bunch of rumored releases planned for Holiday 2021. Enjoy your spot, Helmut Lang Highs!
Featuring the same nylon upper with leather paneling and straps as the low, the Helmut Lang high tops are super sleek, militaristic, and represent a Travis Scott era that feels like a distant memory. Not much to say about these that we haven’t said already with the low tops, this is just an all-around better design.
The Travis Scott x Helmut Lang High Top is currently unavailable on the aftermarket.
9. Travis Scott Nike Air Force 1 Low Cactus Jack
GOAT
The Cactus Jack Air Force 1 has always had a Sean Wotherspoon vibe to us. We know what you’re thinking, “WHY BECAUSE IT HAS CORDUROY???” Yup, that’s exactly why. Do you really think this zipped corduroy lace shroud would exist without Wotherspoon’s Air Max 97, which dropped two years earlier? You’re tripping. Wotherspoon MADE corduroy.
The AF1 Cactus Jack features a graphic canvas upper, a brown swoosh on the outer, a black swoosh on the inner, and sits atop a gum outsole. It’s a dope design, but it’s just a little too busy. A comfortable mid-tier release by Scott.
Find the Travis Scott Nike Air Force 1 Low Cactus Jack at GOAT.
8 . Travis Scott Jordan 1 Retro Low Mocha
StockX
This low-top version of the Jordan I borrows the design of the more iconic high-top version with a mocha and black nubuck leather upper and that polarizing backward swoosh on the lateral side. The backward swoosh actually looks bigger here (it’s not) making the sneaker look unlike a Jordan I, that’s kind of cool. The medial side panel features Cactus Jack lining in university red, making another appearance on the tongue, with the Air Jordan Wings on the heel tab.
This is pleasant and middling. Perfectly functional but not going to make a huge scene.
Find the Travis Scott Jordan 1 Retro Low Mocha at GOAT.
7. Travis Scott Nike Air Force 1 Low Sail
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This Sail colorway of the Air Force 1 was Scott’s second release with Nike and built upon the all-white colorway that preceded it. The canvas upper and removable shiny swoosh is still here, but this Sail colorway just works so much better with the gum outsole and canvas construction. It feels like a true transitional sneaker between Scott’s first Nike drop to the more earthy and worn designs that would come to define the Cactus Jack aesthetic.
Find the Travis Scott Nike Air Force 1 Low Sail at GOAT.
6. Travis Scott Jordan 4 Retro Purple (Friends and Family Release)
StockX
We considered not even including this sneaker, as it’s a close friend and family-only release and never had a retail release, but it’s just too clean to ignore. It’s also currently available at StockX, which means someone isn’t being a good friend (we wouldn’t have done you like that, Travis!). This moody Jordan IV features a suede upper in a deep purple with black accents and a grey lace cage.
It’s easily one of the best colorways we’ve ever seen of the Jordan IV period, it’s almost cruel this wasn’t released to the public. Scott has a few more friends and family colorways, but none reach this level of perfection, which makes the StockX sale sting even more.
Find the Travis Scott Jordan 4 Retro Purple Suede at StockX.
5. Travis Scott Nike SB Dunk Low Cactus Jack
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This is a totally personal take, but this pair brings up a lot of nostalgia for me. The bandana-inspired paisley overlays capture so much of the imagery of growing up in and around East LA. This sneaker looks like my childhood, filtered down into a shoe.
The SB Dunk Low Cactus Jack is significant because it’s Scott’s first skate sneaker, utilizing Nike’s ridiculously popular silhouette, dressing it in a tan leather base with plaid quarter panels, paisley overlays, and canvas that tears away to reveal an earthy camo pattern that kind of resembles Nike’s elephant print (but isn’t quite that).
The design is rounded out by thick rope laces, the whole thing really captures Scott’s Cactus Jack aesthetic — muted, yet psychedelic. Scott and Nike have a whole slate of Dunks that are supposed to drop in late 2021, we’ll see if they can match this take.
Find the Travis Scott Nike SB Dunk Low Premium QS at GOAT.
4. Travis Scott Jordan 6 Retro Olive
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Released at the end of 2019, the Jordan VI features an almost militaristic olive green nubuck and suede upper with a little stash snap pocket on the outer collar. At the time of release, it felt like this was the perfect music festival sneaker to hide your stash in. The idea of going to a concert still seems novel, and this is the second time we’re ranking Scott’s whole sneaker output. Another handful of Travis Scott sneakers will likely drop before we are able to see the rapper perform live again. That’s just sad.
