Rodeo just dropped, and along with Travi$ Scott's virtuoso artistry, there are loads of quality features on the album. From R&B crooner The Weeknd, to the indie icon Toro Y Moi, newer rappers like Quavo and Swae Lee, to established cats like Juicy J, the album boasts a variety of guests who offer their own style to the tracks.
Naturally, conversation has sparked as to who crushed their feature spot the hardest. Was it Chief Keef with his verse on "Nightcrawler"? What about Juicy J's drug-filled spot on "Wasted"? Luckily all of the features are top-notch, but unfortunately, that made our job pretty difficult here. We'd love to hear who you think had the best feature in the comments section, so don't be shy (you never are) about letting us know. Keep in mind we stuck with the standard edition, although the deluxe had an additional ScHoolboy Q feature.
Toro Y Moi
Toro Y Moi is best known for his chillwave beats and indie status, but you probably would not expect to hear him on a track that was produced in part by Pharrell Williams. However, Travi$ Scott isn't one to do things in an ordinary fashion, and the fact that he tapped Toro Y Moi for "Flying High" shows how deep his tastes run.
The South Carolina-bred singer/producer offers a different voice to the track, but it isn't one of the elite features on the album. It's good, not great.
The Weeknd
The Weeknd is making his case for 'Man of the Year,' and his Rodeo feature doesn't hurt the run he's had in 2015. Having just released his sophomore full-length last week, Abel Tesfaye provides the hook for "Pray 4 Life" along with a fly verse at the end. However, in the context of Rodeo, "Pray 4 Life" isn't as memorable as some of the other records.
Swae Lee
The Rae Sremmurd member's feature is dope, but it just wasn't super memorable in the grand scheme of things. Maybe it was Chief Keef's bars that took the spotlight off Swae, but with one short verse and the intro to his credit, "Nightcrawler" could have been just fine without him.
Juicy J
When you see Juicy J's name as a feature, it's going to be hit or miss. He's delivered some stellar guest spots, but he's also dropped the ball a few times. We actually got some middle ground on "Wasted," as he lays down a druggy vibe that has us wondering how this Iron Man can still do it at 40 years old. The Pimp C sample also helps this record along. "Smoking on extendos, no clips / Project hoes going up in the Ritz."
Thugger's portion of this record leaked early, but, leak aside, it's a pretty standard Thug feature. It definitely compliments the record, but it's nothing too shocking. A few of the usual slurred up lyrics.
"Maria I'm Drunk" might be the craziest-looking track on Rodeo, just based on the title and features. Weirdo Young Thug and always-buzzworthy Justin Bieber are on the song, the latter of which actually provides a pretty solid verse on the track. Who knew Justin had bars?
Future
Future's flow is buzzworthy, for sure, but how many times can you pray for God to bring you Actavis? We love the style, but he could have bumped up a few more spots had he differentiated his material from the DS2 bars.
Chief Keef
The always-prolific Chief Keef brought his A-game to Rodeo. While he isn't always on point with his lyricism, the verse on "Nightcrawler" is legit. He talks about going from rags to riches and, of course, some gangster shit.
Kanye West
If there's one thing for certain, it's that Kanye West will make your track different than anything else out right now. That sentiment may never ring more true than it does on Rodeo, where Kanye's name is alongside the most sonically different track on the album. "Piss On Your Grave" is a bluesy rock 'n' roll track done up in the 2015 fashion.
2 Chainz
Two is for 2 Chainz. It's a shame that one of the best features on Rodeo is hardly new material, but hey, that's just how it goes sometimes. 2 Chainz absolutely wrecked his verse, dosing the audience with bars that describe his lifestyle with a healthy dose of humor. It's his trademark style and it's in full effect on "3500."
"Resident all eloquent, leather shit in my front yard
TV by my swimming pool, got that built like a sports bar
Chevelle with a new motor, got the bitch like a sports car
Yeah, my name is Tity Boi, I don't fuck with hoes that wear sports bras
Crib bigger than your imagination
Call the trap house the gas station
Call momma's house the Jag station
Emoji, sad faces
Look at these n***s
I need to buy pocketbooks for these n***as"
Quavo
The Migos rapper crushed his spot on "Oh My Dis Side," no question. His ATLien flow sounds right at home with Scott's style, and as the first feature of the album, he set the bar really high. He adds so much energy to this record, including his ad-libs that contrast Travi$'s own lyrics. In a somewhat surprising twist, Quavo takes our #1.