The Outside Story follows Charles Young, who’s an introverted editor living in his 2nd-floor apartment, always on a deadline and in a rut. When he locks himself out of his building, he’s forced to go outside and confront the world he’s been avoiding.

This is the first starring role for Brian Tyree Henry who many of you may know from the FX series “Atlanta.” Filmwise, he’s appeared in smaller roles in a variety of movies, with his best in my opinion being his eerie and haunting monologue in If Beale Street Could Talk.

So I have always respected him as an actor and loved to see him in anything really, so of course, I wanted to check this film out.

via GIPHY

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The Outside Story

The Outside Story is a fun and light-hearted indie film that doesn’t overstay its welcome, clocking in at just 85 minutes. This film is what I would call cinematic comfort food. The kind of film where you find yourself smiling and genuinely rooting for the characters on screen and you leave it just as happy.

Much of that has to do with Henry’s performance. Much like his previous roles he is very likable in the film and carries with him a certain comedic charm that carries much of the film’s more lighthearted scenes. But he’s also exceptional at portraying drama, hopelessness, and pain. And he puts that to the test here.

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A post shared by The Outside Story (@theoutsidestory)

I think this role was perfect for him as his first feature because if this was your introduction to his acting, you pretty much walk away with a great understanding of what kind of performer he is. I don’t only attribute it to him, but the writing and overall direction as well.

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Setting-building in The Outside Story

When Henry’s character, Charles, is locked out of his apartment, naturally the film has to find ways to fill in that space of time between him being locked out and him finding his way back inside. And it’s interesting but also naturally done how the film introduces us to his world.

A lot of films, especially fantasy or sci-fi films, use a character to introduce us to the world of the film. We see the world through their eyes essentially. In this film, we know how this world operates already. It’s a normal modern-day Brooklyn setting that won’t surprise anyone when you’re watching this.

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A post shared by The Outside Story (@theoutsidestory)

What makes it interesting on screen is the fact that Charles has no clue how this world works. He’s always inside, becoming a recluse of sorts, so this situation forces him to get to know his neighbors, to learn more about his community, to really become a part of his community that he so often neglected. 

So the film is about more than just Charles finding himself as a character. It’s about Charles finding his place in the world but on a much smaller scale. We watch him learn from other characters and grow as a person from these experiences when he’d much rather be inside working or hiding from the outside world.

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In conclusion…

And that’s what makes it such a feel-good film. There’s also a relationship aspect with his girlfriend that I don’t want to spoil too much. But it serves as a great motivator for him as well and just adds to that warm feeling you get when watching it. 

Overall I don’t have many negatives with this film. It’s not perfect by any means. Some of the dialogue could be tighter and because of the length we don’t get a lot from the side characters.

They’re very much in the film as plot devices for his growth, which isn’t a bad thing at all, but more development with some, like the police officer in the film who is dedicated to her job of writing parking tickets which becomes a running joke in the film, would’ve been great.

Despite that, the film is a great time. It’s not on any streaming services but you can watch it anywhere online you can rent movies.

NBA voting arenas being opened and accessible to marginalized communities may have been the reason Joe Biden and Kamala Harris won the 2020 presidential election.

Specifically in large cities in key battleground states such as Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, and Phoenix, NBA voting arenas served as a safe haven for people (largely BIPOC) to vote, and combated voter suppression that permeates throughout much of America.

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The NBA bubble’s stoppage

When the Milwaukee Bucks decided to protest an NBA playoff game against the Orlando Magic over the shooting of Jacob Blake, questions surfaced even among players as to what could be done to make real change.

A phone call between Former President Barack Obama, LeBron James, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony not only saved the season, but also set in place a concrete plan of action. 

President Obama advised players to use their platform to impact real change. The season continued, but only because the league and its players committed to increase access to voting and advocating for social change. Players were concerned that playing games was taking attention away from larger social issues. 

LeBron, CP3 and a small group of NBA players spoke with former President Barack Obama on Wednesday night, per @ShamsCharania

Obama advised them to play and maximize this opportunity to get their desired action items. pic.twitter.com/bpDAit4WlX

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 28, 2020

Together, the NBA formed a plan to get people to vote. Players wore shirts and masks that said vote on them. Players used social media and press conferences to bring attention to election day. They tried to get as many people registered to vote as possible, and made sure NBA voting arenas were ready for the large influx of voters.  They spoke out louder than they ever have this past season on the topic of voting. 

