After more than 20 years of making music, Traé Scott returns with his fifth studio album, The Art. The record is built around the idea that every experience, good or bad, shapes who we become. Born in Pittsburgh and raised in Atlanta, he has never been interested in chasing trends. Instead, he writes from experience and that comes through across the album.
“Off The Porch” wastes no time. The beat kicks in immediately, with a woman’s vocal floating over the instrumental before Traé steps in. The production is smooth, his flow strong and it sets the tone brilliantly. Starting an album this confidently is never a bad thing.
Then everything pauses for “Uncle Berk Mars Voicemail”. I wasn’t expecting a voicemail in the middle of a hip-hop album, especially one where someone casually mentions guacamole and tacos. The woman’s voice and little laugh at the end after “Alright guys” makes it even more natural and fun.
One of my favourite songs on the album is “Illusions”. The production reminded me of the kind of hip-hop I couldn’t stop listening to in the early 2010s, when songs had those addictive grooves and tight flow that made you replay them over and over.
I also really enjoyed “Parallel Roads”. The female vocals in the background almost have an opera or classical feeling and the way they blend into the production throughout the track is beautiful. I found myself focusing more on the atmosphere and all the details in the beat than the lyrics, which shows how much attention went into creating the sound around Traé’s voice.
Some tracks like “Seen It All”, “Doin’ Math” and “Second Guessing” didn’t have the same impact for me, but the album picks up again with “FADED”. The Cancún visuals match the song perfectly, giving it that feeling of escaping, enjoying the moment and letting yourself breathe. In other words, the type of track made for a summer evening.
The biggest surprise for me was “SummerTime”. The energy is completely different. It has that feeling of a freestyle battle, where you can imagine Traé performing it in front of a crowd and feeding off the audience’s reaction.
The album closes with “Album Advice from Unc”, bringing Uncle Berk back one last time. I loved this choice because it connects back to the personal side of the project. The advice about building a brand, creating something meaningful and releasing a real album rather than just putting music online feels very fitting for an artist who has built everything independently.
What makes The Art interesting is that Traé Scott documents his own path, his family’s influence, his experiences and the lessons he has learned along the way. I liked some moments better than than others, but when the production, storytelling and personality come together, you really understand the message behind the album: every chapter matters, because it all becomes part of the final masterpiece.
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