Ever since the summer of 2017, when Quavo's comments about a lost hard drive hit social media, heads were anxious about what it reportedly contained: Migos' third album, Culture II, the follow-up to their impressive sophomore album, 2017's Culture. That project topped the Billboard 200 album chart, and with singles like "Bad & Boujee" and "T-Shirt" on it, Migos became the cream of the crop when it comes to mainstream rap.
With Migos' Midas Touch giving anything they are associated a golden hue, the anticipation levels for Culture II are high. Migos are currently on a wave that would leave us shocked if they failed, but either way, this is an important release for them. If they want to prove that their 2017 dominance wasn't a fluke, they need to knock this next album out of the park. With Culture II set to drop in a little over a week, let's take a look at everything we know about one of 2018's most anticipated releases.
Release Date
Three days after teasing new Culture II merch, Migos took to Instagram to announce that Culture II would be out on Jan. 26. The image featured two pillars that appear made up of flowers and doves, with two doves flying in the image as well. It has not been confirmed if this is what the Culture II cover art would look like.
The release date shouldn't be that big of a surprise, considering that they dropped Culture on Jan. 27, 2017. Maybe the Migos officially own January?
Features
Judging by tracks like "MotorSport," which features both Cardi B and Nicki Minaj on the same track, the Migos appear to be taking it to the next level after Culture, which itself included artists like Gucci Mane, Lil Uzi Vert, 2 Chainz, DJ Khaled, and Travis Scott. Speaking of Travis, with his collaborative project with Quavo Huncho Jack, Jack Huncho recently out, it wouldn't be surprising if he's featured on the project in some way, shape, or form.
It's also fair to think that Childish Gambino would be making an appearance. Quavo posted back in October of 2017 that he was in the studio with both Childish and Lil Yachty, then again in December of 2017. We've not heard what these sessions would turn into, but considering that Culture II was just getting mixed, it's highly likely that these were sessions for Culture II... right?
Producers
This is where things can get interesting. The aforementioned "MotorSport" was produced by Murda Beatz (who had a couple of placements on Culture) and Cubeatz, who will likely pop up more on the second installment. Also, everyone from Zaytoven to Nard & B to Metro Boomin to Cardo got their hands dirty on Culture, and we wouldn't be surprised if they contributed to Culture II as well. Pharrell also produced "Stir Fry," so hopefully he contributed one more gem to the project?
The thing is, Quavo hinted that the executive producer on Culture II would be interesting, leaving many to assume it was Kanye West guiding the ship. Offset shut that theory down, telling fans to "just wait on it," but heads also think DJ Khaled's son Ashad might be EP'ing the project. Some have even threw Donald Glover's name into the mix, which would be intriguing considering he a) put them in an episode of Atlanta then b) gave them a huge mainstream boost during the 2017 Golden Globes. If Glover's playing the Skipper on Culture II, it'll be wild to see if he just lets them do them or noticeably puts a unique spin on the project overall.
Expectations
Well, what do you expect from the sequel to an album that spawned certified bangers like "Bad & Boujee" and "T-Shirt"? "MotorSport" reached No. 6 on Billboard Hot 100 and has earned a gold plaque, and the aforementioned "Stir Fry" came out the gate attached to the 2018 NBA All-Star Game. That's shooting for the moon and landing amongst the stars.
Culture went platinum during the summer of 2017, received a Grammy nomination for Best Rap Album, and debuted at the No. 1 position on both the Billboard 200 and U.S. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Album charts. Culture II should hit those heights, and more. Or, at the very least, give us a number of anthems that we can coast to for the rest of what's already a trying 2018.
