Rating: 3 / 5 stars
Quavo, Offset and Takeoff need no introduction. As the Migos have grown in popularity every year, they did not waste their moment. In 2017, they flooded the market with new material such as, “Culture” and “Quality Control: Control the Streets, Vol. 1.”
They had immense success this past year and look to keep their foot on the gas with the release of “Culture II.”
On Friday morning, the hip-hop world woke up to this highly awaited project. At 24 tracks, clocking in at one hour and 45 minutes, the sequel is a much bigger monster than its predecessor. An album of this size comes with the fear of being bloated and boring, crammed with the same song and dance they are known for.
“Culture II” opens with “Higher We Go (Intro)” a “plead for the culture,” so to speak, as Quavo leads the first chorus. The song revolves around the Migos’ rise to fame and notes their accomplishments in the rap game with the line “Bigger than Oprah, Mayweather 50-0.”
This is a solid opening to the album, but the song is a bit too long, which, ironically, is the silver lining throughout this album. The promotional single, “Motorsport,” is one of the most popular songs on the album and was the rollout to “Culture II.” The controversy surrounding Nicki Minaj and Cardi B is what fueled the song, since both displayed energy and had quotable lines. Quavo and Offset show off their different flows, ad-libs and deliveries. Overall, this was a good first single for the rollout of “Culture II.”
“Walk It Talk It” featuring Drake should be the smash hit on this album. Unfortunately, they dropped the ball on this one. OG Parker on the beat is great, but Quavo repeating the title in the hook is not. The hook is bad. The beat is what makes the song bearable, but nothing should be this simplistic. Drake and Offset were able to save the song, but Quavo’s hook doesn’t make this song a stand out like it should be.
“Too Playa” featuring 2 Chainz is the standout song some listeners have been waiting for. This track starts off with a saxophone and Quavo’s harmonies. Quavo makes the beat and the saxophone-drum combo immediately enjoyable. Quavo does all the hooks, bridges and the beat, and had his own verse. Takeoff’s verse is short and makes his voice heard. 2 Chainz, without a doubt, had the best feature on the album.
“Culture II” is a challenge. It is way too long of a project to listen to in one sitting, but there are a series of songs that will make listeners feel like the first album did. “Culture II” lacks a consistent vision for the album, and cutting the album down to 15 songs would make it sound more cohesive. Overall, it has standout songs but lacks an identity.
Photo provided by MigosVEVO via YouTube.com
