Travis Scott is a unique figure in hip-hop, respected not only as a rapper but also for his savvy as a curator who expertly coalesces his talented peer group into flame-emoji collaborations. He also came up with one of the most iconic catchphrases ever—“It’s lit!” In 2018, with his third studio album ASTROWORLD (Cactus Jack/Grand Hustle/Epic) and the smash “Sicko Mode,” Scott has cemented his rep as one of the primary innovators in the culture.

You refer to yourself as “the glue” on “Sicko Mode.” Can you shed some light on the creative/A&R/production process? Who do you bounce ideas off?
Ha-ha. Yeah, I usually bounce ideas off of myself in my head. A lot of the music I make is sort of a fantasy of what I want music to sound like. I like bringing different genres of music together. Coming up as a producer and artist, making beats and songs for artists, I was always into trynna bring a different side out of them.

The collaborations on ASTROWORLD were truly one-of-a-kind. Were these guest artists always a part of your big vision for the album?
Yeah, the majority of the features on the album I know and actually hang out with. I’d rather get to know someone before making music with them. WondaGurl played me a vocal that was sent in for the album; I ended up chopping it up and putting it in the start of [ASTROWORLD’s] “NO BYSTANDERS”—so fire.

Where do you think what you’re creating fits into the world of hip-hop in 2018? What do you see as the biggest changes in the art form over the past few years?
I think what I’m creating sits way up there. There’s a lot of change in the art form, [especially in] the way artists sound.

What do the Grammys represent to you?
The Grammys represent a lot—it’s a very pinnacle moment in your career in music. As a kid, I always dreamt the music would reach strong and far enough to obtain a gold gramophone.

Grammy Talk: U2

Grammy Talk: Post Malone

Grammy Talk: H.E.R.

Grammy Talk: Leon Bridges