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NBA voting arenas

The NBA also did its part with 23 out of the 30 teams turning their arenas into polling centers. There were some complications as some arenas are not privately owned, but overall having arenas open as voting sites when they otherwise would have just been empty, helped to fight voter suppression. 

Remember the people saying that the NBA strike after the shooting of Jacob Blake was pointless? Dumb? Here is a list of voting centers the @nba opened after that strike.
Philadelphia.
Detroit.
Atlanta.
Amazing. pic.twitter.com/2Lxa3amC85

— The Gregory Brothers (@gregorybrothers) November 6, 2020

NBA voting centers were in the middle of crucial cities in battleground states. Atlanta’s State Farm Arena was used as a place people could vote and where poll workers counted votes. The Detroit Pistons used their training facility as a poll site. Atlanta and Detroit were two cities that saw huge voter turnout and were key in helping Joe Biden win the election. 

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Grassroots organizations playing a part

More Than A Vote, an organization founded by LeBron James, helped to coordinate a lot of the work done by the NBA. The organization helped recruit poll workers while also helping to fight misinformation. More Than A Vote signed up over 40,000 poll workers and also offered free rides to polling centers. 

Let’s go!!!!! Black voters came through…again. Be proud as hell but do not stop! We must stay organized and keep working. We just tipping off. I promise you I’m here for y’all throughout! ✊🏾💪🏾🖤 @Morethanavote pic.twitter.com/Zi1NInJeOd

— LeBron James (@KingJames) November 6, 2020

Rally The Vote, the first team-led, nonpartisan voter registration coalition made up of 20 NBA, NFL, MLB, MLS, WNBA, and NWSL franchises, also made large strides in getting people to the polls.

NBA players also stepped up in terms of registering themselves to vote. Only 22% of players reportedly voted in 2016. In 2020, 96% of all players were registered to vote. Chris Paul, for example, got the entire Thunder team registered to vote. 

It’s impossible to know the exact numbers the NBA affected with the election this year, but there’s no doubt that the NBA did its part in getting people to vote. And making it accessible to thousands of people who otherwise may not have voted. The NBA has a powerful platform and it used its voice to make real change.

Who is Thugger Thugger?

A man as eccentric as he is presentable. Jovial as he is fearsome. Questioned as much as he is respected. For the self-named “SEX,” a lot is a mystery, but one way to delve deeper into the talented rapper, singer, songwriter and producer, is to look at who he draws inspiration from, and how he builds his craft from there.

Young Thug (aka Jeffrey Lamar Williams) is the prototypical rap artist of this half-decade. Even earlier than this, auto-tune melodies, mumble-rap and more frenzied beats were evident in rap music, with artists like Kanye West breaking the mold. But Young Thug created an even newer style: one where it is okay to rap about nonsense, wear whatever the hell you want and create music in an unconventional manner.

Lil Yachty, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Baby and Gunna are just some of the names that can thank Thugger for his groundbreaking work and creativity. But where did the fabled SEX get his inspiration from? Was it from one source in his early career, or has Jeffrey always been this way?

Thugger’s style brings images of David Bowie and Prince. In his album Jeffrey, Thug donned a dress, which has led to the media calling him “gender fluid” and “androgynous.”

Thug has cited Gucci Mane, Kanye West, and most notably Lil Wayne as inspirations in his music. The rap-style of Wayne is evident in Thug’s verses, as he creates patterns and rhythms with words that are similar to the ones that got Wayne branded as the GOAT by many. Thug may have gotten rap inspiration from Wayne, but his singing ability and proficiency in creating hot melodies/choruses is almost unrivaled in the hip-hop industry.

One star pop singer that Thug can relate to and has collaborated with is Sir Elton John, a man that has compared Thugger to John Lennon. Elton John is one of the most successful artists of all time, and his style was almost as unorthodox as Thug’s is.

