Spencer Wu
Staff Writer
Do it for the culture. Migos, a hip-hop trio from Atlanta consisting of Offset, Takeoff, and Quavo, will be coming to Arlington Theatre on Friday, Apr. 14. With their meteoric rise on the billboards with recent chart-toppers such as “Bad and Boujee” and “T-Shirt,” Migos is known for their turn-up club bangers and complete production level.
They first gained attention when Drake remixed their song “Versace” in 2013. Through this, they were able to revolutionize Atlanta hip hop, which gained attention from the likes of Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane, as a sort of metaphorical torch passing from old school to new school hip-hop. The transition highlights the rise of trap while retaining hard hip-hop roots.
This style is shown most explicitly on their latest release, Culture. The album, which dropped in January, includes the aforementioned hits and has features from DJ Khaled, Lil Uzi Vert, Gucci Mane, 2 Chainz, and Travis Scott. This star-studded cast helped bring about the ascension of Migos by showcasing the best of them, but is not alone in helping them out. Although the three-headed monster of Offset, Takeoff, and Quavo can hold their own, they usually rely on features, and even show up on other songs to bring about recognition for their brand. Some other artists that they have worked with include Justin Bieber, Young Thug, Juicy J, Jeremih, R. Kelly, and countless more.
This is oftentimes a subject of contention, as there is an upward trend of Quavo being featured on many other artists’ tracks; for example, on Post Malone’s “Congratulations,” Drake’s “Portland,” and even Kanye West’s empowering anthem “Champions.” This recurring incident has prompted some to believe that he might go solo and leave YRN (Yung Rich Nation).
Their hit song “Bad and Boujee” reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and is easily the group’s most iconic and defining song. It begins with a bouncy first verse from Offset and then transitions to one of Quavo’s most memorable lines as he popularized the phrase “Dat Way,” which later became a song of his own (featuring Rich the Kid). Then Lil Uzi Vert added his two cents in his meme-able and often criticized last verse. All this is wrapped up in an expected Metro Boomin beat and production. This song is so popular that it was played on various late night talk shows, most notably Jimmy Fallon’s office edition of the chart-topper.
This won’t be Migos’s first stint in Santa Barbara, as they performed at the Velvet Jones with Rich the Kid in 2015. Their fans are in for a treat, because they are known to be extremely hype during live performances, always getting the crowd involved and pumping up the audience. Just recently, this trio went to the University of Southern California to perform with Rae Sremmurd, but ended up not even coming on stage. Because of the uncontrollable crowd in anticipation of the concert, the fire marshal shut down the show before it even started. If the crowd at Santa Barbara is able to tame their excitement, even for a bit, then they are primed for an energetic and upbeat performance.