With the arrival of Culture III inching closer, the Migos take things retro with a classy performance of “Avalanche,” the introductory cut on their upcoming album. For the group’s latest appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, the hip-hop trio—clad in black suits, neckties, and bowler hats—took turns reeling off verses while backed by a faux live band, who help add an air of nostalgia that mirrors the track’s soulful backdrop.
Bragging that his lyrical acumen has only increased since their last outing, Quavo sets the tempo with his opening verse, rhyming “Young ni**a smoking on gas, I’m living too fast, my foot on the pedal / If I go back to the past, my ni**as ain’t know we’d be rocking Coachella,” while Offset and Takeoff follow suit with intricate stanzas of their own. Executing a three-man-weave and other forms of showmanship in the midst of their performance, the Migos channel the spirit of The Temptations, O’Jays, and other timeless soul groups of yesteryear, albeit with a modern, trapped-out twist that lets it be known they’re far from a mere throwback.
The Migos’ visit to The Tonight Show is just the latest domino to drop as the group prepares us for their anticipated release of Culture III, set to arrive this Friday (June 11). Recently unveiling the album’s tracklist, which includes features from Drake, Cardi B, Polo G, Future, Justin Beiber, NBA YoungBoy, and late rappers Juice WRLD and Pop Smoke, the Georgia natives are prime contenders to walk away with the album or song of the summer, when it’s all is said and done. With the star-studded slate of guests, Culture III could be the project that proves the Migos are nowhere near the backend of their career with have plenty of tricks left up their sleeves.
The group unveiled their official Culture III merch collection, which includes short-sleeve t-shirts, pullover hoodies, jerseys, trucker hats, and vintage jeans priced between $30 and $1,200. Watch their smooth performance of the new single, which samples The Temptations’ 1972 hit, “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” above.