Scott rocked this colorway at the Super Bowl 53 halftime show, leading to its coveted status amongst sneakerheads and Travis Scott fans alike. The design is rounded out by a glow-in-the-dark translucent outsole with sail and university red accent work. Scott has yet to drop something that tops this design since its debut release.
Are the little pockets and zippers stupid and gimmicky? Yes. But forced utility aside, the British Khaki Jordan 6, Scott’s first sneaker of 2021, is in every way an improvement over 2019’s Olive colorway, which it clearly builds off of. Featuring a suede and canvas upper dusted in a mix of British Khaki and Sail, it’s the Bright Crimson accents on the heel, tongue, and branding that really pull this design together.
On top of this earthy colorway, a glow-in-the-dark sole and heel tab adds a nice psychedelic edge to the look, while seamlessly blending in with the rest of the design, never dipping into gimmicky territory, despite you know, being glow in the dark.
Find the Travis Scott Jordan 6 Retro British Khaki at GOAT.
2. Travis Scott Jordan 4 Retro Cactus Jack
StockX
There were several times I came close to ranking this as the number one pick, and while ultimately I contend that it’s probably (probably!) not the best Travis Scott sneaker out there, it is my personal favorite. This use of Nike’s university red and blue here is just beautiful, with its blue Durabuck leather upper and a red collar and insole. Inspired by the Houston Oilers, Scott’s hometown team, the Cactus Jack Jordan IV’s are rounded out by a core black lace cage and heel panel with university blue speckles, and feature Cactus Jack and Jumpman branding on the left and right heel respectively.
I’m already regretting not giving it the number one slot, but not enough to bump it up… yet.
Find the Travis Scott Jordan 4 Retro Cactus Jack at GOAT.
1. Travis Scott Jordan 1 Retro High Mocha
GOAT
It feels almost cliche to rank the Mocha Jordan I Retro High as Scott’s best, but this sneaker release has managed to become emblematic of Cactus Jack as a fashion entity now three years after its original release. The large over-sized backward swoosh looks very gimmicky by today’s standards (though we don’t know that it didn’t always) but that mix of mocha suede paneling again a sail leather upper with university red accents is still one of the silhouette’s best colorways.
Since this insanely popular drop, Nike has since borrowed this same exact color scheme for a stock Air Jordan I, which we actually prefer, since it doesn’t have the backward swoosh. But hey, that’s just us.
Find the at Travis Scott Jordan 1 Retro High at GOAT.
It’s safe to say that Baby Keem has crawled out of the quiet cave that was his 2020 year. Aside from being a part of the 2020 XXL Freshman list, which served as a huge moment for him and resulted in a new freestyle, Keem kept things low last year until its final moments when he returned with a pair of singles that sparked a string of releases bringing fans to his latest effort, “Durag Activity” with Travis Scott. The clouded banger sees Keem leading the way with near-mumble raps as he details the things that make up “durag activity.” After a couple of verses, he opens the door for Scott to arrive with his trademark autotune croons for a solid verse.
The new track is also paired with a video that depicts Keem as a mob boss of sorts who gets into trouble with Scott after laying hands on an enemy. The song will hopefully lead to the arrival of Keem’s third album, which remains untitled at the moment. It’ll be his first full-length effort since 2019’s Die For My B*tch, a project that helped boost the Las Vegas native into the spotlight thanks to “Orange Soda,” which grew to be the rapper’s most successful single to date. On a more recent note, the single arrives after his “No Sense” effort, one that dropped with a video that captures Keem going stir crazy. That song was the follow-up to his late 2020 releases, “Hooligan” and “Sons & Critics Freestyle.”
As for Travis, the Houston native was recently awarded for his philanthropic efforts towards HBCU students. He’s also set to headline Rolling Loud’s Miami festival with ASAP Rocky and Post Malone.
While Travis Scott has amassed a number of awards in his career, his latest comes as a result of his work with public service. According to Billboard, the Astroworld rapper was recently awarded for his philanthropic efforts for HBCU students, specifically his work with Red Carpet Advocacy (RAD) Awards, which highlights people who “inspire purpose.” Scott was one of five recipients of the award, joining a list that includes Laverne Cox, Charlize Theron, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and Margot Robbie.
