Travis Porter’s ‘Go Shorty Go’ reps the A’s futuristic swag

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The Atlanta rap trio behind that catchy, candy-coated, if mildly annoying, joint “All the Way Turnt Up” just dropped its first video for the song “Go Shorty Go.” The unsigned group is part of the “futuristic swag” sound pumping through the underbelly of the A right now, courtesy such acts as Yung L.A., J. Futuristic, and Rich Kid$ (whose song “My Partna Dem” was easily the runaway street hit of ’09 — even Ludacris turned up on the remix trying to get in where he definitely didn’t fit).

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Stylistically, futuristic swag might best be described as a bastardized offshoot of trap rap and the rock star mentality that’s been coursing through Atlanta rap for the last few years (remember the Shop Boyz ’07 club hit “Party Like a Rock Star?” Totally dude.) That would also explain the affinity for ’frohawks and Polo shirts — which seems more like a blast from the past than anything. The odd thing is many of these kids are from the same projects as their predecessors, so in a sense the music they’re making is escapism peppered with a glossier, dance-worthy version of their tales from the hood. Whereas the T.I.s and Shawty Los of Atlanta grew up admiring neighborhood dope dealers, this new generation came of age looking up to neighborhood trap-rappers.

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Futuristic swag is their attempt to emulate that fantasy while re-imagining it through their own youthful lens.