In 2018, Thug met John in his Atlanta apartment and they hit the ground running. Thugger wanted to sample John’s song “Rocket Man,” and John was happy to help. That collaboration created “High,” a beautiful track that highlights the talent of both artists.

It is a song that floats in the clouds, hangs in the air as John’s vocals run into Thugger’s falsetto.

“I love it when you sing,” John told Thug that day. “Your singing is special.”

SEX’s most recent album, released just this past week, titled So Much Fun, is emblematic of the layered and trail-blazing style that helps define him. With 19 tracks of pure bliss, we get new sounds we’ve never heard before. So Much Fun also showcases Thugger as a brilliant producer, one who knows which artists to put on which songs; what beats and melodies they can be their best selves on.

But with all his talent and industry respect, Thugger is not without his enemies. Rapper YFN Lucci, who Thug has beefed with before, posted “CAP ASS ALBUM,” after hearing So Much Fun.

 

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What #yfnlucci talking bout y’all?? 😳

A post shared by DJ Akademiks (@akadmiks) on Aug 17, 2019 at 8:52am PDT

Thugger took to his own Instagram page to respond: “@yfn if ain like what u do for your mother and kids I WOULDVE BEEN KILLED U,” followed by some laughing emojis.

One can’t mistake his singing and eccentric, androgynous style for him being soft. It’s pretty clear Thugger believes everything he says and stands behind it all, something that seems more and more uncommon with rap artists nowadays.

SEX’s complexity is part of what gives him his cult following. Not everyone is a fan, but those who like Thugger LOVE him, and the rap industry is full of artists who can and have directly thanked Thugger for putting them on. Artists in Atlanta hold it down for each other like no other city.

So when you look at Thugger Thugger, you can’t just take a peek through the window. He requires and deserves your full attention and respect. Because with SEX, you never know what you’re going to get next. And that is just one of the things we love about him.

Peep Thug’s latest album So Much Fun here:

Freaknik is returning to Atlanta.

Yes, you read that correctly.  The early 1980s to late 1990s bonanza with an infamous legend that proceeds it has been officially reinstated Atlanta’s WSB-TV Channel 2 announced today.

If you don’t live on social media this may be a surprise to you, but it’s something millennials have sort-of manifested.

It seems like every year around the same time, the internet gets all nostalgic and decides to take a stroll down memory lane to remind everyone of Atlanta’s legendary Freaknik.

This generation’s infatuation with freaknik is concerning

— the 0x king (@mashfreak) March 11, 2019

Y’all only wan Freaknik back bc y’all still weirdly obsessed wit the 90s

— Justicio❄️ (@slimslumslam) March 13, 2019

https://twitter.com/_JAETHATRUTH/status/1105266540012814336

What’s up with y’all sudden infatuation with FreakNik anyway?

— TRILL. (@ZonTrill) March 11, 2019

What started as a party promotion for Atlanta’s college students who did not go anywhere for spring break eventually morphed into a phenomenon incorporating every fraternity from around the nation coming into one city.

But the event ended up growing so big neighboring communities and residents not in even college began to go — which is where it went bad.

What was supposed to be a social gathering of fun and excitement with peers, turned into a cesspool of misogyny, causing the annual fest to get canceled. Which is why every year those trips down memory lane get halted when the bad side is eventually exposed.

The video below shows men terrorizing a woman’s car at Freaknik one year, to the point that they’re yelling “show me your titties” and even dragging one of the women out of the car.

https://twitter.com/CDKonthemic/status/1106030094064201729

By 2010, then-Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed had no choice but to ban all Freaknik-related activities from being staged within the city, putting an end to an Atlanta staple.

There were good aspects of Freaknik, but vastly overweighed by the bad, which is why its return has many questioning if it’s a good idea.

It’s almost as if the highlights, nostalgia, and euphoria of what Freaknik was have superseded the blatant sexually violent behavior that was rampant throughout its tenure. In addition, when you take into account the #MeToo era we’re now in, it’s to be seen just how they will dispell the culture that inevitably comes with it.

Pitched as a “family-friendly forum”, the new Freaknik will take place at Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood on June 22 thanks to 9 Atlanta-based partners producing the event.

