Released: 2017 • Features: Travis Scott
“Sky Walker” by Miguel featuring Travis Scott is an uptempo vibe track that acts as a manifesto for living life on your terms, without concern for detractors or haters. The song, soaked in metaphors and cultural references, encapsulates a laissez-faire attitude towards naysayers and an emphasis on seizing the moment in order to enjoy life’s pleasures.
Right off the bat, Miguel deads the bull, or dismisses the unnecessary drama and distractions, like a matador. This phrase runs like a motif throughout the song, underscoring the emphasis on steering clear of trouble and focusing on the beautiful parts of life. Our guy’s quick to end any sort of bull, just like a matador handles a raging bull in the bullfighting arena.
The chorus deals with various images to convey Miguel’s message of living life fully. Luke Skywalkin’ on these haters is a Star Wars reference, likening himself to Luke Skywalker and using the force to rise above those who might bring negativity into his life.
He suggests celebrating every day like a birthday, not hesitating to jump into life and staying awake to opportunities (Don’t sleep, you gotta stay up). It’s all about seizing the moment and keeping the hustle real.
Miguel describes himself as ‘outstanding’ so he stands out, and claims he’s ‘more bathed than a bathhouse’. This could be saying he’s cleaner than others in the game, without any taint of scandal or maliciousness. There’s also a fun phrase where he calls himself ‘Top Gun, on my Tom Cruise’, adding a dash of pop culture referencing his status at the top of his game, just like Tom Cruise in the iconic film.
The song continues with Travis Scott joining in to provide his own taste of the high life. He compares his lavish lifestyle to having a ‘Jordan moment’, an homage to basketball great Michael Jordan and his high-flying antics on the court. Just like MJ in his prime, Travis is on top of his game, flaunting his success and disregarding the haters ‘Wildin’ on my haters’.
We also see Travis enjoying the material pleasures his success has earned, wilding with the paper (living luxuriously with his money), ice on his chain (a staple in hip-hop jewelry), and having gang ties which he admits can be dangerous.
The line ‘Damn near OD’d’ may express how he sometimes pushes the limits in enjoying his lifestyle, almost to the point of overdoing it. When he talks about ‘moving up your street’ and ‘bringing sand to the beach’, he’s challenging the status quo, disrupting ordinary life and standing out from the crowd.
Miguel’s ‘Sky Walker’ is a sonic ride through the pursuit of pleasure and success, a theme often explored in hip-hop music. It’s a statement of living your best life, regardless of what others might say, reflecting a philosophy rooted deep in the ethos of hip-hop culture.