Some of Scott’s past charitable contributions include paying off the tuition of five students at historically Black colleges and universities, which he did back in October. A month later he created the Cactus Jack Foundation, and a few months later, he partnered with his Houston hometown to deliver 50,000 meals to residents after the state’s brutal ice storm. The foundation also launched its first major initiative, the Waymon Webster Scholarship program, named after the rapper’s grandfather, who attended an HBCU, and aimed at granting several HBCU students with scholarships. First-round selections have already been made through the program for potential recipients that were enrolled at Prairie View A&M University, Howard University, Morehouse College, Texas Southern University, and Grambling State University.
The award arrives after Scott was listed as a headliner for Rolling Loud’s Miami festival with Post Malone, ASAP Rocky, and others.
Houston hip-hop star Travis Scott knows the marathon continues after the George Floyd verdict. While the Grammy nominee acknowledged relief over the news that ex-cop Derek Chauvin has been convicted of murder after kneeling on Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes, he says there’s more work to do as a society. Travis Scott Says We […]
This Tuesday, Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin was found guilty of second-degree unintentional murder, third-degree murder, and second-degree manslaughter for killing George Floyd last May. The conviction happened nearly a year after Floyd’s death, but seeing as 98.3 percent of murders by police from 2013-2020 resulted in no charges, many were glad to finally see Chauvin behind bars. Along with many other celebrities, Travis Scott was among those grateful for the sentencing.
Scott recently sat down for an interview with AP to discuss his thoughts surrounding the trial. Along with feeling “glad” that Floyd was able to get justice, Scott says he hopes the world can eventually “get to a more balanced” place:
“I mean, we felt that we finally got justice toward some sh*t that was just very disgusting. For it to take so long to finally catch something like a verdict like this for the things that happen every day—even during the week of his trial, you’re seeing still it’s continuing—I’m glad that it’s justice for the Floyd family. Now that we can try to work forward to even just try to stop it, in a mass picture, you get what I’m saying? Trying to get to the next step where we can halt this attack, whether it’s from the police or any walking person and just try to get to a more balanced spot in the world. Because this sh*t, it’s just crazy.”
The return of music festival announcements have seen typical summer events like Bonnaroo and Outside Lands getting pushed to the fall. Rolling Loud is never one to go with the flow, however, and has announced their festival’s gates will open just a few weeks later than originally planned. The event will now take place during the weekend of July 23rd-25th at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, FL.
The organizers were able to keep much of the lineup intact from its 2020 iteration, including Travis Scott, Post Malone and ASAP Rocky. Bobby Shmurda will serve as a special guest, along with appearances from some of the best and brightest in hip hop including Lil Baby, 21 Savage, DaBaby, Young Thug, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Uzi Vert, Playboi Carti, Roddy Ricch, Rod Wave, Lil Tjay, Pooh Shiesty, Polo G, Ski Mask The Slump God, City Girls, Rick Ross, Gucci Mane, T-Pain, Curren$y, Fetty Wap, and Wale. Check out the full lineup image below.
Rolling Loud
“We want to extend a massive thank you to all of our ragers who have held onto their tickets,” the festival said in a statement. “Those who can’t make the new dates will have the opportunity to obtain a refund. Information on how to obtain a refund will be sent out to ticket holders later this month. We are also working on sweetening the deal for those of you who choose to keep your tickets in addition to the rage pack you already earned from the last reschedule.
The statement continued:
We can’t wait to reunite together in the pits we’ve all grown to love (and miss) so much. Many of you, like us, have been looking forward to Rolling Loud for months now. And although we may need to wait a little bit longer—trust that this comeback and reunion will be even stronger. Whether you’re a Rolling Loud veteran or a first-timer, you are about to be a part of history.
Tickets go on sale 4/23 at 12PM ET. Get them here.
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Travis Scott is as big as most any brand out there. He’s dominating the hip-hop space, burning up the streetwear scene with his Cactus Jack label, making moves in the virtual world, and he’s even dabbled in the fast-food universe. So it should come as a surprise to absolutely nobody that now Scott is lending his dusty desert aesthetic to a spiked seltzer — another extremely popular cultural fixture.
CACTI is made in collaboration with Anheuser-Busch and is Scott’s answer to White Claw. Don’t be fooled (or charmed) by the sound of “agave spiked seltzer,” though. CACTI is made from water, fermented cane sugar, a hint of lime juice, and agave syrup — it doesn’t have tequila in it. It’s basically the same ingredient set as White Claw and Truly. But it’s made way sweeter by thanks to that agave syrup, which also means it’s about double the calories of those other brands.
