by Nolan Hullinger
Grade: B-
First of all:
TAKEOFF, THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP!
The typically quiet and notoriously forgotten member of Migos proved on Culture II that he could hold his own with Quavo and Offset, who are typically the most star-studded members of Migos. His verses in Stir Fry and Too Much Jewelry, and his ability to deliver incredible hooks, such as the hook on Too Much Jewelry and Gang Gang, proves to all of us fans that Takeoff is here to stay.
The occasionally predictable Migos were able to mix up the sound of their voices, by distorting the autotune on tracks like CC and Too Much Jewelry. They were also able to alter their flow, being more melodic, on songs like Beast and Gang Gang. The use of “Migos flow” is evident in all of their songs. They use common ad-libs, such as “skrrt,” “ice,” “hey,” or typically something that they have just said in the current line, in order to fill every second of the song with voices and hard beats. When they have features; similarly, they, too, use these ad-libs. It is very uncommon to hear an artist like Big Sean use these small phrases in between his words, but when you’re a guest on a Migos song, it’s almost a necessity.
One area that was slightly lacking in this album was the consistency of great hooks. Occasionally there was a hook that was simply too repetitive, which is a trademark of Migos. These repetitive hooks are evident on almost all Migos songs, but particularly noticeable on tracks like Flooded, Beast, and Walk It Like I Talk It. Overall, this was a respectable work of art. The songs that are good, are very good; however, the songs that are not as good, are not very good. But with songs like Bad Bitches Only, Stir Fry, and Motorsport, they are able to keep themselves on the radio, and in the rotation of fan’s party playlists.
Song of the Album: Gang Gang
Even though the constant use of the phrase “gang gang” can be repetitive, this song is a step in the right direction for the group. They are slowly becoming more melodic over time, and developing more thoughtful and meaningful lyrics to complement their incredible beats and unparalleled flow.
In the intro to the song, Takeoff sings:
“Hey, I know this might sound weird to say
But would you love me if I ran away?”
By this, it can be assumed that Takeoff, as previously mentioned, is often the forgotten member of Migos. He is reflecting on his life, and asking if he should just run away, and if he did, would this person love him? Using these deep lyrics is something that Migos’ songs need desperately. Look for them to get much lyrically deeper, like Future did on his HNDRXX album that was released in February of 2017.
Half Brain Music 