Travis Scott has started promoting his much anticipated fourth studio album, UTOPIA. He recently shared the meaning behind the album’s title in a cover story for architecture magazine Pin-Up.
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“Utopia is something that people feel is so far-fetched and out of reach, some perfect state of mind. But you create it yourself,” he said.
“There are people who achieve utopia every day,” he continued. “They may not be the richest people with the dopest cribs, but it’s a utopia wherever they are, and that’s the most you can have. With every album, I live in these worlds in my mind — I’m trying to show people experiences where utopian things can exist, and you can enjoy yourself and have a good time. They can create energy that spews out magical things — new cures, new buildings, new avenues for people to move forward. People need to see that utopia is real.”
Travis Scott for Pop-Up Mag shot by Thibaut Grevet (2023) pic.twitter.com/lIwj8pfCof
— Outlander Magazine (@StreetFashion01) May 24, 2023
Scott seems to be tapping into the imaginary once more, as well as into his passion for design. The rapper’s friend and DJ Chase B recently unveiled a UTOPIA-themed Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1 Low. The dunk comes in an olive colorway — also featuring the rapper’s album title as well as a potential logo for the project. The shoe is not set to be released to the public, according to Hypebeast.
Chase B gives an unboxing of the UTOPIA Jordans 👀 pic.twitter.com/SYtBHeAdTc
— Curating Our Culture® (@curatingourcult) May 24, 2023
Scott also opened up about his love for architecture in his recent cover story, which he plans on pursuing after his music career.
“Architecture is my true passion,” he told Pin-Up. “I plan to apply to the architecture program at Harvard GSD when I’m done with music, which won’t be for a while. It would be dope to do both at the same time.”
The rapper told his fans he was applying to the program back in 2018. A year before, he had shared his ambitions to study at the Ivy League school.
“Me and my friend Dozie are supposed to go to Harvard, go to architecture school at Harvard,” Scott said in an interview with Show Studio’s ‘In Camera.’ “I think after my third album, I’m going to do it after my third album.”
The album in question was the Grammy-nominated project Astroworld.
Im applying to Harvard
In a couple days. And I really am excited. !— TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) December 3, 2018
Scott has attended Harvard in the past — not as a student but as a speaker. In 2018, he gave a masterclass in creativity, where he shared that he mainly finds creative inspiration through his life experiences.
The artist shared he is passionate about brutalist architecture, graphic design, furniture and his home having a dark cream color palette throughout. He is currently curating a botanical garden in his home that is inspired by amusement parks and Japanese animé.
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Scott wants to make an impact through various forms of art. He points to Virgil Abloh, Louis Vuitton’s late creative director and multidisciplinary artist, as an inspiration.
“Making an impact is fun. But sometimes people also flip the question on you in weird ways. There are people who don’t understand why you’re influential, and it can become an issue,” he said. “The person who had the greatest impact on me and my taste level was Virgil. He was a true inspiration.”