Given the already impossible Atlanta traffic, ever-growing population and the lack of accountability for what happened to the women in Freaknik’s past, it’s a wonder how the event’s revival ever received the green light.  Whether they can pull it off as advertised, though, will be the true test.

Atlanta is really trying to rebrand Freaknik as a family fun day with popcorn and snow cone machines, huh? Please stop playing in my face.

— ᴅᴏʟʟᴀʀ (@callmedollar) April 3, 2019

Don’t bring back Freaknik until these niggas have a clear understanding of consent.

— Fat Boy Technique ➡️ MAL 1/13-16 (@PrinceEmjayE) March 29, 2019

All one can hope is that precaution is taken and the livelihood of the women is put at the forefront of the event. If Freaknik can exist in 2019 or not is a question we’ll all soon have the answer to.

This year’s lineup includes Project Pat, Uncle Luke, Da Brat, Foxy Brown, Kilo Ali, Bun B. and Pastor Troy. Tickets, which range from $46-$221, are on sale now at www.livenation.com.

Super Bowl Sunday is probably one of the only American-traditions that hasn’t lost any of its steam. Besides being the most viewed television event of the year, the mere nature of the ‘big game’ has, since it’s the inception, been treated like a national holiday.

The commercial slots are worth millions, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime gig and honor for the halftime performer. Plus,  it rakes in a great amount of revenue to the hosting city.

Which is why it was horrific to learn that 33 people have been arrested in relation to a sex trafficking ring in Atlanta ahead of the Super Bowl yesterday, Jan. 31.

Y’all 33 people have already been arrested for Super Bowl sex trafficking in ATL & 16 young girls are missing. Be safe y’all!!

— taylor 🖤 (@_CreativeSouls) January 31, 2019

According to authorities, four victims have already been rescued but it also makes you wonder how many others there are.  Just last week in Douglasville — a town not too far from Atlanta — 16 were arrested as part of an undercover operation. The timing of their sex ring operation was in direct relation to that of the Super Bowl.

When you take into account the type of scene the Super Bowl naturally attracts and Atlanta being the third largest city for sex trafficking, it creates a hotbed for this type of criminal activity that cannot be ignored. Atlanta’s Mayor, Keisha Lance Bottoms, spoke to CNN on the complexities of human trafficking, especially in Atlanta.

“The Super Bowl is an opportunity for us to talk about it, but it’s something we have to be vigilant about 12 months out of the year,” Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms told CNN.

“It’s about making sure that the thousands of men and women who work in our hotels understand what the signs are. It’s about making sure our police officers understand what the signs are. It’s about making sure the public is informed,” she said.

Mayor Bottoms has been a long-time supporter of anti-human-trafficking efforts. She rolled out a media campaign to combat and raise awareness about the spread of human trafficking in ATL.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BsjJGbVAQr6/

Similarly, Department of Homeland Security Agent Nick Annan tells The Atlanta Journal-Constitution that they aren’t allowed to disclose the details of the case but “plans to continue what we’re doing.”

And they’ve been doing.

Atlanta police Chief Erika Shields says planning for Super Bowl security began over two years ago and that there are dozens of local, state and federal agencies assisting with security.

Those efforts include listing warning signs of trafficking and a hotline number at convenience stores and gas stations, posters in the airport and inflight videos from Delta Air Lines’ carrying the message.

Throughout January there have even been churches in Atlanta holding public information sessions on how to spot trafficking in communities and volunteers went into hotels to share the signs with employees.

Being that January was Human Trafficking Awareness Month one could hope that its unintentional intersection with the Super Bowl’s puts a spotlight on this issue as well potentially rescue more victims. The International Labor Organization estimates that 40.3 million people are trapped in human trafficking globally — 71 percent of whom are women and girls and 25 percent are children.

Although there’s no evidence that supports the theory that sex trafficking heightens during Super Bowl, The National Human Trafficking Hotline tells CNN they’ve seen “slight upticks” in calls and reports during Super Bowl weekend.

As the New England Patriots take on the Los Angeles Rams Sunday, we can only hope for safety on and off the field.

In the words of Elliot Wilson to T.I. during his Rap Radar interview on Tidal, “You have made yourself this person that is omnipresent to our culture.”

