Quavo Huncho album review
Following the January release of The Migos’ Culture II LP, it was rumoured that hip hop artist Quavo would be releasing a solo album sometime this year. We’ve seen Quavo’s ability to perform through the numerous features he’s racked up in the past two years. He’s also helped make his hip hop group, The Migos, a household name. Sadly, prominent features like Drake, Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and fellow Migos members weren’t enough to save this record.
The first track of the album, “Biggest Alley Oop” is about Quavo and the extravagant lifestyle he lives. The next track of the album, “Pass Out,” features Atlanta native, 21 Savage, and details the money Quavo has and the extravagant lifestyle he lives, which is a continued theme throughout the album.
The Migos have never been about lyricism, but the combination of three members made each track different. Without the assistance of fellow Migos members, Offset and Takeoff, Quavo seems to fall short. Tracks such as “Fuck 12” and “Keep That Shit” showcase the same hook, repeated over and over again.
“Fuck 12” in particular attempts to make a statement about the Black Lives Matter movement by sampling one of Malcolm X’s speeches at the beginning of the song and rapping about issues that African Americans face, but instead the lyrics get off-topic and focus more on money, women, and drugs. In the song, Quavo raps: “Judging me off the face tats / And I’m black / Whips on my back,” and in another part, “Choppa hold a hunnid / If I wasn’t real, I would be a hunnid / So that mean everything authentic / Every car I get, windows presidented.”
The production of the album is lackluster. Once you’ve listened to it for the second time, you’ll notice every track just sounds the same. Compared to the 2017 release of Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho — Quavo’s studio album collaboration with Travis Scott — which had unique samples and creative production, Quavo Huncho just seems to fall flat. With repetitive hooks and basic wordplay, the songs are catchy, making the album great to play at clubs — but that alone can’t save it. Quavo Huncho is simply too ordinary, which there is too much of nowadays.
Quavo Huncho was released on Oct. 12 via Capitol Records, Motown and Quality Control Music.
Story by Mannan Sharma