For only having one official album, it’s felt like the Migos have been around for a long time already. Probably due to the numerous mixtapes, guest features, and overall influence they’ve had on hip-hop. I’ve always thought of them as cool, trendy rappers that could have some hot songs but never a memorable LP, and for the most part I was right. The debut, Yung Rich Nation, was very meh and came out as I expected. I actually expected that to be the point where their wave started to lose it’s momentum, but to my surprise they bounced back with their biggest song yet and everything else I had been hearing off Culture actually had me re-evaluating their ability to put out a solid major album.
“Seen it with my eyes, dope still alive (dope)
Real mob ties, real frog eyes (frog)
Real whole pies, all time high (high)
Do it for the culture (culture)
They gon’ bite like vultures (vultures)”
Love em or hate em, it’s hard to deny the influence they’ve had on hip-hop over the recent years, in terms of flows, sound, and style. This is what their title, Culture, is alluding to. It’s actually a pretty bold statement, and it’s one of those statements that you can’t make if the music isn’t backing it up. They needed to show that they’re better than the numerous imitators that have popped since they burst onto the scene, and I would say for the most part they were successful. Like most new rappers these days, a large part of their success is due to their production, and they’ve always had some of the best out there. “Bad and Boujee” is an absolute banger that I knew was a hit from the first time I heard it, “T-Shirt” isn’t far behind it, and “Kelly Price” is the perfect wind down for the album. All in all, I wouldn’t say the production is anything necessarily groundbreaking (it’s your usual Atlanta fare) but it is them at their highest and most consistent level.
“Don’t stand too close, my diamonds gonna bite (bling)
I get drugs for the right price, yeah, yeah (drugs)
She gon’ eat this molly like it’s rice (eat it up)
I’ma let that lean flow through my ice (lean lean)
Said she never had a Migo night
I’ma make her sing like Kelly Price (sing!)”
Lyrically, I won’t even act like I really take them that seriously. They pretty much rap about the same things in every song I’ve ever heard them on; drugs, women, money, and turning up. They’re not the worst rappers I’ve heard, but they’re definitely not the best and not everyone in the group is on the same level, but they do compliment each other perfectly. What they lack in straight up lyrical talent they more than make up in pure style. They’re well known for their unique double time flow that seems to fit every song they touch and their melodies and ad-libs are some of the best in the game. Culture is far from perfect, but it was a timely release for their career and some of the most consistent work they’ve put out yet.
Have you heard Culture? What’d you think about it? Do you think this is their best project to date? Let me know in the comments below and be sure to leave your rating for the album.
