Album Review - Quavo & Takeoff: Only Built For Infinity Links
STRONG 5/10
When Quavo and Takeoff were members of Migos, alongside Offset, they dropped one of the most influential albums in rap history: Culture (2017). The trio’s dizzying triplet flows and vibrant production brought hip-hop into a new era of lyrical and sonic decadence. Since this 2017 release, the triplet followed it up by adding two more editions, turning the one-off effort into a trilogy. Each subsequent LP progressively received less appraise for its repetitive references to the initial installment in the series. Throughout this period of unparalleled fame for the rappers, they all ventured off into their own solo or collaborative projects, like Quavo and Travis Scott’s Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho (2017) or Offset, 21 Savage and Metro Boomin’s Without Warning (2017); all of which received varying critical reception, but an overall positive from casual listeners who were excited to hear the artists venture out of their creative comfort zone. Throughout the years, it is clear that the group fractured apart into different areas of pop culture, culminating in the split that led to Offset officially going solo. As a result, Quavo and Takeoff took it upon themselves to try to reinvigorate the past exhilaration that was a product of their late 2010s’ production. Only Built For Infinity Links (2022) is the outcome of this endeavor; an album that relives glory days, but also begs the question of if Quavo and Takeoff can legitimately carve their own distinct sector of a rapidly developing genre of hip-hop.
Two Infinity Links (8/10): This is an extremely emphatic introduction to Quavo and Takeoff’s first collaborative full-length LP. The horns that permeate Quavo and Takeoff's spoken-word introduction is almost like a call to war that transitions into an instrumental, produced by Buddha Bless, with heavy drums and bass, as well as recurring sampled vocals. The duo detail their explanations for their meteoric rise to fame throughout the majority of this track.
Tony Starks (6/10): The follow-up to “Two Infinity Links” is quite a decrease in the adrenaline rush that was the opening track. “Tony Starks”’ title pays homage to Ghostface Killah’s alias “Iron Man”; Killah also featured frequently on fellow Wu Tang Clan member Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…, of which this album’s name is derived from. Unfortunately though, the former Migos associates do not do much justice towards these legends, as “Tony Starks” is a lazy back-and-forth amorphous mess for the most part.
HOTEL LOBBY (Unc & Phew) (7.5/10): Murda Beatz’s guitar-laced production suits both rappers incredibly well, as Takeoff has experience with similar beats as a member of the Migos, while Quavo performed well on similarly-structured tracks such as Huncho Jack’s “Modern Slavery”. Regardless of it being particularly devoid of substance, it’s the kind of banger that made them so successful alongside Offset.
Bars Into Captions (5/10): Buddah Bless returns with an iconic sample of one of the most significant Atlanta songs of all time, Outkast’s “So Fresh So Clean”. That’s why it pains me to say that this is one of the more uninspired usages of a sample you’ll hear in rap. Buddha changes the pace of the instrumental to fit the duo’s rapid bars, but Outkast could perform at the same speed on an instrumental of a slower degree, making Buddah’s alterations generally seem unnecessary. If it wasn’t clear enough, this track is just a simple ode to Atlanta.
See Bout It (feat. Mustard) (5.5/10): “See Bout It” has some of the more vapid bars spat by Quavo and Takeoff, but Mustard’s bouncy west-coast production gives the two some groovy support to assist their lackluster displays.
To The Bone (feat. NBA YoungBoy) (7/10): Basically a rendition of Migos’ “Need It” without Offset, “To The Bone” is similarly musically elastic. Quavo delivers a classically catchy chorus of his and NBA YoungBoy meets his previously set standards. It’s a fine track, but I was certainly perplexed by Takeoff’s tasteless high-pitched transition into his verse.
Not Out (5.5/10): Following in the same vein as “Tony Starks”, “Not Out” is a lethargic and loppy inclusion on the tracklist. It is further stifled by Takeoff’s abysmal verse to conclude the song where he spits puzzling bars such as “Can't tell me how many times I told you "You hot" (Hot, hot)/I can't tell you how much money we got (Nah)/I can't (I can't)/I can't (I can't)/I can't (I can't)/I can't (I can't)/(You know that) Let's go. Repetition isn’t always appealing.
