Trap and drill music—derived from communities within communities riddled with gang ties and drug money—are often dismissed for lack of substance. But once you dig past the “drugs, money, and women” signifiers, there are rich veins of meaning—take Future’s undying paranoia and bouts of depression he gingerly sprinkles into his albums.
Migos did nothing, though, to remedy those stereotypes with their debut single “Versace.” The Atlanta rap outfit came through like a hurricane with a formulaic hook that garnered them immediate club praise and local radio airplay. Then it trickled into the mainstream (everyone loves yelling out the names of deceased fashion designers with an aspirational brand), and they chased “Versace” with “Hannah Montana.” Migos were ultimately disregarded as lacking depth to their music. For this reason, their latest EP 3-Way is a success: The project, while short, introduces us all to new dimensions into the Migos collective psyche.
All lyrics aside, the 5-track EP is full of hard production. Zaytoven checks in twice (“3-Way” and “Coppers and Robbers”) to offer some name recognition, yet travels along a similar vein as the other three producers (Cassius Jay, Ricky Racks, and Dun Deal) in crafting dark, sinister beats that rise and fall with their hammering cadences. The title track is very on-brand, a combo of jazzy and churchish keys supporting fantasies about money. But even as Quavo is yapping about phone taps and “bitches,” he inserts some “coulda shoulda wouldas”: “Shoulda played for the Dolphins/Shoulda played for the Saints.” Once a high-school football star with a potential NFL career, he’s repetitively rapping about guns, and while this probably isn’t some self-actualization moment for Quavo, the recognition of a missed opportunity lingers.
“Coppers And Robbers” is another low-key dark cut as Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff all reveal that in the childhood game of “cops and robbers,” they fulfilled their destiny as the latter. “Can’t Go Out Sad” is a laundry list of material boasts, though the more they emphasize they’re not hurting for money, the more they underscore the other ways they might be hurting (the title alone reveals that need for reassurance). “Savages Only” is the real star of the show: a mildly controversial track addressing police violence but placed within the context of fighting fire with fire, as redemption can only come from “savages only.” Sure, it’s not the most hyper-conscious cut, but for a group that’s been previously written off as thoughtless, this track still feels noteworthy.
Sonically, 3-Way is very much an extension of Migos’ Y.R.N. 2 mixtape from earlier this year, but their content is seemingly drifting into new directions. With the upcoming election, racial injustice, and police brutality, many artists have changed the subject of their tune. Perhaps the country’s current climate inspired Migos to delve deeper this time, or perhaps they were this deep all along and we just weren't listening.
