Culture

by Migos

Released January 27, 2017 via Quality Control / YRN / 300 Entertainment

Reviewed January 28, 2022

Top tracks (based on community voting)

Bad and Boujee (69%), T-Shirt (52%), Kelly Price (37%)

Culture boasted calm swagger in the form of chart-topping bangers; even the music videos for this album went bananas, with the Migos vibing through the snow on “T-Shirt.” Arguably at the peak of their career as a group, Migos delivered an album that really had it all. To this day, the first iteration of Culture stands far above the following projects that make up the three-album series. From “T-Shirt” to “Call Casting” to “Slippery,” this album knocks; this is all without even discussing the trend setting banger that is “Bad and Boujee.” With a legendary Lil Uzi Vert feature, this album was played at every function and still draws a crowd today. This album was the Migos in their prime form and they have not truly come close to this performance since. – Daniel (8.8/10)

The notoriety of Migos reached its apex in 2017, and along came Culture, the Atlantan trio’s inaugural entry into their flagship album series. It’s worth it to say, the first Culture is the one most concentrated with hits, and least diluted with filler. Despite its still iconic status, Culture is creatively a bit undercooked. Commercially, this was a multi-level success, with tracks like “Slippery” and “T-Shirt” working in supplementary fashion to the unforgettable reign of “Bad and Boujee,” featuring Lil Uzi Vert. What holds this album back creatively is the general absence of material definitions of Culture in the music - secondarily, Migos avoided their innate strengths as a group. In their mixtape run, spanning from “Young Rich N*gga’s” to “Rich Ni**a Timeline,” the trio’s act as a three-headed monster was significantly more demanding. Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff, all trading off, sharing verses and synergizing stories that relate the listener to an environment, thus animating and illuminating their culture. The Migos mixtapes have their flaws: They’re raw, a bit inconsistent or redundant, yet they remain the superior etchings in their discography. – DeVán (7/10)