Even though certain members of Migos have been flourishing while attempting to branch off and make music individually, I personally don’t think they’re ever as good without each other. Every member brings something different to the table, whether it’s their own unique style, delivery, uncharacteristic aesthetic, or anything else that you might include when discussing the supergroup. In recent years, it has seemed as if they’re stressing the importance of their solo careers over their group, but within the past couple of weeks, they’ve come back with a slew of new music.
The first one came out on Cinco de Mayo, and I thought it was just going to be a novelty for the holiday, but they’re back with a brand-new track entitled “Racks 2 Skinny” as well as a music video for the fresh song. It begins with some very evocative chimes and bells, chattering percussion, and powerful drums. Takeoff begins the song with his verse, and he annunciates his words in a much more clear and understandable fashion than we’ve typically heard before. This is impressive because normally he speaks so quickly that he has no choice but to mash his words together in order to stay on pace, yet he still speaks pretty much as rapidly as ever on this track. As he picks up the pace of his delivery even more towards the end of his verse, a sort of enchanting flute plays in the background, making it feel as if they’re taking us on an adventure of sorts.
The first line of Quavo’s verse is pitched down, catching the attention of anyone who might’ve been put in a trans after Takeoff’s bewildering bars. After this, he continues on to just bounce effortlessly on the beat, showing exactly how impressive he has become over the many years he has spent perfecting his craft. The hook is very reminiscent of a typical Migos chorus, as the same lines just get repeated over and over. This isn’t a bad thing, though, because it’s how they’ve made a lot of their songs and it’s also how they stick in people’s minds for months at a time like some sort of chip that gets implanted in our brains. Offset comes in to finish out this offering, busting onto the instrumental and bringing so much more energy and vitality than either of his group members. His delivery is spirited and swift, as his words almost sound like they’re bullets being shot out of a gun. The lyrics that each artist comes up with don’t stray too far away from their normal topics, but they manage to keep these reoccurring themes fresh by using entertaining wordplay to talk about diamond-studded Rolexes, trapping out of the bando, and taking the music world by storm, among other things.
When it comes to a crew as powerful and influential as the Migos, it’s pretty obvious that they’re going to go all out for their music videos, so the high production quality and crisp shots of this new visual aren’t surprising in the slightest. For Takeoff’s portion, he is chilling on a couch in a dark, red-lit room as a briefcase overflowing with hundred-dollar bills rests in front of him. His outfit matches the room’s colorway, as his mostly white garments have touches of red throughout, pairing him with the setting he’s been placed in. As the song transitions to Quavo’s part, a zoomed-in shot of Huncho’s gold grill-filled mouth is shown before he’s seen in a well-lit changing room of sorts. Mirrors and lights cover the walls, showing every single angle of his designer outfit and flashy jewelry. Offset’s part takes place in a couple of different settings. One scene is in the back of a sprinter bus while the other is in a film studio as he sits on top of and dances around a vending machine. Beyond this, clips of certain luxurious cars can be seen throughout, and once the song is actually over, the hook plays for about another minute in the video, as a closing sequence of credits play like they would at the end of a feature-length film.
I’m not going to lie, in recent years I’ve gotten away from listening to Migos as much as I used to. Although they undeniably have hits and they’re bigger than ever, I just prefer their older, more authentic music because it just seemed to be rawer and more genuine. With that being said, I didn’t expect too much going into this song, but I was honestly impressed. It seems like they went back to some more classic styles that they used to show off back in the day, and although this song’s bound to blow up like any of their other songs would at this point, it just has a more old school Migos vibe, which I’m totally grateful for. I’m not sure if their recent influx of new music is leading to something specific or if it’s just their way of staying busy, but either way, I’m not complaining. “Racks 2 Skinny” is the brand-new offering by Atlanta’s very own Migos, so peep the song and visual below.