‘Rodeo’ Artwork Photographer Reveals Meaning Behind the Travi$ Scott Action Figure

With little announcement, yesterday Travi$ Scott unveiled the two cover artworks for his forthcoming debut album, Rodeo. The cover was shot by New York photographer and casting director Kevin Amato, whose has previously produced work for the likes of Hood By Air and Opening Ceremony, along with Travi$’s album artwork project Days Before Rodeo. The two album sleeves shows Travi$ in the form of an action figure, one rigidly perched, while the other stood atop a monster truck. In the excerpt, Amato speaks on the concept of using a figure the size of a Ken doll and how it evokes the sensibility of Houston, and thus Rodeo. The album drops on September 4; get your pre-order here.

“The doll was really held under wraps, on lockdown basically. People were flying this doll, it felt human at one point. I didn’t even see it until the shoot. The action figure is almost the size of a Ken doll. He wanted it to be able to fit in the trucks and cars, sit next to Barbie in a Corvette. [The alternate covers] kind of an interesting thing. It also makes multi-personality Travi$. I mean, for me it was good because if you know Travi$ and his energy. It was nice to have one still object ’cause his energy is so amazing. It’s hard to find someone to shoot a doll and not make it corny or cheap or be able to bring this to life. It’s like a still. It was animated but I didn’t want to make it look like a doll. I think ‘rodeo’ is the world you enter once you get the album. But as it evolves and you see the packaging and the visuals within, it makes sense. Travi$ makes rodeo an emotion. It’s Texas, it’s Houston, it’s a vibe. When the album drops, you will definitely feel a rodeo.”