After 5 long years Travis Scott releases his highly anticipated rap album Utopia. With the stakes higher than ever it was met with high ratings and overall positive support. 6 months after its release it was nominated for Rap Album of the Year in the 2024 Grammys. Although there were strong contenders fighting for the same spot, many fans believed Travis would be the inevitable winner; but to their disbelief he lost to Killer Mike’s album MICHAEL. Fans immediately became outraged and were convinced Travis had been snubbed by the Grammys.
Many fans took their rage to twitter. Memes shortly took over everyone’s timelines, even claiming that this result is worse than a heartbreak. In addition fans of Travis and Rap alike were quick to point out the comparison to the 2018 Grammy’s where Cardi B won best Rap Album of the year instead of Travis Scott’s ASTROWORLD. A repeat of the same issue by the Grammy’s sealed the deal and had fans fully convinced that the Grammy’s is rigged.
While the disapproval on social media was very widespread I wanted to see the opinions on a local level. Was the major consensus that Travis was robbed or did most people agree with the awards. I found three demographics of people to interview, Two respondents were not fans of Travis Scott or Killer mike, one respondent was a casual fan of Travis Scott, and one was a die hard Travis Scott fan for lack of a better term. Unfortunately I could not find anyone who was solely a Killer Mike fan.
Respondents 1 & 2 : Chance Octave & Camilo Casanova
Q- Do you agree with the Grammys winning decision?
A- Chance believed that just because many fans of Travis Scott or viewers of the Grammys have never heard of Killer Mike and/or never listened to his album does not mean he didn’t deserve to win. Camilo was indifferent as he didn’t enjoy either album.
Q – Do you believe Killer Mike’s album was won due to it being considered comfortable rap and his lack of experimental-ism?
A- Camilo: “To a point I would agree with it. I mean it’s like, the industry is mainly run by white people. So I guess they don’t really understand the culture of it as much as Black People.”
Chance followed up by agreeing with this statement, reiterating the idea that the people in charge of the Grammys shouldn’t be able to decide what good music is. He believes music is subjective and everyone is going to have an opinion about it.
Q- Do you believe numbers equate popularity and play as big as a role people believe they do?
A- Camilo: “I definitely disagree with that. There are a lot of artists that are very talented that don’t have the recognition that they deserve, but a lot of people have been in the main stream so long its like people stream whatever they release, even if its a really bad project.”
Respondent 3 : Anonymous
Q- Do you agree with the Grammys winning decision?
A- “I think he got robbed again, like three times over. This is like one of the worst ones. No one knew about Killer Mike, really, except maybe like old heads or whatever.”
Q – Do you believe Killer Mike’s album was won due to it being considered “comfortable rap” and his lack of experimental-ism?
A- “Yeah I think so. Yeah I think a lot of older heads know about Killer Mike than I guess younger people, but I don’t think Killer Mike could win a… he won three Grammys that day right? Yeah I don’t think he should have won that.”
Q- Do you believe numbers equate popularity and play as big as a role people believe they do?
A- “I guess in this sense it doesn’t really matter to anything. I’m pretty sure Killer Mike is at the bottom numbers compared to the other albums and he still won a Grammy. So I think numbers don’t really matter anymore even though they should, but I guess at this point they don’t.”
Respondent 4 : Anonymous
Q- Do you agree with the Grammys winning decision?
A- “No” He gave no elaboration.
Q – Do you believe Killer Mike’s album was won due to it being considered “comfortable rap” and his lack of experimental-ism?
A- “That makes a lot of sense actually. I agree. I didn’t think about that before, but now that I think about it, it adds up.”
Q- Do you believe numbers equate popularity and play as big as a role people believe they do?
A- “Numbers should play a part, because I am his number one fan.”
After taking it to a local level it is evident that music is subjective. No matter what the Grammys or the Oscars or whoever/whatever decides, does not mean it is good or bad music. Listen to the music you enjoy and continue spreading the beauty and art that is music.
