Migos - Culture II

Migos
Culture II
2018
Spotify

Few groups have been as ever present in popular culture as of late than Migos. Everywhere you look you see Migos pushing Trap culture and their relentless swagger across the world. This new record, the follow up to their smash sophomore release Culture, picks up right where the last record left off. The first thing you notice about this record is how fucking massive it is. Culture II  is an hour and forty-five minutes which even for hip hop is insane. It seems like Migos had to many people to work with and too much music to create to limit this album, but man this could have used at least some editing. The thing is though, even for a group who are blasted for repetition the album never feels like it is dragging. Even the tracks that somehow top our over five minutes feel fresh and modern, it's just a ton of music. The first real invention happens on "Auto Pilot" produced by Huncho on the Beat (Quavo and DJ Durel), and the beat absolutely claps. It has trap elements but also employs electronics and skitters to really set it off. You aren't going to find many political statements on this record  nor an in depth look at the emotional state of Migos. Culture II is instead Migos telling you what they have, what they've done and where they plan to spend all their money. If hearing about someone's possessions and doing Cocaine are not topics you are into than this record may not have a lot for you. The thing is, you don't really need to hear Migos' political views or their thoughts on the state of the economy, that just isn't them and never will be. Their biggest strength is knowing who they are being confident in that.

"Emoji A Chain" has a pretty ridiculous premise as you can tell from the title, but it also features this fantastic beat and has this guitar line at the end that is infectious. With this many tracks Migos had to call in some reinforcements including: Drake, 21 Savage, Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz and more. The Production is also a who's who including Kanye, Metro Boomin and Pharrell. One of the most inventive songs is "Stir Fry" which doesn't even feel like trap, just something totally new. However when you look up and realize that is only the ninth track out of 24 it can seem a bit daunting especially on tracks like "Too Much Jewelry" which feels like a list of the things Migos have, but then at the end Offset comes through this Vocodor and adds an entirely new dimension to the song. "Gang Gang" a track about fraternal love, sticks out a bit as a bit overly emotional but it shows this new vibe that Migos are able to take on, something they have excelled at from the start. This record might be massive but Migos have packed it full of fun and exciting things making sure it sails far faster than it's run time would suggest. If you aren't on Migos yet it's time to get on board.

8.5 out of 10