Travis Scott has been a busy man of late, as befitting one of the hip-hop’s biggest superstars. What with securing his own McDonald’s meal — an accomplishment that filled the void left by the Rick & Morty Sczheuan Sauce crave — and locking down a new partnership with PlayStation ahead of the PS5 release, Travis Scott’s brand has never been larger than it is now. And that’s not even factoring in the still-active fallout of 2018’s Astroworld. 

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Yet with such fame and notoriety comes a heightening of expectation, and many fans have been looking toward Scott’s recently announced Utopia with a curious eye. In the wake of such singles as “Highest In The Room,” the Kid Cudi-assisted “The Scotts,” and the Young Thug and MIA-assisted “Franchise,” some have had a tough time in figuring out a potential sonic direction. One thing has remained a constant factor in Scott’s music, however, and that’s the stalwart presence of Mike Dean. 

Over the weekend, the legendary sound engineer shared the slightest of teases, taking to Instagram to confirm that he and Travis Scott were indeed in the midst of working on some new tunes. Though he neglected to share any actual music, he did make sure to leave his calling card in plain sight — a synthesizer and some RAW rolling papers — as any good specialist should do. No matter how you might feel about Travis Scott’s current direction, it’s fair to say that he and Mike Dean have earned the benefit of the doubt — look for them to lay down some innovative sounds come Utopia’s eventual release.