Travis Scott drops listeners into a sun-drenched world of desire and dancehall rhythms with “PBT,” the thirteenth track from his JACKBOYS 2 compilation.
Released on 13 July 2025, this cross-continental collaboration brings together the Houston rapper, South African sensation Tyla, and Jamaican dancehall legend Vybz Kartel for a sultry summer anthem that stretches far beyond typical hip-hop boundaries.
The track represents Scott’s continued evolution from trap’s dark corners toward global sounds, weaving Houston hip-hop, South African Afrobeats, and Caribbean dancehall into something genuinely fresh.
What PBT Means and Where It Comes From
According to Genius, “PBT” stands for “Pretty Brown Thing,” which fans and critics have noted bears similarity to Michael Jackson’s 1983 classic “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing).”
The Youtube video has over 3.4 million views in just 4 days of the release.
The connection appears deliberate. Scott includes the MJ track on his public Spotify playlist “Songs That Made Me Dream,” suggesting the Houston rapper draws inspiration from Jackson’s ability to craft seductive, timeless pop moments.
The collaboration marks several firsts. Scott and Vybz Kartel join forces for the first time, whilst Tyla returns to work with the Cactus Jack founder after their 2023 remix of her breakout hit “Water.”
This reunion feels strategic. Both artists occupy similar spaces at the intersection of global pop and regional sounds, making their chemistry feel natural rather than forced.
Producer BBYKOBE handles the track’s foundation, working alongside Dougie F and Bibi Bourelly on the writing. Grammy-winning mixer Manny Marroquin (known for his work with Kendrick Lamar, Rihanna, and Kanye West) polished the final mix, whilst Zach Pereyra mastered the track.
The song sits comfortably within JACKBOYS 2’s eclectic tracklist, which features everyone from GloRilla to Future, yet “PBT” stands apart through its genre-blending ambition.
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The Genre and Sound: Where Three Worlds Collide
BBYKOBE’s production creates something genuinely fresh. The beat doesn’t simply sample Afrobeats or dancehall; it absorbs their essential rhythms and rebuilds them into a hybrid serving all three artists equally.
The track opens with Vybz Kartel’s unmistakable patois: “Vybz Kartel (Worl’ Boss), huh / Yo, Trav / She’s a good problem to have.”
His presence immediately signals this won’t be standard Travis Scott fare, anchoring the track’s Caribbean DNA from bar one.
Scott’s autotuned vocals float over a beat pulsing with Amapiano’s log drum textures whilst maintaining dancehall’s infectious bounce.
The production walks a tightrope between sparse, open spaces and moments of layered percussion, creating a hypnotic effect without overwhelming.
The chorus hits with warm assurance: “Well, it’s that pretty brown round thing / You should be mine, you should get a ring.”
Scott blends melodic singing with his signature rap cadence, creating hooks that stick effortlessly.
Tyla’s voice cuts through with South African smoothness, gliding over the beat rather than fighting it. The three artists occupy distinct sonic territories that somehow mesh into a coherent whole.
Then comes the polarising moment. Vybz Kartel’s verse introduces gunshot sound effects, airhorns, and the aggressive flourishes defining classic dancehall.
Reddit exploded over this section, with some celebrating authentic Caribbean energy whilst others argued it disrupts the sultry atmosphere.
One interpretation suggests the jarring shift mirrors the song’s thematic content about relationships oscillating between smooth connection and chaotic desire, though this production choice remains divisive among fans.
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Lyrics and Meaning: Three Voices, One Messy Romance
“PBT” tackles modern romance through three distinct lenses, each artist bringing a different perspective on the same complicated dynamic.
Scott opens with self-aware vulnerability: “You’re like a problem I can’t unlearn.” The recurring “empty tank” metaphor captures the relationship’s transactional nature.
“You only call me up when your tank is on E / You get low and come and fill up on me.” He knows he’s being used but can’t resist.
Tyla flips the script entirely. “You’ve been outside, so why you on me? / Afterparty ’cause we ain’t concrete” questions why he returns when they both know this isn’t serious.
Her verse challenges the power dynamic, positioning herself as someone who recognises the game and chooses to play anyway.
Vybz Kartel keeps it straightforward, celebrating material excess and physical desire: “Fly yuh to Miami, mek yuh get yuh body sculpture / Louis V by Saks, then we stop a Jimmy Choo.”
Where Scott and Tyla navigate emotional complexity, Kartel revels in the lifestyle and the moment.
Together, they create a track about relationships where everyone understands the rules but plays anyway, existing in that grey space between serious and casual, genuine and performative.
Music Video: Nabil’s Nocturnal Romance
Director Nabil, who previously worked with both Tyla (“ART”) and Travis Scott on multiple projects, released the visual on 17 December 2025, five months after the track dropped.
The video opens with Tokyo’s neon skyline before cutting between Scott and Tyla in separate hotel spaces, both preparing for the night. These parallel sequences build anticipation without dialogue or exposition.
When they finally meet on an open hotel floor, the chemistry feels immediate. Nabil frames intimate moments against minimal backgrounds, letting the artists’ presence carry each scene.
Tyla’s pink bodycon dress and the video’s warm colour palette contrast with the cooler opening shots.
The party sequences inject energy whilst maintaining exclusivity. Vybz Kartel appears as the celebration reaches peak intensity, his presence elevating rather than disrupting the flow.
Nabil’s night-time aesthetic runs through multiple JACKBOYS 2 videos (“BEEP BEEP,” “DUMBO”), creating visual consistency across the compilation.
The approach suggests a deliberate world-building choice where Scott’s collaborations exist after dark, in spaces where boundaries blur.
Reception and Fan Reactions: The Vybz Kartel Debate
“PBT” sparked immediate division, becoming one of JACKBOYS 2’s most discussed tracks.
The conversation centred almost entirely on one question: did Vybz Kartel’s verse elevate or derail the song?
Reddit’s r/travisscott community became ground zero for the debate. A thread titled “This song is overhated as f*ck, such a fun summer song” drew hundreds of passionate responses on both sides.
Early supporters loved it immediately. “Day 1 PBT lover,” one highly upvoted comment declared. “Love it from the first listen. Real summer song.”
These fans appreciated exactly what makes the track divisive: its willingness to lean fully into dancehall without apologising.
Critics focused laser-like on Kartel’s contribution. “Unfortunately the last feature ruined the song,” became a common refrain.
The airhorns and sound effects drew particular ire: “wtf was that verse,” one comment read, earning thousands of upvotes.
But defenders pushed back hard. “How are you gonna say a Jamaican artist doesn’t fit an Afro-Caribbean song where Travis himself is using Jamaican lingo?” one user challenged. “Like do you lot listen to any other genre outside rap?”
This exchange reveals the core divide. Hip-hop purists hear Kartel’s authentic dancehall as excessive.
Listeners familiar with Caribbean music recognise it as necessary, preventing the track from becoming cultural tourism.
The numbers tell their own story. Whilst “PBT” didn’t match Scott’s biggest solo hits, it found strong audiences in Jamaica, Trinidad, South Africa, and Nigeria.
These markets recognised and appreciated the authentic genre blending. The December 2025 video release reignited interest, with YouTube comments calling it “the best song off the album.”