Chocolate (feat. Young Thug and Gunna) (7.5/10): Quavo and Takeoff recruit fellow Atlanta rappers, and currently imprisoned YSL members, Gunna and Young Thug for a sweet group effort. The production is perfectly appropriate for someone like Gunna to ride the beat, and everybody does their diligence in providing smooth verses for a song that is, for lack of better words, a vibe.
2.30 (7.5/10): Kicking off with a skit ripped from a Lil Gotit interview, we hear Gotit explain his craving for percocets even though he claims to not be an addict. In classic trap fashion though, Quavo and Takeoff appropriate this sad reality to use it to emphasize their own swagger and confidence; they’re willing to pop a percocet before they even pull up to an event. Quavo’s monotone, but melodic, chorus is also certainly an earworm.
Look @ This (6/10): What an incredibly dramatic and cinematic way of transitioning into a track that, more or less, covers the same subject matter we’ve heard over and over again. Regardless, this cut is incredibly tight and concise with Quavo and Takeoff showcasing their natural chemistry together.
Mixy (feat. Summer Walker) (3.5/10): Please stop featuring Summer Walker on hip-hop tracks. Please also stop making incredibly superficial attempts at even displaying a glimpse of romance or a sensual experience; it’s just so rich coming from trap artists who preach conceited lyrics about women tying their self-worth to their man’s. Ironically, Quavo reinforces this notion in the song’s outro when he inquires “How you count your blessings, don't mention me?/See, that's your problem right there”.
Messy (6.5/10): “Messy” is a classic “if you’re not with me, then you’re against me” proposition. Takeoff explains his propensity for avoiding those that are less successful or jealous of him, while Quavo subliminally sends shots towards his ex-girlfriend, Saweetie, about cheating rumors that popped up after she claimed she was heartbroken about their split. Regardless of if gossip like Offset or Lil Baby being a perpetrator in the affair is valid, this is a gritty and bitter song that actually focuses on specifically-pointed themes.
Nothing Changed (5/10): There is really not much to say about this track besides that it is a hazy and melodious effort with irreverent lyrics that boast the partners’ prosperity in the rap game, as well as their loyalty to the streets that raised them.
Integration (5/10): Based on the introductory skit, you would believe that Quavo and Takeoff are about to embark on analytical commentary on society’s race relations. Instead, we get gems like Takeoff’s “What's a zebra without the white stripes?” and Quavo’s “They white, not clouded up (All my diamonds white but I'm not racist)”. All joking aside, I understand the song’s premise. As African-Americans, Quavo and Takeoff believe that success should be devoid of color and that they prove this.
Big Stunna (feat. Birdman) (4/10): Put Birdman on the list of artists who should never get guest features on rap songs (alongside Summer Walker). The instrumental pays homage to Birdman’s leadership over hip-hop’s bling-era of the 2000s, but the Cash Money Records boss comes in with a typically weak verse. To make matters worse, Quavo’s elongated pronunciation of the hook becomes grating to a certain extent.
Us vs. Them (feat. Gucci Mane) (5.5/10): Quavo and Takeoff make it clear that it is them against the world now, after drama that broke up their former trio of the Migos had preceded the conception of this album. Gucci Mane adds his killer-mentality to the track, but “Us Vs. Them” suffers from incredibly generic trap production.
Hell Yeah (5/10): Sometimes Quavo’s choruses are applied in too self-indulgent manner and “Hell Yeah” serves as an example of that. It’s hard to look past the fact that the redundant and boring hook contributes to more than half of the track’s runtime.
Tools (4.5/10): Even though this LP is by no means a concept album, I was hoping for an ending track that felt like a true culmination of the duo’s debut together, but you could easily have placed “Tools” anywhere else in the track-list and it would be just as effective, or ineffective. “Tools” is another braggadocios cut that Quavo and Takeoff share their affinity for money on; it does not stray from the pair’s musical formula in any aspect though.