Album Review: The Last Rocket has Taken Off
Migos rapper Takeoff has released his solo debut. Will he soar to new heights or descend in flames?
Written and illustrated by Mark Yoder
Since the moment Atlanta rap trio Migos burst onto the scene with their signature triplet flows and expressive ad libs, fans have speculated who would have the most success on their own. As each member tests the viability of their solo career, we may be closer to answering these questions.
Quavo has always been the obvious favorite and the star of the group because of his charisma, autotuned singing ability, and endless list of features on other artists’ albums. His solo debut Quavo Huncho came out in October to mixed reviews with many feeling that it was bloated and relied too heavily on features. Offset has been widely considered to be the second most feasible solo act, as he can definitely take over a track with clever wordplay, and he has only risen in popularity after his marriage to rap superstar Cardi B. He also has his fair share of solo work with many features and collaborations, including smash hit “Ric Flair Drip” on Without Warning, his collaborative album with 21 Savage and Metro Boomin. This brings us to Takeoff. Takeoff is the most invisible of the Migos, taking up the least amount of time on Migos projects and doing very few features. Many would categorize Takeoff as “the weak link” of the group due to the fact that he doesn’t even have a verse on Migos’ most popular song, “Bad and Boujee.” To add insult to injury, he had had his spot on the track filled by Lil Uzi Vert, whose opening line was nothing more than five repetitions of “Yeah!”. Takeoff was widely lampooned, which only got worse after an awkward Migos interview went viral.
Despite all of this, long-time Migos listeners appreciate what Takeoff brings to the table with his tight and creative flows, off the wall energy, and unique voice. And now he is up to bat with his solo debut — The Last Rocket. He made a bold choice to have almost no features besides Quavo and an unknown singer named Dayytona Fox. While Quavo Huncho was loaded with features, Takeoff tries to set himself apart and prove to listeners that he can successfully carry a song without the help of his group mates. Will he cement his perception as the weak link or prove his doubters wrong in an epic fashion?
The answer is probably neither. At a tight 38 minutes, The Last Rocket definitely has strong highlights that will probably surprise some, but overall it is not quite the strong statement that Takeoff hoped for. Many songs leave a feeling that they would sound better with his two partners. The beats throughout the album are pretty standard with top producers DJ Durel, Murdabeatz, and Buddha Bless providing rattling trap drums with woozy flutes and pads to contrast Takeoff’s deep voice. The glaring issue with this album is Takeoff’s inability to make choruses, which is not surprising as this was always Quavo’s job in Migos. And while the lack of features is respectable, some more voices would definitely go a long way in breaking up the monotony.
The Last Rocket album artwork. Image courtesy of Quality Control, Capitol, and Motown
The album starts on a high note. “Martian,” the opening track, begins with a recorded NASA transmission that gets you ready for “lift off,” setting up a vague theme of outer space that runs through much of the tracklist. Takeoff triumphantly raps about some familiar topics — he has a lot of money which he uses to buy expensive cars and jewelry which attract many women. These are ideas we’ve all already heard, but Takeoff uses some clever wordplay to make tired ideas entertaining.
Quavo’s familiar voice joins him on the second track “She Gon’ Wink” and The fit is natural, but it doesn’t sound like it’s Takeoff’s song as much as Quavo’s. The next track, “None to Me,” includes awkward singing from Takeoff, and the chorus has nothing to do with the verses, creating a rather odd song.
But, if “None to Me” embodies everything that is wrong with Takeoff as a solo artist (lack of singing ability, lack of lyrical focus, lack of catchy hooks) the next song, “Vacation,” embodies everything that is right. Murda Beatz makes a skillfully syncopated beat with pockets that Takeoff rhymes in perfectly with more lyrical focus than usual. He is focused and has plenty of great lines, such as “Love blue hundreds but I'm bad with faces.“ This is one song where Takeoff shows his potential to carry a song by himself, but the album slowly decreases in quality from this point forward.
Takeoff tends to overuse the classic Migos trope of just repeating one word or phrase for the chorus, and this becomes trite and boring by the fourth time he does this on the song “Casper.” These songs do have some compelling moments, such as his staccato yells back and forth to himself on “Insomnia” or notable bars like “Don’t need no Twitter or no Insta for no stamp of verification” on “Soul Plane”. Unfortunately they often do not end up rounding out into satisfying or complete songs; the album feels unfinished.
The album ends on a somewhat sweet note, with Takeoff getting real and vulnerable on “Bruce Wayne,” admitting to nervousness he felt in the past before “Bad and Boujee” fame, memories which have humbled him in the present.
While The Last Rocket is not an amazing album, there are still tracks worth returning to, and the potential is undeniable. This album will definitely not be the last we hear from Takeoff.