Almost two years ago I reached out to my friend and former co-worker who runs A2HH in hopes of contributing my writing works because quite frankly I am in love with hip-hop culture-and quite frankly it saved my life to a few varying degrees. To quote Rakim, I take this more serious than just a poem.
Which is why I am here today almost in shock that I have spent the past year defending a now world renowned trio, straight out Nawf (85) Atlanta.
I am a “Hip-Hop Head” you understand? I worship at the alter of Illmatic, The Chronic, The Low End Theory, Ready To Die, Illadelph Halflife, Aquemini, Only Built For Cuban Linx, Reasonable Doubt etc…
I respect the history of our culture and predecessors-Paid In Full, Criminal Minded, It Takes A Nation, Follow The Leader, The Great Adventures Of Slick Rick, all get regular burn round these parts. Can’t forget Long Live The Kane-I respect the game.
It is because I respect the game that I do not respect how my generation (get off my lawn!) has unjustifiably chosen to disrespect Migos.
I come from a place(s) (Westside Charlotte & Eastside ATL) that when you see young men in the acquisition of money, fame, and the spoils that come with, if you are in opposition of those individuals you are given a moniker “A fucking playa hater!”
Somehow, my generation has put the G-Code down momentarily to pick up the hater flag and circle around the after-mentioned trio when they have done absolutely nothing to anybody (you got no dirt just digs).
I was almost a hater too, that’s how I know how to spot ya hating ass! First time I heard Bad & Boujee it was via my pre-teen daughter and niece in the back of my whip bouncing, head snapping, singing “we came from nothing to something!”
Awww Hell no! Not my girls, NO NO NO!!! Then, I went back and listened, and like it or not, it’s got classic head banga all over it (maybe you could have scrapped Uzi’s verse). I view it as a modern day “Get Low” by Ying Yang Twins or “Knuck If You Buck” by Crime Mob. It will be played in the club ten years from now and it will be Lit!!! That’s what the kids say now correct???
Then there was the song that made me a believer, the second single “T-Shirt” which between Quavo’s melodic, slightly auto-tuned vocals, and the downright in your face stay down til you come up hook that I still arbitrarily sing: “Momma told me, not to sell work/17.5, same color T-shirt—Momma told yoooouuuuuuuuuu”
That killer ass baseline that bottoms out and meshes perfectly with simple yet effective bars such as “Ima feed my family, aint no doubt about it!” or “ way back when I was trapping out Toyota’s!”
If you do not hear the inner city angst on this record (which is what hip-hop is rooted in FYI) I am not saying you are a playa hater-I’m saying you are just a fucking hater who might be oblivious to the origins of your own (wait for it) CULTURE!!!
So now that you all spent a year glossing over a quality album (Culture I), how are you gonna up the ante now that these young men have made sub par material (Culture 2).
In fairness to the “get off my lawn crowd”, it does not look good for Migos and there is about to be an abundance of pressure for Quavo’s solo project (we all see it coming) to save the brand because this album is sub par for sure.
Let’s explore the reasons it is subpar haters…
1) They been around the world getting that Barbara Streisand, Lady Gaga, Dave Chapelle fuck yo couch Comedy Central cut that check back in the day money! You usually need a great album and some great singles to pull that off.
2) It’s hard to make another great album when constantly touring and being distracted (bishes everywhere), notoriety etc… the focus is different, sometimes non-existent.
3) let’s not act as if emcees far greater have not suffered similar pitfalls. Kane, Snoop, and Nas (Still do not believe he let people convince him to release Nastradamaus ?????)
4) Too much focus on the album is talking about all you haters far and wide-and you’re hating ass does not deserve the air time, and they are too young still to understand that. They bucking back like young bucks do round here ??
5) They do think too highly of themselves. I can name 20 groups easy all-time ahead of Migos so when you go speaking with one half of the real greatest rap group ever (Outkast) about your greatness, you need not pump your brakes-just understand those guys are G6 status and you just got off your 10 speed and copped your first bucket for $1400 off Jimmy Carter (Nawf Side or Never).
6) They have to toot that horn so loudly because of the incessant sounds of you haters – I hate you hating ass haters by the way… ?
7) It is hard to make classic albums-but in today’s times making classic singles is just as challenging… how many hit singles does your hating ass have? Hard to hear you in a packed stadium they sold out and you do not have a mic-because you do not have bars-you have opinions ? #SideLines
8) Rapping is hard even the simple kind-everyone who has been in the booth knows that already.
9) Lastly, I would encourage Migos to know their hip-hop history, at least ATL history. The validation in OutKast being the best ever is not a personal bias – but rather-one that comes from them creating four classic albums that sound nothing remotely alike. And that’s not counting that double album that became the first hip-hop album to win album of the year ?
In short, Culture 2 suffers mostly due to the fact that it sounds like a watered down version of part 1 on every level. They can rectify this quickly however (hits cure everything in music unfortunately)
My favorite bar from hip-hop head/emcee Freddie Foxxx aka Bumpy Knuckles is “Just because I hate your punk ass don’t make you a playa!”
Understand, the inverse is true as well-just cuz your ass is hating does not mean your are the representative or standard bearer for the culture either…
Maybe I am biased- one of my homies used to trap out of a Toyota Tercel, and I can remember walking Piedmont Rd. W/my mom in the snow as a child and her drilling into me to get good grades so as to not be like those guys…
Maybe that’s why I feel T-shirt, maybe that’s why I feel Migos… What did they do other than succeed to garner all this hate again ??
I”ll wait…
