Travis Scott albums tend to feel like genre-defining moments. Each studio project of his, whether it be Rodeo (2015), Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight (2016), or Astroworld (2018), feels like it either shifts or reinforces the zeitgeist of that year in hip-hop.
Videos by American Songwriter
However, as much as his LPs serve as checkpoints or milestones for himself and all of rap, songs made for these albums that do not make the final track lists are often overlooked. Hits like “Antidote” from Rodeo, “goosebumps” from BITTSM, and “SICKO MODE” from Astroworld all reached the pinnacle of hip-hop acclaim and chart success, but songs left on the cutting room floor never get to garner any recognition.
Now, as fans are in the midst of a nearly five-year wait for Scott’s next album, tentatively titled Utopia, we at American Songwriter figured now is a better time than any to honor the hits that never were. We’ve compiled our favorite Travis Scott songs that never saw the light of day (digital streaming platform release). However, we excluded tracks from his non-DSP, yet intentionally released mixtapes Owl Pharaoh (2013) and Days Before Rodeo (2014). Here are his 10 best unreleased songs.
1. “The Hooch”
In October 2016, just a month after Travis Scott released his sophomore studio album Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight, a project by him titled Days Before Birds surfaced on digital streaming platforms. Soon after, however, a representative for Scott revealed to Fader that it was not an official release and it would quickly be taken down.
More research showed all the songs on this faux mixtape were either leaked or songs previously premiered by Scott. While it’s still unknown years later how the tape ended up being released via Scott’s artist page, many of the tracks included still live infamously in the hearts of his fans. The most beloved of these is “The Hooch,” a whimsical yet hard-hitting cut produced by Boi-1da, Mike Dean, and Allen Ritter.
2. “A Man”
On May 15, 2017, a year and some change before Travis Scott would drop his most recent studio album Astroworld, he delivered three new songs for his fans. However, he would not put them out on digital streaming platforms. Instead, he released “A Man,” “Green & Purple,” and “Butterfly Effect” solely on SoundCloud.
“Butterfly Effect” would eventually make its way to DSPs, becoming the lead single for the eventual album. As for the other two, they fell to the wayside in the eye of Scott, left to collect dust on his SoundCloud page. “A Man,” potentially the most impressive of the trio, features production from Southside, Max Levin, and Jake One, as well as a trademark fiery performance from Scott.
3. “Houdini”
One day after Astroworld came out on Aug. 3, 2018, Travis Scott’s .WAV Radio show on Apple Music went live. Hosted by his tour DJ, producer, and friend Chase B, they decided to play some songs that did not make the final album cut. Among these was “Houdini” with Playboi Carti.
With goofy bars such as Watchin’ Family Guy, no way to pause it, the two-minute-long track features a verse from Playboi Carti around the time he released his breakout album Die Lit (2018). Two of the hottest rappers in the business at that point, it’s quite a shame “Houdini” never hit DSPs.
4. “Black Mass”
Much like some of the songs listed above, “Black Mass” was not only leaked attached to the phony Days Before Birds tape but was also previewed by Scott and his team on .WAV Radio. Played on the show in 2016 during the lead-up to BITTSM, “Black Mass” is another fan-favorite in the archive of banished Scott songs.
5. “Lost Forever”
After working with James Blake on songs like “the ends” (2016), “STOP TRYING TO BE GOD” (2018), and “Mile High” (2019), it seems that Travis Scott took a strong liking to the British musician. So much so, that he decided to connect with him again during the Utopia album-making process.
Scott first premiered “Lost Forever” with Blake and Westside Gunn in the summer of 2021 for a Dior show featuring clothes they worked on with Scott’s brand Cactus Jack. Around that same time, he also performed the song at the Rolling Loud festival, exciting fans for the future LP. There has not been much talk lately regarding “Lost Forever,” though, so we’ll just have to wait and see if it lands on the eventual album.
6. “Raid”
“Raid” is perhaps the Scott unreleased song that people know the least about. Previewed a few times by multiple different people, there are versions of the song that include verses from rappers like French Montana, Zoey Dollaz, and Blac Youngsta. However, they all include the same Hop out, hop out, gang-gang-ganghook from Scott. The version with the Zoey Dollaz verse remains the most prominent of all the leaks.
7. “Yeah Yeah”
“Yeah Yeah” is yet another gem from the ominous Days Before Birds mixtape. A monster joint track between Scott and frequent collaborator Young Thug, the song was originally intended to release as part of Thug’s 2016 album Jeffery. However, when engineer and producer Alex Tumay, who worked with Scott, Thug, Kanye West, and 21 Savage most notably, was in the process of mixing the song, he got word that it had leaked. This led to the song being scrapped for good.
8. “RaRa”
Although a few of the songs mentioned above were rumored to be intended for BITTSM, “RaRa” actually was, according to Scott. On the night his album was released (Sept. 2, 2016), he decided to upload “RaRa” with at-the-time burgeoning star Lil Uzi Vert to SoundCloud only. He explained that he was not able to finish the song in time for it to make the final track list, but still wanted fans to enjoy it. “RaRa” still lives on Scott’s SoundCloud page.
9. “Zoom”
As previously noted, Scott and Chase B’s .WAV Radio show the day after Astroworld‘s release saw them play a handful of songs from their recent studio sessions. Along with “Houdini,” the song “Zoom” featuring Gunna was played during the episode. Although Gunna and Scott’s collaborative song “YOSEMITE” was included on Astroworld, “Zoom” unfortunately did not make the final cut.
10. “First Class”
Also known as “Forgive Me,” “First Class” is another song Scott previewed in 2016 ahead of BITTSM. Although, after playing it in the club in 2016, not much was heard about the song after that. Made around the same time as songs like “RaRa” and “Black Mass,” “First Class” featured production from Gezin, who also worked on “NO BYSTANDERS” from Astroworld.
(Photo by Mauricio Santana/Getty Images)