Wilson’s statement is unquestionably the truest words ever put together in a sentence. Still, it was no easy feat for the originator of trap music to get to where he is today. The wisdom T.I. has gained over the past two decades proves just that.

Can you remember the days when T.I. was on the Road to Redemption back in 2009? The show focused on the Atlanta rapper wanting to encourage the youth that there is another way out of the hood besides a life of crime.

Although T.I. was facing a year and one day for weapons charges he was able to take a negative experience and turn it into a positive one. The experience made the rapper realize that he is a “leader of a generation” and not just a celebrity and entertainer.

A very humbling moment for T.I. and he became the Moses of hip-hop overnight. Time and time again he has encouraged us to take a stand for what we believe as a culture is right.

Back in July 2008, T.I. spoke to a group of youngins at Washington D.C. for the “Respect My Vote” campaign by the Hip Hop Caucus. A memorable quote from the lecture,

“It is very important that we accept responsibility as leaders in this country. And the sooner we do that, the sooner we will see this country’s ways represent us. Right now, we might look at politics and say, ‘well, you know, politics don’t really represent me.’ That’s because there’s not enough of us involved. The more of us that get involved, the more this country’s ways will represent us…”

Fast-forwarding to 2016, T.I. put out his tenth studio album, Us or Else: Letter to the System. The album was a follow to a double EP and served “as a warning to black Americans who find themselves labeled social disruptors for simply trying to live their lives harmoniously,” as PitchFork beautifully phrased it.

With the album release also came a 15-minute short film that debuted on BET and gorgeously tackled the issue of American police brutality. If you haven’t seen it, we suggest you become woke below. You should know T.I. ain’t shook of police either, you know what I’m sayin’.

T.I. is straight up the voice of our people. Recently the “Trap King” was seen at an Atlanta church service and march in honor of the late Dr. King. The events were in honor of his death.

At the march, were thousands of people standing alongside the late Dr. King’s relatives including his daughter Rev. Bernice King and his son Martin Luther King III, according to the AP.

T.I. called the events “a blessing” and expressed how important it was for him to attend. He said that Dr. King “blazed a trail for us to have liberty and freedom, and all the luxuries we enjoy today.” True!

We have to guess this is why T.I. had the courage to boycott one of Atlanta’s biggest restaurant chains back in October with Wacka Flocka’s mama Deb Antney.

Houston’s refused to service a large party of African Americans as they watched another large party of Caucasians walk to their seats comfortably. FOH, with that Jim Crow shit, meng.

Recently the boycott was lifted as the racist restaurant assured T.I. there will be no discrimination in seating based on a customer’s skin color or dress code, according to TMZ.

Nowadays the southern prophet is focusing on his new competition series The Grand Hustle, which he plans to debut July 19 at 10 pm on BET.

According to Billboard, “the show will focus on 16 aspiring hustlers competing to see if they have what it takes to earn the coveted, six-figure position at T.I’s Grand Hustle empire.” There will be a whole lot to watch as there will be hustlers from all walks of life and 12 hour long episodes.

T.I. said to Billboard,

“It doesn’t matter if you got your hustle at Harvard or the hood, The Grand Hustle is about how you handle business and what you can do for the brand so I wanted to create a show that offers an equal playing field.”

Besides that, T.I. has his hands tied trying to get his homie Kanye West out of the Sunken Place. Boy, if you don’t stop playing with us and take that MAGA hat off!

Kanye gives us a behind the scenes look on the making of “Ye vs. the People”

Check out the whole video on https://t.co/TpuIcxlU1I pic.twitter.com/BBkBoVuV6R

— Def Jam Recordings (@defjam) May 1, 2018

I’m not going to lie, I was a latecomer to the Gunna bandwagon.

In my defense, the 24-year old rapper from College Park, Georgia has only been rapping since 2016 (when his Drip Season series first began) and when I did hear him, he didn’t sound like an artist fresh on the scene.

On Young Thug’s “Floyd Mayweather”, a highlight of the 2016 studio album JEFFERY, Gunna’s presence was not overshadowed, but instead he was on par with Gucci and Travis Scott’s verses. He blended in; almost too well.

