“ONE DAY TRAVIS SCOTT WILL BE SOMEBODY.”
Travis Scott tweeted this back in 2011! While people had their doubts, eight years later he is selling out shows, getting nominated for Grammys, and (most recently) releasing a documentary about his journey to the top.
Look Mom I Can Fly covers Scott’s experience as a young boy, particularly his love of music along with the insane drive he has as an artist. From the conception of ASTROWORLD at six years old to the mayor of Houston proclaiming November 18th as ‘Astroworld Day’ (and awarding him the key to the city at age 27), Travis has indeed come a long way! If you haven’t seen the doc yet, make sure to turn back now as we break down the doc and tell you our thoughts.
Look Mom I Can Fly begins with Travis Scott on a roller coaster, talking about his thoughts on his latest album, ASTROWORLD, and how much it means to him. Being something that he’s been working on for so long, it’s only natural that he’d have such a passion for the project, stating that “I feel that it’s some of the best moments of my life.” As he approaches the roller coaster’s drop, the scene transitions into something that embodies Travis Scott: rage. It shows him psyching out at one of his shows, with clips of fans proclaiming their love for Travis and their desire to rage, saying things like “Fuck the security. I am gonna rush the fucking stage!” and “Travis motherfucking Scott, the greatest live performer on this fucking planet, don’t get it fucking twisted.”
As the documentary continues, viewers get a front-row seat to the 2017 riot from Scott’s perspective, ultimately leading to his arrest. Initially, it was just supposed to be a moment of transition from raging with fans. Unfortunately, it ended up with Travis in handcuffs. There were multiple injuries in the crowd, most notably a security guard with a broken leg. After seeing this, the documentary transitions once again, this time into fans talking about what Travis Scott means to them. Although the answers varied, they all had fairly the same message, with fans telling interviewers that “He changes your heart, makes you feel loved,” that “Every time I listen to his music, I’ll never forget that shit.” When describing his concerts, fans explained that “You can fall and everyone will pick you up. It’s weird how one person’s music can turn everyone into such a family.” Multiple fans thanked Travis for saving their lives through his music, as “he was the first person to let me know that I wasn’t alone.” Later, we see Travis’s release from the county jail, which only strengthened his drive for music.
After his release, Travis locked in and put ASTROWORLD together with the help of Mike Dean, James Blake, and the rest of his crew. But before he did this, he welcomed his daughter into the world. The documentary shows us Travis’s reaction to her ultrasound and heartbeat, and later her birth.
The birth of Stormi was definitely a turning point in his life, as she gave him a new purpose. After her birth, we see him working on songs like “NO BYSTANDERS” as well as “BUTTERFLY EFFECT” and watch his music-making process, with unheard verses and altered beats included. This gives fans an exclusive inside look on how Travis operates in the studio, and is an excellent addition to the documentary.
While Travis was on top of the world after the release of ASTROWORLD, he was still hungry. The Grammy’s were coming up, and he received multiple nominations, including best Best Rap Album. He was itching for the award, and rightfully so! He put in the work for months, garnishing insane amounts of exposure and success along the way. Fans everywhere thought the award was in the bag for him! Unfortunately, they were wrong. He lost to Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy, and it really got to him.
The documentary does a great job of expressing how upset Travis was after losing, showing the slump he fell into afterward. He met up with the mayor and apologized to him, telling him that “I was trying to bring one home. After Sunday I’ve been mentally, like, stressed, I’ve been down. I been question. I don’t know man, I lost, man. I’m torn.” The mayor quickly reassures him that everything will be fine, telling him to “Keep coming…You gotta tell folks that sometimes you don’t get what you want, but you don’t stop.”
This was a powerful moment in the documentary because the entire time we saw Travis on screen, he was happy. Always ready to go, ready to rage, and this was the first time fans truly saw him hurting, and the fact that the mayor of his own city was there to keep him level headed had been something truly special.
The documentary is amazing from start to finish, giving the perfect glimpse into everything that makes Travis Scott who he is. From his love for the fans to his desire to rage, it’s all jam-packed into an 85-minute masterpiece! Some highlights include moments from his childhood (which worked to express his love for Astroworld), the recording as well as the organization of ASTROWORLD, the birth of Stormi, all of the moments between Travis and his fans, and how well he bounced back from his snub at the Grammys.
Look Mom I Can Fly gives fans insight into all aspects of Travis Scott’s personal life, not just his best moments. It does a great job of emphasizing his humanity. We see his reaction to fatherhood, his struggles as an aspiring musician, the love he has for his fans, and everything in between. It’s an excellent testament to Travis’s character and encapsulates the mix of love and rage that makes his music so great.
It also gives viewers a newfound respect for Travis, with fans saying online “This documentary gave me goosebumps, made me cry, and smile all at the same FUCKING TIME I LOVE YOU, YOU FUCKING LEGEND RAGE 4 LIFE” and “LOOK MOM I CAN FLY IS THE BEST FUCKING DOCUMENTARY I’VE EVER FUCKING SEEN”. While fans are exaggerating a bit, we most certainly agree that the documentary is something special, and will surely stand the test of time.
