Travaughn is a deeply-soulful conscious hip-hop artist from Houston, Texas who brings a high level of artistry and intellect to the rap scene. His music draws inspiration from many early icons of rap and R&B including Bone Thugs-n-Harmony, Ludacris and TLC, legendary stars like The Temptations and the Isley Brothers, and rock bands like Linkin Park and Evanescence. His personal creative vision is strong, however, and this keeps him in his own space and away from imitation. Travaughn’s latest release is the album Welcome to Infinity, a 13-track song cycle that shows him to be one of the most vital new voices in urban music.
Welcome to Infinity takes on the paradigm shift that’s currently happening in society, a shift that acknowledges the need to show love to ourselves and to others and to stop acting from a judgment-based point of view. Travaughn’s bars recall the knowledge-filled writing of rap’s Golden Age and he seems to be authentically working toward breaking down, understanding, and improving the world around him. In the song “Oz to Midas,” he says he’s “on a mission for enrichment” and “grinds hard trying to work on some wonders” and those lines give listeners a glimpse of what his life is about.
Travaughn Takes us From ‘Oz To Midas’
“Heaven or Hell” unfolds its lyrics about life being a chance to choose love even when caught in worldly illusions over a mellow, piano-centered beat. Travaughn says “I paint a picture worth the value of life,” which is a telling statement of just how important he considers his words to be. Indeed, he’s giving his listeners the sort of Truth, poetry, and mindful guidance many could benefit from and he reinforces the idea that maybe we can all get through this existence intact.
“Trynna C” finds him thinking out loud about why some people want to see him fail at spreading his messages. It’s a brilliant track that rocks a mid-tempo Boom Bap groove that feels great, even with serious lyrics on top. “Eternal Song” is an introspective track about “waking up to what might have been” and demonstrates Travaughn’s reach as a lyricist. It’s built around a cinematic beat that would make an amazing end-title theme to a film and is one of this set’s best moments.
There are no bad tracks on Welcome to Infinity and any drop of the needle will yield a positive experience. Travaughn takes us all on a journey through his mind that will resonate with anyone who shares his taste for forward-thinking. He avoids stereotypes and cliches, choosing instead to speak his heart and let the chips fall where they may. Hip-hop fans looking to think as much as they dance will find much to like here. Prepare to play it loud!
