American Rapper, Travis Scott, recently released his fourth studio album, Utopia, on July 28th, 2023. The album includes a track called ‘Parasail’ that makes extensive use of a sample from Dave Bixby’s 1969 classic downer-folk anthem – ‘Drug Song’.
A loop of Dave Bixby strumming his guitar repeats while Travis Scott raps over the peaceful background melody. The song also includes spoken word segments by comedian Dave Chapelle and additional rapping by Yung Lean. Scott’s ‘Utopia’ debuted at #1 on the Billboard Music Charts with over 496,000 sales – including 79,000 Vinyl LPs, making it the biggest week of vinyl sales for any rap/hip-hop album since at least 1991.
Travis Scott fans are saying “UTOPIA is an absolute masterpiece that delivers a breathtaking musical experience from start to finish. Demonstrating unparalleled creativity, unbridled passion, and seamless production, Scott solidifies his position as a true visionary in the world of contemporary hip-hop. UTOPIA is an auditory delight that takes listeners on an unforgettable journey through the rapper’s mind, offering a refreshing and innovative take on the genre. One of the album’s most commendable aspects is its ability to combine a diverse range of musical influences, resulting in a sound that is simultaneously familiar and groundbreaking. Travis Scott’s signature hypnotic beats and captivating ad-libs remain present, yet he fearlessly ventures into uncharted territory, experimenting with new rhythms, melodies, and textures that keep listeners on their toes throughout the entire album.”
This is not the first time that the work of Dave Bixby has been sampled in the hip-hop community. In 2018, A$AP Rocky sampled ‘Morning Sun’ on his song ‘Calldrops’. This goes to show that the work of Dave Bixby is able to transcend the perceived borders of “genre” and has the ability to reach listeners of a wide range of perspective and life experiences as only music can achieve.
Dave Bixby 