Takeoff – The Last Rocket Album Review

Story posted November 9, 2018 in CommRadio, Arts & Entertainment by Emily Mugno

Takeoff, a member of one of the most talked about hip-hop groups, Migos, has released his
debut solo album, The Last Rocket. The real question that is asked a lot is whether Takeoff is
as talented as Quavo and Offset, the other two members of the Migos; he answers the pressing question with this album. The record
includes 12 songs and there are only two features on the album, one being from his fellow
group member, Quavo. Besides that, it is just Takeoff and a few beats produced by Murda
Beatz, Buddha Bless and DJ Durel. This is the first project that
Takeoff has released since Culture II, which came out in the beginning of the new year.

On the production side, having an array of producers was a positive aspect for this album.
Murda Beatz has had a relationship with Migos since he first stepped on the producing scene
and has produced a few of their greatest hits. Buddha Bless is another young and talented
producer who likes to experiment between party and hip-hop music to create the perfect
formula. Lastly, DJ Durel is the official DJ for Migos. It all started in 2012 when he filled in for a
DJ who didn’t show up to the Migos show, and afterwards it became a permanent gig.

Takeoff carries the same sound that he does on the other projects that he puts out, whether it’s
with Migos or features on other songs. The album has a mellow futuristic vibe to it, but there are
also some hype songs as well. “Soul Plane,” “Martian” and “The Last Memory,” are
songs that play along with the theme of an intergalactic feel. In terms of length, no song seems
forced. He has a variety of sound on this album. The majority of the album consists of songs that someone would
listen to when they are hanging out with friends, but there are also songs anyone could listen to in a party
atmosphere.

Behind Takeoff’s lyrics on the album is true meaning, as he talks about the struggles of being
famous. On the track “None to Me,” he talks about the effect that money has on people, saying
“Some people let the money change em,” and “And I’d still rather be rich than famous.” Fans
also see Takeoff’s sentimental side in the song "Casper," as he honors his grandmother who passed away.  In “Bruce Wayne,” he also discusses how it is possible that rappers get stage-fright; this is a different side of the rapper that fans don’t get exposed on a regular basis. Takeoff just
wants fans to know that he is human and he isn’t much different than the regular person.

Takeoff is able to hold his own on this album. It was an interesting call for Takeoff to decide that
he didn’t want many features. It wasn’t a shock that Quavo was a feature because each of them
seem to feature each other on their solo projects. This album would have benefited from having
one or two more artists featured on it.

Rating: 7/10

 

 

Emily Mugno is a junior majoring in Broadcast Journalism. To contact her, e-mail
esm6@psu.edu.