His cadence, flow, and feel matched up so well against his much more experienced contemporaries that I just assumed he was someone I knew already.

Even his 2017 tape, Drip Season 2 was egregiously overlooked. The project compiled plenty of Atlanta’s scene with the assistance of Duke, Playboi Carti, and Young Thug, but somehow I didn’t catch wind.

On February 2nd, however, young Gunna gave us all another chance, swerving that bandwagon back around with his third mixtape Drip Season 3.

Released under Young Thug’s YSL label, which is a subsidiary of 300 Entertainment, Drip Season 3 took over the sound waves by storm. The momentum and reps Gunna got during the first two tapes all came together on this project.

Almighty Video…..This Friday ! Stay Ready ! #DS3 🎥 BY:@nasserboulaich

A post shared by ❕GUNNA❕ (@only1_gunna) on Jan 23, 2018 at 9:08am PST

My unfamiliarity was quickly erased once it graced my ears. It was one of those instances where the music found me. I didn’t have go out and look for it — the sound had a magnetic pull that I couldn’t resist.

For Drip Season 3, Gunna recruits rappers Young Thug, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, NAV just to name a few, and gets production assistance from the likes of Metro Boomin, London on the Track, and other hitmakers. Gunna somehow takes what is probably the most popular flow and trap sound out, and simply does it better.

Drip — the theme, mantra, and name of the tape — is the metaphorical sauce he inhabits. From the beats he chooses and the verses he spits, there is an undeniable bop to Gunna’s music that translates from the first track on down.

MerryXmas My Loves 💞#DS3 Next Month 💙😊💧🐍🤞

A post shared by ❕GUNNA❕ (@only1_gunna) on Dec 25, 2017 at 9:13am PST

Gunna’s influence are Young Thug and Future and it shows. He knows exactly the pitches to use, when to incorporate what melodies and how to ride a beat, almost as well as his mentors.

What Gunna brings to the table as an artist is far more than just rap content, it’s an essence of a lifestyle. It feels like exactly what the Atlanta scene is right now, and I’m not sure if there is an artist out there capturing it better.

Being that he’s only three projects in, it’s safe to say that we’ve yet to see the best from this Atlanta drip master. Let’s hope he builds on his sound and comes out with ever more heat.

Listen to Gunna and Young Thug’s hottest tracks on the Kulture Hub Spotify and follow us:

Over the last decade, Donald Glover has become one of the defining artists in contemporary entertainment. With his work in television, stand-up, film, and music, no one can deny his impact on the culture.

In the next year, Glover will release season 2 of the critically-acclaimed series Atlanta, star in Solo: A Star Wars Story as Lando Calrissian, play Simba in Lion King alongside Beyonce, and maybe bring back his Childish Gambino moniker. He’s one of the most important artists we have.

With all that said, he isn’t Tupac.

In a (very fire) profile by Esquire’s Bijan Stephen, Glover claimed that he is the “new Tupac.” He told Stephen:

“I know everybody likens themselves to Tupac a lot. I am the new Tupac in a strange way. I grew up similar. I didn’t have a mom in the Black Panthers, but my parents were very pro-black. Also, my mom made me go to performing-arts high school. She was like, ‘That’s where you need to be.’ Sometimes you have to play a role for people to understand you, even though you’re far more complex than any of that. Sometimes it’s really hard to simplify that so people can eat it.”

Ok so, like I said, Donald Glover is one of the best artists of our generation, but this comparison is questionable to say the least. Glover’s claim is mostly based on their upbringing, that Glover and Shakur were both raised in pro-Black environments and attended performing-arts schools.

While the Tupac correlation may be a stretch, I do find the second part of his comparison to be pretty revelatory about the relationship Glover has to his audience and art. For artists coming from the margins, sometimes you have to package your work in a specific way for the masses to be able to digest it.

Atlanta, despite its wide acclaim, is a pretty damn subversive and unorthodox show. Glover communicates his ideas of Blackness, relationships, and just plain ol’ existence in a way that honors his complexity, but still resonates with audiences, perhaps because of its inherent authenticity.