The upshot is that at 7% ABV, it’s a lot stronger. You’ll feel the buzz after a single can — definitely a good thing when each serving is 150 calories.
CACTI is brewed in Los Angeles and available in just three flavors as of now — Lime, Pineapple, and Strawberry. It’s dropping in a 9-count 12-oz variety pack, as well as 16oz and 25oz jumbo cans (only available in Lime and Pineapple). We got our hands on a case and decided to see how it stacks up to the competition in the over-saturated spiked seltzer market.
Is this a legit attempt at a worthwhile beverage or a simple cash-grab?
The Packaging
Dane Rivera
Before we dive into each flavor, special mention has to be given to the packaging of CACTI. It matches Travis Scott’s dusty desert vibe perfectly, which helps to drive home that you’re drinking Travis Scott’s spiked seltzer and not something else. The cans themselves have a nice matte finish to them that would make Marques Brownlee weep with joy. It’s not the most important thing in the world but it really sets you up for a positive experience.
Before I cracked a can open I wanted to like it, just because I loved the way the packaging looked and felt. That’s kind of genius! But only really matters if the product delivers from a flavor standpoint.
CACTI — Strawberry
Dane Rivera
On the nose, the strawberry flavor is superior to every other flavor in the CACTI line. It’s akin to a basket of freshly washed in-season strawberries from the grocery store. Unfortunately, that’s where the association with anything remotely natural ends, because on the palate, CACTI Strawberry is a candied disaster.
Okay, maybe “disaster” is too strong but this tastes overly sugary. It’s no wonder why the strawberry is the only flavor to not release in larger size options — getting through a can feels like a chore.
While the initial blast of a freshly opened can is a bit overwhelming, once this flavor mellows out a bit it becomes a little more palatable. At its best (midway through the can, still cold), it tastes exactly like what a strawberry Jello-shot made with bottom-shelf vodka tastes like.
The Bottom Line
If you live for sweet drinks, this is certainly one of the sweetest spiked seltzers on the market. But if you hate Jello-shots, stay far away from this brew.
CACTI — Lime
Dane Rivera
Each of the CACTI seltzer flavors features a drop of lime juice, so they’re doubling-up on the lime here and it pays off! I was initially wary as to whether I’d like the Lime, as it presented almost no aroma when I cracked open a can. But I was pleased to find that this was a considerable step up from Strawberry.
The flavors just gel so much more harmoniously here, the lime juice and “natural flavoring” is the perfect complement to the blue agave syrup, resulting in a smooth, highly vegetal expression that really sets itself apart from other lime flavored seltzers. Where White Claw and Truly’s lime seltzers are spikey and tart, CACTI Lime is like syrup, it almost begs for an additional shot of a good vodka or tequila.
Which we’d recommend if a single can of CACTI wasn’t enough to get you buzzed. It definitely is.
Bottom Line:
The smoothest lime-flavored hard seltzer we’ve ever had the pleasure of drinking. Highly vegetal and grassy, offering a complexity unseen in the hard seltzer space.
CACTI — Pineapple
Dane Rivera
If I had to choose a single flavor of CACTI to bring home it would be… Lime, just because it’s more versatile. But if I’m ever reaching for a single can? It’s going to be Pineapple, which tastes the best as a standalone product. Cracking open a can reveals heavy tropical notes. It doesn’t recall the sharp tart qualities of pineapple so much as the rounder qualities of mango.
On the palate, CACTI Pineapple feels a little one-note — a bit like unripened pineapple — but the finish is sweeter and conjures a custom-made pineapple Jolly Rancher. The fact that this will get you buzzed is sinful, this is straight-up candy as an alcoholic beverage. And unlike the strawberry flavor, the sweetness here actually works.
Bottom Line:
Delicious. Sweet but not to its detriment. Among hard seltzers, and I’ve ranked them all, CACTI Pineapple lands amongst the very best, flavor-wise.
Rap superstar Travis Scott stays breaking records. The Houston legend’s new CACTI agave seltzer beverage has made sales history and gives him some serious bragging rights. Travis Scott Breaks New Records W/ CACTI A spokesperson has revealed CACTI had the “highest rate of sale in a debut for any variety pack in Anheuser-Busch Seltzer history.” […]
