Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Travis Scott releases Stop Trying To Be God video starring Kylie Jenner and James Blake

Visuals were directed by Kendrick Lamar and Ariana Grande collaborator Dave Meyers

Roisin O'Connor
Music Correspondent
Tuesday 07 August 2018 09:04 BST
Comments
Travis Scott Astroworld trailer

Travis Scott has shared the music video for his track "Stop Trying To Be God", featuring Philip Bailey, James Blake, Kid Cudi, and Stevie Wonder on the harmonica.

The video continues a biblical, psychedelic theme, and stars Scott's girlfriend Kylie Jenner as the Virgin Mary. At various points the US artist walks with a flock of sheep, rides a giant, fire-breathing ram, and baptises people who begin partying after he has "blessed" them. Blake also makes a cameo in a mysterious graveyard, singing over Wonder's harmonica.

Jenner appears twice in the video, once with Scott near the beginning, and then again cradling a lamb which sings Scott's vocal hook at the end of the video.

"Stop Trying To Be God" was directed by Dave Meyers, who has worked extensively with the likes of Kendrick Lamar, Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello. He directed Lamar's videos for "Humble" - which won a Grammy for Video of the Year - and "All The Stars" ft SZA, both of which featured religious-themed iconography. He also worked on the visuals for Grande's recent, controversial track "God Is A Woman".

Scott released his third solo album Astroworld last week, which stars a breathtaking number of guest vocalists, producers and co-writers, including Frank Ocean, Drake, Kid Cudi, Stevie Wonder, James Blake and John Mayer.

The Independent gave the album a full 5 stars in its review, praising it for its superb production, range of influences and samples, and thoughtful spread of guest features across the album.

"Where an artist like Kendrick Lamar felt revolutionary by bringing live jazz artists into the studio on To Pimp A Butterfly, Scott seems lightyears ahead of his peers simply by incorporating guitar and piano-based instrumentation," the review said.

"“5% Tint” borrows the piano sequence from Goodie Mob’s hip hop classic “Cell Therapy” – re-recording it for a darker, slightly more dignified/less playful version – and also interpolates the hook: “Who’s that creeping through my window/Before you come outside I got the info/Took her to the end zone from The Ends.” Then on “Astrothunder” he uses the guitar hook from “Sold Out Dates” by Gunn ft. Lil Baby, which in turn recalls a track like “Florida Logic”, from Wisconsin’s instrumental post-rock band Cougar."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in