Culture III

Completing their game-changing trap trilogy, Atlanta trio Migos issued the series final installment, Culture III, four years after its predecessor. A lifetime in the rap game, part three arrived just a little late to the party, as the genre had already crowned newer stars and delved into fresher subgenres. Nonetheless, Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff do what they do best, dropping their signature triplets and vocalizations atop serviceable production. Charming and engaging as ever, they deliver the usual sex, fame, and wealth content of old, shaking things up with some rare moments of vulnerability on the emotional Antisocial with the late Juice Wrld (where Takeoff confesses, When Im in my feelings, I bought me some codeine just so I can feel it) and the longing What You See with Justin Bieber crooning on the chorus. The latter track is as serious as the trio gets -- positively tender in comparison to the usually callous point of view towards sex -- pining for love and atoning for their sins (an apologetic Offset pleads, Do not judge a thug/do not judge the way I love, a reference to his relationship drama with Cardi B, who drops a verse on Type Shit). Otherwise, Culture III spends most of its time busting speakers with booming bass and expertly crafted cinematic atmospherics from a team of producers such as Murda Beatz, Tay Keith, Pooh Beatz, and more. Standouts include the Temptations-sampling Avalanche; the hypnotizing Having Our Way with Drake; and the timely Vaccine, which interpolates a familiar melody from Tchaikovskys The Nutcracker. In a bid for contemporary relevance, the trio are sure to recruit a handful of younger chart-toppers like Polo G (Malibu) and YoungBoy Never Broke Again (Need It), but its the shrewd inclusion of the late Pop Smoke and producer 808Melo on Light It Up that brings Brooklyn drill down to the trap house. While the set is a bit of a chore at 19 tracks (24 on the deluxe version), its still not as bloated as Culture II. Yet, it could use some trimming if only to clear the clutter that distracts from the solid highlights. With the trilogy complete, Migos might finally be ready to spread their wings and evolve from the scene they helped establish. ~ Neil Z. Yeung

個々での活動や、オフセットとカーディ・Bのロマンスなど公私にわたって話題に事欠かないスター集団の約3年半ぶりとなる待望のニュー・アルバムは人気シリーズの第3弾にして最終章となる作品であり、そのカーディやドレイク、故ポップ・スモークといった前作に続く面々や、さらには故ジュース・ワールド、ポロG、ジャスティン・ビーバーら豪華なゲスト陣が参加。先行曲"Straightenin"を筆頭に主役たるミーゴスの御三方が圧倒的な存在感を放ち、多くのフォロワーを生んだ三連符フロウをベースとする特徴的なラップが絡み合う巧みな掛け合いを披露している。テンプテーションズの名曲を引用した"Avalanche"のような新機軸も含みつつ持ち味である軽妙で心躍る楽曲が揃った痛快な傑作だ。
bounce (C)Masso 187um