Travis Scott recently announced that his label Cactus Jack Records is prepping the release of their debut collective album, Jack Boys. The compilation project, which Scott says will arrive “soon” and a press release confirms will “be released before the end of 2019,” features contributions from the label’s roster: Scott, Sheck Wes, Don Toliver, and Chase B.
Launched in 2017, Cactus Jack Records was created as a way for Travis to help emerging artists. “I’m not doing it to have financial control over my music,” the rapper told Numéro in an interview at the time of its launch. “I want first and foremost to help other artists, launch new names, to provide opportunities. I want to do for them what happened to me, but better. By better, I mean no bullshit. No lying to the artists about album release dates or budgets of videos and albums.”
Although Travis alluded to a collective album during his Zane Lowe interview earlier this year, he’s been relatively quiet about what they’ve been cooking up for fans. The most we’ve heard about the group came during his Netflix’s documentary, Look Mom, I Can Fly, which briefly delved into Sheck Wes and Don Toliver’s creative processes. Despite initial reports, Smokepurpp is not signed to Cactus Jack, a publicist for the label confirms to Complex.
In preparation for Jack Boys, here’s a rundown of Cactus Jack Records’ roster, and everything you need to know about each.
Don Toliver
Don Toliver is a fellow Houston artist who Travis signed to the label in 2018. Shortly before announcing the deal, Toliver dropped his first major label project, Donny Womack. But he is most well-known for his guest appearance on Travis’ ASTROWORLD cut, “Can’t Say.” Toliver’s contribution to the standout song has been regarded as a “scene-stealing” appearance and catapulted him into the spotlight (including a spot on our 2019 rappers to watch list). Toliver will likely bring an extra Texan flair to Jack Boys. On his hometown’s rising dominance, he told Complex: “We are definitely above what’s been taking place lately. I feel like it just gives me a lot of good juju, man. A lot of good vibes.”
Chase B
Chase B is Travis Scott’s DJ, as well as an artist in his own right. He got his start in music while he was a junior at Howard University. “When I was at Howard, I used to end up in clubs before I was 21, just being the MC on the mic next to the DJ,” he told Grailed. “I would shout out people’s birthdays, all that type of shit. Standing next to the DJ, I started to realize I can do both if I really tried.” And after finding hit footing in the industry as a high-profile DJ on tours with Travis, Chase pivoted to releasing music of his own. He dropped his first solo single, “MAYDAY,” in July, telling Complex that he wanted to “take this shit to the next level.” He added, “Creatively, I wanted to see how far I could take it. I wanted to step all my shit up to a whole other level, that I never even expected when I first started.”
Sheck Wes
Sheck Wes is arguably the most well-known of the Cactus Jack signees, aside from Travis. After picking up buzz early in his career, he signed to both Scott’s label and Kanye West’s G.O.O.D. Music. The 21-year-old Harlem rapper rose to acclaim in 2017 with his viral hit “Mo Bamba.” The single peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has since been certified three-times platinum. He later dropped his debut album, Mudboy in 2018 and worked with Cactus Jack labelmates on ASTROWORLD, as well as Chase B’s 2019 single, “MAYDAY,” which also features Young Thug. Sheck rejects putting his music into any one category. “I really just focus on artistry,” he told Pigeons & Planes in February 2018. “The greatest artists make bipolar music depending on the time periods of their lives.” In early 2019, Justine Skye accused Sheck Wes of abuse. Sheck denied the allegations and will not face charges due to a lack of evidence. His musical output was relatively low in 2019, but he returned to the public eye with songs “Losing My Mind” and “YKTS” and had a starring role in Kanye West latest opera, Nebuchadnezzar.
Travis Scott
Last but not least is Travis Scott, the driving force behind Cactus Jack Records. After releasing two studio albums (Rodeo and Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight) via Epic Records and Grand Hustle, Scott launched his own label in 2017. Scott has since released two studio albums under the imprint, including his joint album with Quavo, Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho, and his critically acclaimed solo project, ASTROWORLD. According to a press release, Jack Boys will include Scott’s single “Highest in the Room,” which was released in October. As the leader of Cactus Jack, it’s expected that Scott will have a large presence on the album, whether that be in vocals or production. But his primary mission in starting Cactus Jack Records was to introduce a new wave of artists. Stay tuned.
