The Earvin Edit

Five years after the first Jackboys album dropped, Travis Scott and his label return with an all-new compilation. Does it live up to the original?

Written by Earvin Adjei

Outside of Travis and Don Toliver, not much has been heard of the rest of Cactus Jack. Let’s discuss if this album reminded fans of what they’ve been missing.

The Good:

SoFaygo is back. When fans first heard he signed to Cactus Jack in 2020, there was excitement around this underground talent. Faygo had the cosign of one of the biggest rappers in the game, but years later, he seemed sidelined.  His performance on this album reminds us why he garnered such hype. Tracks like MM3 and CONTEST showcase that youthful underground sound and remind fans they shouldn’t be so quick to count him out.  

Solid production. Some beats on the album are genuinely replay-worthy. Travis’ vocals on the spacey, bass-heavy DUMBO feel like classic Scott, while the chaotic energy of SHYNE, with its Vybz Kartel intro and Glorilla verse, makes for a fun track.

The Bad:

I understand that this is a label compilation album, but 20 tracks is too much. The first Jackboys only had seven, which made every song carry more weight and feel memorable. Several songs get lost in the shuffle and feel unnecessary. This lengthy tracklist, paired with the amount of features, really hurt the project. With big names like Future, Playboi Carti, and Tyla sprinkled throughout, the original purpose of highlighting Cactus Jack signees gets diluted. While Glorilla on SHYNE and Sahbabii on BEEP BEEP work well, many features feel forced or forgettable. 21 Savage on KICK OUT? Nothing more than adlibs. Carti and Future on WHERE WAS YOU? Boring and familiar.

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Travis’ performance is underwhelming. Outside of DUMBO, his verses feel lazy and shoehorned in. Fans were curious to see how he would respond to Pusha T, but all they got was a shaky, halfhearted attempt on the intro. With Travis’ attention clearly divided between music and business ventures, his presence here feels more like a checkbox than a statement.

Final Verdict:

It’s hard not to compare this to the first Jackboys, and unfortunately, this follow-up doesn’t compare. Aside from a few standout songs, the album feels like it exists mainly to capitalize on the Jackboys’ name rather than showcase its roster. Fun moments aside, it’s forgettable. 2.8 out of 5 stars.