RECORD REVIEW: Migos’ ‘Culture’

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Trap music has become watered down.In the fast-paced world of Soundcloud stardom and one-hit wonders, a subgenre based so much on feeling alone can make the next Dem Franchize Boyz look like the next Future. It seems the collective subconscious has substituted long-term relevancy for short-term, think-piece notoriety. Enter Migos with Culture.

Many skeptics of the Northside trap trio’s early success wrote them off as just one more example of disposable music, but it’s safe to say the cream has risen to the top. In the few years since “Versace” introduced Quavo, Offset and Takeoff to the world at large, their influence — especially in their home city of Atlanta — cannot be understated. Their often-emulated “triplet” rhyme pattern has become less of a niche flow switch and more of a crutch for less capable vocalists to lean on. Yet, at times it seemed as if the influencers were being overtaken by the influenced when it came to commercial success.

Then “Bad and Boujee” happened.

The single went to the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and received an infamous shout out from Donald Glover, aka Childish Gambino, at the Golden Globe Awards. Things seemingly couldn’t get any better, until they did. Culture, the second studio album from the Northside trio, debuted at No. 1 around the country.

As far as albums go, Culture is easily the strongest and most defining offering from Migos so far. Energy, flow and primitive lyrical inconsistencies that hindered the group’s earlier singles have been ironed out, culminating in a more digestible album. Don’t let the initial DJ Khaled feature taint the experience, the album’s first four tracks, which include both “T-Shirt” and “Bad and Boujee,” are bona fide hits.

“Get Right Witcha” is the best illustration of what separates Migos from their trap rap peers. At times almost call-and-response, the group transforms the ad-lib into more than an accent piece. Their melodic chemistry has even been called boy bandish at times. But really it’s more accurately described as a modern take on the classic dynamic of ’50s and ’60s doo-wop groups.

The attention paid to melody does come at the sacrifice of traditional lyrical content, but for Migos fans this is nothing new, nor is it the reason the trap style has maintained commercial and critical relevancy. Takeoff addresses these traditionalist critics on the Gucci Mane-featured cut “Slippery”: “They think I’m dumb but they don’t know I see the plot.”
On Culture, Migos have decisively claimed the title of de facto leaders of the new school, and have the star power to keep it for a while. ★★★☆☆