According to the January 2018 cover story of Rolling Stone, "Migos are arguably the most influential group–in any genre–of the past few years."
Formed in 2009, Migos exploded onto the hip-hop/rap scene in 2013 with the release of their instant hit single “Versace.” Since then, the hip-hop trio has been churning out cutting-edge music which has not only massively influenced the genre but also the English language. And their latest release, Culture II, has been no different.
The list of collaborators on Culture II is almost unfair. Drake, Pharrell Williams, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Gucci Mane, Post Malone, Travis Scott, Big Sean, 2 Chainz, 21 Savage, and TY Dolla $ign all have all contributed in one way or another, making Culture II a sort of super album. The Pharrell Williams-produced single “Stir Fry” was the official song of the 2018 NBA All weekend and rose to the eighth spot on Billboard Hot 100.
According to Pitchfork, “the song’s interlocking polyrhythms—bongos, cricket-like whistles, clicking trap hi-hats, and slowed-down snares sampled from the Mohawks’ “Champ”—are a beauty to behold. It’s a disorienting maze of sounds, a beat that’s difficult to wrap your head around, let alone rap over.” The album’s other singles, “MotorSport” and “Walk It Talk It,” peaked at spots six and ten respectively.
Culture II also marks a bit of a departure for Migos. With 24 tracks and no skits, it’s notably longer than its predecessors. The unapologetic pop songs, like “Gang Gang” and “Stir Fry,” sway far from Migos classic prismatic trap sound. There’s even a bit of jazz sprinkled in, with “Too Playa” featuring 2 Chainz and a saxophone. The eclectic mix, however, doesn’t lose the beloved Migos Flow and has been called a “victory lap” around the entire genre by multiple critics, a testament to Migos’s undeniable innovation.
Maybe the album’s final song captures it all the best. “Culture National Anthem” has a pianist accompanying Quavo, the trio’s unofficial leader, who unabashedly boasts about their success: “Believe me when I say we create our own sound.”
Listen to a single Migos track and you’ll believe it. Listen to an entire Migos album and you’ll have no choice but to applaud it.
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