Album Review: JACKBOYS 2 by JACKBOYS
Travis Scott and his Cactus Jack crew’s much-anticipated sequel promises “17 new tracks full of trunk rattling classics in the making,” all hosted by the legendary Bun B of UGK.
Back in late 2019, Travis Scott was riding the wave of his 2018 opus Astroworld, which solidified him as a psychedelic trap visionary with its theme-park aesthetics and star-studded features. JACKBOYS, released two days after Christmas, via Cactus Jack Records (Travis’s imprint under Epic), wasn’t a solo album but a seven-track compilation highlighting his roster: Don Toliver, Sheck Wes, and DJ Chase B, with guests like Young Thug, Quavo, Offset, and a posthumously celebrated Pop Smoke on “Gatti.” It felt like a victory lap—a gritty, high-energy extension of the Astroworld universe, blending trap bangers with moody atmospherics. Commercially, it debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, “Out West” became a viral sensation, and it capped a banner year for him. At that point, Travis seemed untouchable, with the Astroworld Festival growing into a major event.
Fast-forward to November 5, 2021: the third annual Astroworld Festival in Houston. What was meant to be a celebration of Travis's world turned catastrophic when a crowd surge during his set led to a mass casualty incident, resulting in 10 deaths and hundreds injured. The fallout was immense—lawsuits piled up (eventually settled for undisclosed amounts), investigations pointed to poor crowd control, and Travis faced intense scrutiny for continuing the performance amid chaos. He issued apologies, donated to victims’ families, and stepped back from the spotlight, canceling appearances and delaying projects.
This period marked a shift; Travis’s larger-than-life persona, once celebrated for its energy, was now questioned for its recklessness. Musically, he went quiet, popping up on occasional features (like Ye’s Donda 2 or Southside’s “Hold That Heat”), but the tragedy hung over everything. It delayed what would become Utopia, his first major post-Astroworld statement, and forced a reckoning with his role as an artist who thrives on spectacle. By July 2023, the anticipation was sky-high—teased for years, it arrived as Travis’s attempt to reclaim his throne. The 19-track album was a bloated affair, packed with A-list features (Beyoncé, Drake, SZA, The Weeknd, Playboi Carti, 21 Savage, and even sampled Ye rants) and cinematic production from heavy-hitters like Mike Dean and WondaGurl. Themes circled dystopia, fame, and vague introspection, but it often felt like the same old tunes.
Post-Utopia, Travis focused on touring (the Circus Maximus run grossed over $95 million) and brand deals (Nike collabs, McDonald's tie-ins), but whispers of new music bubbled up. Cactus Jack artists like Don Toliver (Hardstone Psycho, 2024) kept the label active, setting the stage for a collective return. Since mid-2024, JACKBOYS 2 has been a fan-fueled phantom. Travis first teased it at last year’s Summer Smash festival, shouting “JACKBOYS 2 on the way” during a set. Hosted by the Houston legend Bun B, “Champain Vacay,” featuring additional adlibs from MAGA Muncher Waka Flocka Flame, jumpstarts this compilation and Travis Scott intentionally (or not) responds to Pusha T’s last verse on Clipse’s “So Be It” rapping, “Yeah, man, I swear these old niggas kill me/They just want the real me, yeah/Blue Bugatti, I’m dodgin’ TMZ/Made a hunnid, I’m pushin’ T’s/Now my phone on DND.” Not only was the wordplay weak, but the delivery was more of the same. Let his fans tell it that he ‘killed’ him.
Drawing from the hazy trap foundations of the original while pushing into more experimental territory, the bangers here hit with that signature psychedelic punch as you would’ve expected: booming basslines, swirling synths, and hooks that linger like smoke. However, you don’t expect much of substance, but outside of a couple of noteworthy moments, most of the tracks have Travis and the gang on autopilot, forming them through their sonic textures and how they fit Travis's curation style. Vybz Kartel and Tyla show up on the dancehall-inspired “PBT,” but the chemistry between them and Travis Scott is nonexistent whatsoever. “Dumbo,” or as it vibes like a full-on “dumb” mode engager, strips things down to pure turn-up fuel with warped synths and a relentless rhythm that nods to Travis’s mixtape days; again, you’ve heard it all before.
SoFaygo shows up on “Contest” and “MM3,” where the latter is a near-obsessive invocation of brand names (“It’s Margiela my shoes, Maison Margiela my— ayy,” “Saint Laurent on my denim, Saint Laurent on my swag”) that recycles an all-too-familiar motif of luxury signaling. Sheck Wes hasn’t done anything noteworthy since he came onto the scene with “Mo Bamba,” and Don Toliver doesn’t stand out compared to the first JACKBOYS, as “Velour” and “No Comments” sounded phoned-in. The saving grace was “Cant Stop” with the help of Wallie the Sensei, who’s done great things since the Pop Out and appeared on Kendrick Lamar’s GNX, and Future (assisted on the hook duties), who also made an appearance on this compilation with “Where Was With You” that also features a pointless hook from Playboi Carti over a F1LTHY backdrop. 21 Savage appeared to do ad-libs on “Kick Out,” similar to Waka Flocka, but if he had done a verse, it would’ve worked wonders over those heavy 808s and sharp hi-hats. Still made it one of the bright spots.
“Shyne” could be a crossover banger that injects some of Memphis grit into the Cactus Jack universe. GloRilla’s fiery energy (minus the horrendous autotuned Barrington Levy impression that you’ll ever hear in your life) cuts through the fire production like a blade, trading boasts with Travis over a beat that’s equal parts bouncy and brooding—think heavy subs and string hits, paired with an explosive drop. It’s one of the more guest-forward tracks, with Glo’s raw delivery contrasting Travis’s ethereal flow, creating a dynamic that’s fresh for the series. At under three minutes, it doesn’t overstay its welcome, focusing on hooks that scream summer festival energy. “2000 Excursion” anchors the project as the lead single, and it’s a Houston homage through and through—chopped-and-screwed influences meet high-octane trap for a ride that’s nostalgic and forward-leaning. Featuring Sheck Wes and Don Toliver, the beat throbs with deep subs and twinkling keys, designed for festival mosh pits, but in isolation, it exposes Travis’s formulaic approach, resulting in a track that’s forgettable once the initial thrill fizzles.
What does this mean artistically? If JACKBOYS 2 mirrors the original, this feels less like a bold evolution and more like a bloated retread, drowning in its own haze of psychedelic excess and underdeveloped ideas. Travis has always been a master of vibes over verses, but here, the spectacle overwhelms any substance (we will stress again that’s not what you go into any Travis project thinking that), leaving a project that prioritizes chaotic energy at the expense of cohesion or innovation. It’s ambitious in scope, sure, but that ambition reveals cracks. Repetitive production tropes, lyrical vacancies, and a sense that the collective is still searching for an identity beyond Travis’s shadow. The psychedelic trap haze that once defined him now feels stagnant, more a crutch than a canvas. In a year where hip-hop collectives are evolving, this feels regressive, prioritizing commercial rage over artistic risk. It’s not without highlights; the energy can ignite in bursts, and Bun B’s narration adds cultural weight. If this is the future of Cactus Jack, it needs sharper thorns.
Slightly Below Average (★★½☆☆)
Favorite Track(s): “Kick Out,” “Shyne,” “Cant Stop”