Travi$ Scott Says Performers Need More Creative Control

Travi$ Scott's performance at Hot 97's Summer Jam made headlines, though probably not for the reasons the aspiring artist had hoped. Scott was widely criticized for calling a festival photographer a "nerd" and demanding that he remove himself from the stage. Yesterday (June 10), Scott stopped by Power 106 to address what happened. Though he apologized for his choice of words and for insulting the photographer--with whom he has not yet spoken--he doubled down on his position that he needed to be cast off. "I don't know if anyone knows this," the Days Before Rodeo rapper said, "but that was like, the second-to-last song of my set. I was already pissed about [Hot 97] not allowing me to have a screen on stage when I performed." He went on to explain that it's a matter of principle: "I don't get why radio shows allow artists to do shows without creative control, without any art direction at all. Instead of that, I get their press guys, their camera guys to be my backdrop of my show."

Earlier this year, Scott toured with Young Thug to promote Days Before Rodeo and to promote Rodeo, his upcoming solo debut. Just this week, he dropped the single from that record, a 2 Chainz- and Future-featuring song called "3500." Scott has gained notoriety over the past few years through his work as a co-producer for artists like Kanye West and Jay Z and for connecting them with young talent; in 2013, he helped place a beat by WondaGurl, a then-16-year-old girl from Toronto, on Hov's Magna Carta Holy Grail.