I really wish the circumstances around this record were more positive. Migos is one of the most important Trap artists in Hip Hop, and any release from one of their members should be cause for celebration. Unfortunately, the mood around Quavo’s second solo record, Rocket Power, will be forever dampened because of the passing of Takeoff last year(RIP Takeoff). Takeoff was the glue that held the Migos together; his steady flows and excellent ad-libs made up for some of the group’s most memorable moments. His passing away really does feel like the end of an era, as no more new Migos records can ever be made. Hopefully, Quavo and Offset put their differences to the side in the near future and come together with one more project, though. Because of the untimely passing of his late nephew, Quavo decided to dedicate this record to Takeoff. “Rocket” was one of Takeoff’s nicknames, so the title of this record is an ode to him. As far as the music on Rocket Power goes, this record suffered from the same issues as Quavo’s debut record Quavo Huncho from 2018. The album does have quite a few quality tracks that I know I will be coming back to frequently, but there is just too much filler. If the album were shortened by about 6 or so songs it would be a lot better(and honestly even great) overall. Regrettably, the album as a whole is too weighed down by the more mundane tracks. Like I said, though, this record does have some high-quality songs, and I want to highlight some of my favorites. Please let me know in the comments below what your favorite songs are from Quavo’s Rocket Power, and also comment on how you feel about the project as a whole.

‘PATTY CAKE’ FEAT. TAKEOFF

‘Patty Cake’ is one of two songs on this record that featured Quavo’s late nephew Takeoff. Because of this, ‘Patty Cake’ will always hold a special place in the hearts of Migos fans considering he will never make music again. ‘Patty Cake’ has a triumphant and funky instrumental that makes me think of some of the music that Migos originally became popular for in the early 2010s. I could see this track being on one of their early mixtapes because of its grand, horn-driven melody and pounding beat. ‘Patty Cake’ is a phenomenal example of the undeniable chemistry that Quavo and Takeoff had. I love how they go back and forth on the first verse of this track. Takeoff’s performance on ‘Patty Cake’ is especially great; his killer flow and wordplay are great examples of why he was so revered as a rapper. ‘Patty Cake’ is a great track that will live in the hearts of Migos fans forever because of the implications around it. Long Live Takeoff.

‘MAMA TOLD ME’

Early in the Migos’s career, there were a few songs(like ‘Highway 85,’ for instance) where it seemed they were trying to fuse Atlanta Trap music with 1990’s West Coast Hardcore Rap and G-Funk music. ‘Mama Told Me’ is a song that reminds me of those songs. This is a very unique sound that was only tried a couple of times by Migos back in the day and from my knowledge has not been tried by anyone else since. I can not for the life of me figure out why that is the case because this is a very cool-sounding song. The funky melody that drives this instrumental sounds like it came from an old-school Snoop Dogg song; it contrasts the heavy and sludgy Trap beat in a way that makes the song awesomely stand out. Quavo’s even-keeled vocals on this track fit the energy of the melody so well, making the ‘Mama Told Me’ feel all-encompassing. ‘Mama Told Me’ is an interesting G-Funk Trap fusion that shows the diversity in Quavo’s artistry.

‘HOLD ME’

‘Hold Me’ is a track that shows off a side of Quavo that we do not see often. This song has a softer Pop-Trap sound with an R&B-style melody that I enjoy. The sample that drives this instrumental is so smooth and sultry, giving the song this addicting sound that I can not get enough of. I love the vocals that drive the melody of this track. The melody is centered on a sweet R&B chorus in which the phrase ‘Hold Me’ is repeated; these vocals are complemented by melancholy synths and put over an upbeat Alternative R&B beat that would be perfect to play in the club because of how groovy it is. Quavo’s rap performance on ‘Hold Me’ is very calm and understated; his laid-back and solemn delivery goes so well with the dark feeling of the instrumental. ‘Hold Me’ is a cool experimental R&B track that shows Quavo’s range as an artist. I hope he dives into this sound more often in the future, as he kills in on ‘Hold Me.’

‘TURN YO CLIC UP’ FEAT. FUTURE

‘Turn Yo Clic Up’ was the lead single released in anticipation of this record. When this track came out, it honestly got me very excited about the overall potential of Rocket Power. This is one of my favorite songs from the first half of 2023 for many reasons. For one, this song has a hard-hitting instrumental that punches the listener in the face when they hear it. ‘Turn Yo Clic Up’ has a glitchy, off-kilter instrumental that will get my blood pumping when I hear it. This melody is put over a bass-heavy and intense Trap beat that amplifies the energy of this track and takes it to another level. Both of the vocal performances on this track are great, as both Quavo and Future match the ferocity of the instrumental. Their chemistry is palpable on this track; it is easy to see why they love working together, as they bounce off each other so well. ‘Turn Yo Clic Up’ is a high-octane banger that brings out the best in Quavo and Future individually and as a duo.

‘BACK WHERE IT BEGINS’ FEAT. FUTURE AND TAKEOFF

‘Back Where It Begins’ is a track with a nostalgic sound and feeling that takes me back to some of the most popular Pop-Trap music in the 2010s that all three artists in this song were a part of. This may not be the most innovative or original-sounding song on the record(it has one of the most cookie-cutter and typical-sounding instrumentals on Rocket Power), but that is okay because of the performances from all three rappers. ‘Back Where It Was’ has a Tropical Trap sort of melody that is reminiscent of songs like ‘pick up the phone.’ This melody is put on a fast-paced bouncy Pop-Trap beat that goes well with the energy of the melody. ‘Back Where It Was’ is the only song on the record that contains Takeoff besides the aforementioned ‘Patty Cake.’ Like that song, this song will always be special because it will be one of the last times we get to hear him. I wish he were on more tracks because he kills it on this one. Unsurprisingly(considering their history with these kinds of instrumentals), Quavo and Future sound great on ‘Back Where It Begins’ as well.’Back Where It Begins’ is a solid Pop-Trap track with a sound that makes me think of some of Quavo’s most popular music from earlier in his career.

‘FOCUSED’ FEAT. YOUNG THUG

There are so many moments on this record where Quavo goes in a direction that I would never expect from him and completely nails it(like I said in the introduction, this album could be truly great if it wasn’t for the boring tracks that drag it down). ‘Focused’ is a Neo-R&B Trap sound that is similar to artists from today like Don Toliver, Brent Faiyaz, or 6lack. If you know me, you know how much I enjoy these three artists(especially Brent Faiyaz), you can imagine how much I am into this track. This song has a super sexy and sleek synth-driven R&B melody that is put over a slow Trap beat. Both artists kill it on this track vocally, but Young Thug especially stands out. The way he fluctuates his tone and flow gives ‘Focused’ so much texture, taking the song to a level that is above anything else on this record. ‘Focused’ is my favorite song from this record, and it will definitely be on my list of the best songs from 2023. Songs like this show the limitless potential that Quavo has, making me dislike the fact that this record has so many duds on it even more.