One excerpt from Glover’s interview does remind me of Pac’s ethos. While articulating the effect he wants to have on audiences, Glover recalled one of the first films, a Lumière brothers work that showed a train coming towards the audience:

“I always think about how the train came at the screen, one of the first moving images, and the audience jumped out of the way. The audience didn’t know what it was. I’m like, ‘How do you do that again? How do you make people jump out of the way because they thought it was that real?'”

In trying to get the audience to jump out of the way of his art, Glover is indeed similar to Tupac. Whether he’s the new Pac, I mean, let’s just leave that label entirely untouched.

Unless you are an undeniable legend like Michael Jackson, Elton John, Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, or Eminem, it is hard to become a household name just for your music.

I mean think about it for a second. How many artists do you know that get love in every household in the United States regardless of race?

These days it’s hard to deny the influence that the Migos has had on the culture in the past few years. Since blowing up on to the scene, they’ve started plenty of the trends from flows to the dab, but now they’re in unfamiliar territory.

While the reviews of their latest album haven’t been extraordinary (some critics are calling it a “data dump“), there is a silver lining for the Migo gang.

Culture II may not be sonically different from any other Migos project before, but it definitely sets up Takeoff’s solo career to finally get poppin’. Deemed the most lyrical of the group, Takeoff shines brightest on “Notice Me”, blazing the track with his unique triplet flow.

All three members had their space to glow and are prepping their audience of how they’re coming in 2018. If one thing’s for certain, the three-headed dragon draped in Versace and dripping in diamonds we call Migos isn’t splitting up anytime soon.

Recently, hip-hop’s hottest trio stopped by Big Boy’s radio-station to discuss Culture II. During a recent interview at “Big Boy’s Neighborhood”, Migos’ Offset ruffled some feathers by making some bold claims saying, they’re the best group ever in any genre.

Yes… you read that right, not even the biggest rap group, the biggest GROUP…. EVER! No Beatles, no Hot Boyz, no Wu-Tang Clan, no Outkast, no Pink Floyd, no AC/DC, no Three 6 Mafia, but the Migos ladies & gentleman.

You are probably laughing that statement off in disgust, or shaking your head in disbelief. They may not have a Grammy under their belt, but neither does Tupac Shakur or Biggie, so let’s not write off Migos’ claim as the best group ever just yet.

The Migos are Atlanta’s hottest artists and they’ve had hip-hop culture on lock down since breaking onto the scene in 2012 with “Bando”. 

Offset was still in jail and Takeoff and Quavo were rocking “Free Offset” shirts. After having the underground on lock with “Bando”, it was time to capitalize. Fast-forwarding to 2013, Migos knock it out the park with their hit single “Versace”. 

You would have thought Migos had a sponsorship with “Versace” the way the whole world was mimicking their song. In fact, Migos’ “Versace” made Drake want to hop on their wave.

Through 2014-2016, Migos had the whole globe dabbing along, dropping multiple hits like “Handsome & Wealthy”, “Look At My Dab”, “Fight Night”, and “Pipe It Up”. That’s when we knew Migos would be a staple in the rap game.

When the dust clears, Offset’s statement could be right. In 2017, Migos scored their first number one album with Culture.

It’s February 2018 and most people still can’t get “Bad & Boujee” out of their heads. Donald Glover’s (aka Childish Gambino) Migos’ shoutout at the Golden Globes last year catapulted their mainstream stardom, making Migos more appealing to suburban audiences.

Still to this day, that moment remains a main contributor to their success in capturing a mainstream audience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4bprZkOqiU

Now, they’re even performing on Ellen.

They’ve been in the game for six years, and their audience is growing with them. As trendsetters their momentum will continue to steamroll forward. And don’t think that they’ve gone pop either. Quavo is out here robbing fools and they’re still very much with the shits.

If you are expecting the Migos momentum to slow up, think again.

As their music matures so will the artists they work with. Migos still have unreleased flames with Kanye West that music fiends have been itching for. Takeoff and Lil Yachty (Lil Boat!) are also looking to bless our ears with a collab project in the near future.

They could be the legends our grandchildren will talk about when it comes to hip-hop and music in general as Migos continue to develop new trends and sounds.

So if you want to hate, hate while you can. There is still the time to do it, it’s just running out. Quickly.