Musicians in the Political Sphere: A Travis Scott Case Study

Musicians being outwardly vocal on societal woes and political issues is nothing new. In the wake of the 2018 midterms, we explore Travis Scott’s outpour of support for Beto O’Rourke.

Written by Emily Gruner

Midterm elections have passed, and with them, many musicians have come out of the political woodwork to show support for their favorite candidates. We’ve seen some unlikely heroes come out of the cracks, including rapper Travis Scott showing his support for Democratic Candidate Beto O’Rourke for Senate.

Photo courtesy of Travis Scott

It makes sense that Travis would support the Texas candidate. Travis was born and raised in Houston and attended the University of Texas at San Antonio before he dropped out his sophomore year to pursue music. His family and friends still live in Houston, so state politics directly affect the people close to him. But Travis’ support raises a question that applies to a lot of musicians today: why do some musicians choose to be outwardly vocal of their political and social leanings, especially in a time when they are likely to receive backlash?

First off, music is an art form, and artists prefer to showcase societal problems through their work. It’s a means of rebelling. Music history is filled with many instances where artists have addressed societal problems through song. For example N.WA.’s “F**k Tha Police” continues to be an anthem in combating police brutality against people of color.

Many artists find the Trump administration’s policies to be especially unnerving, spurring a large influx of musicians voicing their opinions through music. Childish Gambino’s “This is America,” Ty Dolla $ign’s “Hello,” and Janelle Monae’s Dirty Computer are just a few recent examples.

In addition to their art, many artists are using their influence to voice their opinions in places besides the recording studio. Laws affect musicians the same way they affect us, so they will spread their ideas just as we do: by going to rallies, talking to representatives, and communicating about issues on the ground.

Photo courtesy of Complex

For example, Travis Scott went to a Beto rally and spoke to his fans in an effort to rally support around  O’Rourke’s campaign. As a result, Travis increased Beto’s publicity to include his own fan base, spreading support for the ideas he believes in the process.

At the end of the day, we need to remember that artists are just like us —  they just have an opportunity to spread their ideas on a much larger scale. We can voice our opinions to our Instagram followers, and Travis Scott can voice his to his 12.7 million Instagram followers.

Each is an essential part of America’s political processes, as we all have a responsibility to do the most amount of good through the platforms we occupy. As we move forward post-midterms, it’s important for musicians to take advantage of their platforms to advocate for things they believe in.