Offset will complete the trifecta of Migos solo projects on Friday (Feb. 22) when he follows Takeoff and Quavo in the Migos pipeline with a highly anticipated effort of his own, which is still without a title as of press time. The 27-year-old powers through the tabloid scrutiny from his highly publicized relationship with Cardi B and drama within the Migos to stand alone, with the spotlight shining bright on his tattoo-covered face for the first time in his career.
The ATLien is coming off of a banner 2018, landing three appearances by his lonesome within the top 15 of the Billboard Hot 100 in 2018. His stellar campaign successfully kicked off in January with the Migos going back-to-back with Culture II, which initially topped the Billboard 200 and came in at No. 10 on the year-end chart.
The “Monday” rapper’s album release was turned upside down when Cardi B broke the news that she had split from Offset just over a year since their private marriage. “We got a lot of love for each other but things just haven’t been working out between us for a long time,” she revealed. “I don’t know, it might take time to get a divorce.”
Set has since attempted to win back his estranged wife with a number of bizarre antics, as the pair seem to be working things out. Offset actually accompanied Cardi on stage at the Grammy Awards, where she thanked her “husband” during the acceptance speech for her best rap album victory.
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With the feature-free album being finished at some point during the fall of 2018, let’s see if the Quality Control artist makes any changes to the project’s content, which he claims will examine the events and people that have impacted his life the most.
Here are five things we want to see from Offset’s solo debut, which releases Friday (Feb. 22).
Address Relationship With Cardi B
Offset knows there’s going to be extra eyeballs gawking over his album with what has transpired between him and Cardi B. For the project to convey the message he’s looking for, Set’s probably going to have to shift some lyrics around to make sure the effort is relevant and relatable to fit his current life. Not saying he needs to go Usher on us and deliver the 2018 version of “Confessions” like Rolling Stone writer Charles Holmes recommended, but a few apologetic bars explaining his side to the world should suffice for a potential reconciliation. If you recall, Cardi already admitted on social media that the project’s intro track made her cry twice. “I’m loving hubby album…it’s a very deep album..Intro made me cry twice,” she wrote.
I’m loving hubby album …It’s a very deep album..Intro made me cry twice —
— iamcardib (@iamcardib) November 7, 2018
More Relatable Content, Less Pateks and Lambos
Your typical Offset verse usually consists of flexing icy jewelry, driving his luxury fleet of sports cars, and ability woo just about any woman he desires. With the QC rapper rising into the mainstream, it would be fitting to see him open up with a fresh perspective and speak on the trials and tribulations of 2018, in which a lot has changed for the embattled Migo. Set previously shared with Billboard that he knowingly approached the album with content that listeners would be able to relate to.
“I’m talking about relevant situations that have occurred over the last 18 or 24 months, like me being in the crash, my kids, my family time and me being married. There’s different parts of my life. The ups and downs of being in music, the feeling of people doubting me and being the underdog to becoming the big dog,” Offset detailed. “I’m not really talking too much about Pateks and Lambos because it’s not relatable. That’s almost like bubblegum rap now, how the people are accepting it.”
Keep the Track List Concise
If you’re familiar with Quality Control Music’s mantra, they haven’t been shy about their plan to dominate the hip-hop market share with the non-stop releasing of projects in the fourth quarter to close the year from their talented lineup of artists. The Migos also loaded up their Culture sequel with a hefty 24 tracks in an attempt to get ahead on the easily manipulative streaming numbers.
So will Offset follow his cousin Quavo, who stacked his solo effort with 19 tracks, or go with the compact mold of Takeoff’s The Last Rocket, which had a slim 12? Thankfully, Set seems to be favoring a happy medium, as he left fans to debate keeping the project at 16 or extending to 19 songs. “I’m not going to go 20 deep, that’s when you lose the people,” he also explained. “That’s a scared way to go about it like, ‘I don’t know what’s going to work, so I’m going to pile this shit on.’ The lower numbers for sure.”
Continue the Conversation “Red Room” Started
Offset originally said that he wouldn’t be unleashing any singles prior to the album, but ended up kicking off the much-delayed project’s rollout with the release of “Red Room” last Wednesday (Feb. 14), which saw the Migos rapper reliving his horrifying car crash. Fans may already be familiar with the emotional tune, since the track happened to pop up on streaming services accidentally on Nov. 30, before being scrubbed from digital existence hours later. Set eventually clarified that the song happened to inadvertently appear by mistake. “Leaked. SMH,” he tweeted.
The song’s introspective content seemed to align with what Offset had planned by touching on his career’s humble beginnings, the death of his grandmother, the survivor’s guilt of losing friends throughout his rise, and the near-fatal car accident. With Set opening up to the public about his life’s realities, that should allow him to connect with his fan base in an authentic manner. Creating a lasting solo effort would pull off a feat neither Quavo or Takeoff could when looking at their projects in hindsight.
IF U DINT RESPECT ME U WILL RESPECT THE MUSIC
— OFFSET (@OffsetYRN) February 18, 2019
Seamlessly Mesh Southside and Metro Boomin’ Production
In a 2018 interview with The New York Times (Nov. 29), Offset shared that Metro Boomin’ would actually be serving as the executive producer of his solo debut. That fact alone raises expectations, as fans’ minds drift to the undeniable chemistry that the Atlanta natives boast on Migos tracks ranging from “Bad and Boujee” to “Ounces.” More recently, Set and 21 Savage joined forces with Boomin’ on their acclaimed surprise Without Warning album, which produced a song of the year candidate in “Ric Flair Drip.”
Offset also unveiled on Monday (Feb. 18) that the album would be entirely produced by fellow ATL natives Young Metro and Southside. It’s going to be interesting to see how Set intertwines the pair of prolific beatmakers throughout the project. The 808 Mafia frontman has become well-known for his ominous production and hard-hitting 808 drums being a staple of his diverse repertoire. His unique recording style will sometimes push rappers by joining them on his produced tracks, but eventually clearing his own lyrics from the song’s final cut.
Southside actually accompanied Offset during his epic trip to Paris Fashion Week last month, where Set walked in the Louis Vuitton show and attended a number of others, all of while putting the finishing touches on his solo debut. Regardless, when three creative minds of this caliber get together, you can’t put a cap on their musical prowess. “PROMISE I WILL NOT LET U DOWN,” Offset affirmed on Twitter.
ALBUM ONLY PRODUCED BY METRO & SOUTHSIDE ONLY
— OFFSET (@OffsetYRN) February 19, 2019
PROMISE I WILL NOT LET U DOWN
FEB.22.19— OFFSET (@OffsetYRN) February 18, 2019