When you're in bumper-to-bumper traffic on I-95 north after a hectic day at work, the best thing to do is blast your radio so loudly you stop caring about everyone attempting to sneak into the express lanes without paying. Atlanta hip-hop group Migos' "Bad and Boujee" single is an ideal jam, causing your rear-view mirror to vibrate, your loose bumper to rattle, and the girls in the car next to you to shake their asses in their seats, almost causing an accident. It's just that damn good.
"Bad and Boujee" is just the latest in a string of smash radio singles from Migos. Generating a hit isn't easy, but Lawrenceville, Georgia, natives Quavo, Takeoff, and Offset have mastered the act of turning any traffic jam into a party with their many club bangers.
So what exactly goes into creating a club banger? Is it the beat? The producer? Or is it the feature that really makes a song skyrocket to the top of the Billboard charts? "It's God," says Quavo, the group leader, or "head honcho," as he refers to himself over the phone. "It's definitely a bit of blessing — a bit of touch and God — that goes into all of our records. Without him, we wouldn't have anything."
Along with God, a lot of time also goes into ensuring each track is perfect. "We make sure to take our time on each single and go hard on each other," Quavo says. "We're our toughest critics. I'll be the first one to say it's a no from me."
"I need all the dabbers to dab when I say dab."
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Critics have been on Migos' side since 2013, when they created their first bona fide club banger, "Versace." The song, the debut single from their 2013 mixtape Y.R.N., placed the trio at 99 on Billboard's Hot 100 Chart and instantly became the song of that winter. Fans across the nation were inspired to drain their life savings on Versace-brand scarfs, shirts, dresses, and other frivolous things with the Medusa-head logo just for an excuse to turn up to the song. "Versace" even caught the ears of Drake, who soon remixed the single and took it to a new level. Even the Versace brand itself embraced the song; a 2013 fashion show in Milan ended to the sounds of the jam's bouncy chorus.
Drake's take on their breakthrough hit threatened to overshadow the trio. But Migos kept dropping new tracks, evolving and perfecting their rhythmic, hook-heavy sound. Along the way, several of the group's singles easily reached the Billboard charts. Their 2014 song "Fight Night" was nominated for BET's Hip Hop Awards for Best Club Banger, and later singles "One Time" and "Look at My Dab" inspired internet frenzies and memes.
"The videos y'all come up with are hilarious," says Quavo, noticing he's tagged in yet another video using his latest single, "Bad and Boujee." "It's crazy and funny to see this shit blow up like this. It's a blessing."
The year 2017 is shaping up to be a year of blessings for the group, with "Bad and Boujee" reaching the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot 100. At Migos' upcoming concert at Revolution Live, Miami's "baddest bitch" Trina will grace the stage, and DJ Nasty of 99 Jamz will host. The show, Quavo promises, will feature all of the club bangers you already know and love — and he wants audiences to act accordingly.
"I expect all the bad and boujee girls to be in the front row. I need all the dabbers to dab when I say dab, and I need the whole building to pipe the fuck up."
Migos
With Trina and DJ Nasty. Saturday, January 14, at Revolution, 100 SW Third Ave, Fort Lauderdale; 954-449-1025; jointherevolution.net. Admission costs $45 via 710ent.com.
