Undoubtedly the least spotlight-driven member of the Migos, Takeoff has made his presence felt with his first solo album, The Last Rocket. Early expectations predict the album moving between 45,000 and 55,000 units and Takeoff has already earned his first solo Billboard Hot 100 charting single with “Last Memory.”
While the rap game has been recently character by an overabundance of collab projects, high profile beefs and head-scratching meetings with Donald Trump, it is always nice to know that Takeoff will consistently deliver menacing bars and his signature ad-libs despite the noise. In this what-have-you-done-for-me-lately era of music, streaming services and the wider accessibility of music has made it nearly impossible to really take the time to vibe with an album without worrying about FOMO (fear of missing out). Takeoff may not care much for the attention or praise, but The Last Rocket is special and it deserves all the recognition that any Quavo or Offset album would garner.
The album’s lead single, “Last Memory,” perfectly sets the tone for the album in its entirety. For the duration of the three-minute song, Takeoff grapples with staying grounded in the street life from which he was raised despite the fame and fortune he is experiencing as ⅓ of the biggest rap group in the world. Instead of opting for a more radio-friendly single like the 808-heavy “She Gon Wink,” which features fellow Migo Quavo, Takeoff stayed true to himself and his music.
Speaking of features, The Last Rocket only had two, but one in particular stood out above the other. “Infatuation” is the 10th track on the album and featured mysterious R&B singer Dayytona Fox on the hook. The song itself is quite a deviation from the drugs, Rollies, Wraiths and IG models that the traditional Takeoff verse brings. The beat to the Masked Man produced ballad sounds more like it belongs to Justin Bieber than Takeoff, but works effortlessly as Takeoff raps about a love interest that he “missed so much I tatted your name.”
The producers of the album were the usual suspects: Murda Beatz, Buddah Bless, TM88, DJ Durel and Cassius Jay. When Takeoff teams up with these prolific producers, his braggadocious side tends to emanate throughout his verses. An excellent example is the DJ Durel produced “Lead the Wave” in which Takeoff raps,“You talkin’ a bill, I’m talking ’bout thousands/Difference of who won and who got the money.”
In “None to Me” he also raps, “Some people let the money change ’em/And I’d still rather be rich than be famous.” Though many rappers echo the sentiment of rather having the money than the fame, Takeoff is the one rapper who actually means it. He may boast about the foreign cars he drives and the designer clothes he wears as a result of the fame, but chasing a bag has always been at the essence of his raps.
Immediately following Quavo’s Quavo Huncho and arriving just before Offset’s solo album, Takeoff’s The Last Rocket has given him the opportunity to finally make a name (and sound) for himself outside of the group. Takeoff showed in songs like “Insomnia” and the intro track “Martian” rap straight through the song in one verse for 2-3 minutes of solid bars. Takeoff has shown that he is no longer the butt of “Bad and Boujee” jokes and, instead, may just be the most reliable member of the Migos. We are witnessing the ascension of Takeoff from rapper to lyricist, and it looks to be a fun ride.
