Wikipedia

What the Price

"What the Price" is a song by American hip hop group Migos, released on January 19, 2017 as the second promotional single from their second studio album Culture (2017). It was produced by Ricky Racks, Keanu Beats and 808Godz.

"What the Price"
Promotional single by Migos
from the album Culture
ReleasedJanuary 19, 2017
Genre
Length4:08
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
Music video
"What the Price" on YouTube

Composition

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The production contains guitar,[1][2] while Auto-Tune is used for vocals.[1][3] The lyrics reference rising prices of drugs they are dealing.[4][5] Takeoff also raps about avoiding the path that preachers and teachers in his youth have encouraged him to follow and opting for a music career instead.[6]

Critical reception

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Winston Cook-Wilson of Spin described the song as "Autotune-driven and pointillistic, dominated some damaged guitar licks and a melody that feels unusually mournful for the Atlanta group."[1] Tom Breihan of Stereogum called it "a hypnotic and miasmic slapper that features some bluesy guitar-noodling" and commented "If you're going to listen to a new Migos song today, it's probably best that it's something that sounds as weirdly sad as this."[2] HotNewHipHop wrote of the song, "It's one of those tracks that builds and builds and builds after each verse until you are absolutely head banging along with the tempo of the beat."[4] Calum Slingerland remarked the song "provides a good look at Offset's increased attention to melody in its hook".[7] Trent Clark of HipHopDX wrote in a review of Culture, "after dazzling with the aforementioned 'Bad and Boujee,' 'T-Shirt' and 'Call Casting,' singing about kilo deals on a cut like 'What The Price' just doesn't feel as magical and most likely stifles the group's potential to be heavyweights when it comes to crafting albums."[5]

Music video

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An official music video premiered on March 23, 2017. Directed by Daps and Migos, it sees the trio performing in a forest junkyard,[8][9][10][11] with a public address system consisting of electric guitars and amplifiers.[9][10][11][12] The three are surrounded by broken-down cars,[12] performing on top of them as well,[13] and smoking barrels.[10] They are clad in studded leather jackets,[8][10][14] bandanas, denim and caution tape,[10][14][15] and also flash stacks of money.[15] Producer Zaytoven performs alongside them, playing the keytar atop an old, wrecked, upside down sedan[10] in front of a fire.[15] In another story of the visual, Migos enters a biker bar, where they drink vodka[12] and discuss a shady deal,[11][12] before having a slow motion brawl with customers,[10][12][14] which involves fistfights[13] and bottle-smashing.[15] The group leaves the bar unscathed[8] and rescues a girl from the biker gang they fought,[10] with Offset winning her heart.[11]

Charts

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Chart (2017) Peak
position
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[16] 92
US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard)[17] 2
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[18] 41

References

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  1. ^ a b c Cook-Wilson, Winston (January 20, 2017). "New Music: Migos – "What the Price"". Spin. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  2. ^ a b Breihan, Tom (January 20, 2017). "Migos – "What The Price"". Stereogum. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  3. ^ Lamarre, Carl (January 20, 2017). "Migos Release New 'Culture' Cut 'What the Price': Listen". Billboard. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b "What The Price". HotNewHipHop. January 19, 2017. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  5. ^ a b Clark, Trent (February 19, 2017). "Review: Migos Doesn't Have A Classic With "Culture" But They're Working Toward One". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  6. ^ Thompson, Paul A. (January 31, 2017). "Migos: Culture". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on January 31, 2017. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  7. ^ Slingerland, Calum (January 31, 2017). "Migos | Exclaim!". Exclaim!. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  8. ^ a b c Dandridge-Lemco, Ben (March 23, 2017). "Migos Are Punk Rockers In Their "What The Price" Video". The Fader. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  9. ^ a b Muñoz, Luis. "Watch Migos fight with a biker gang in their new video for 'What The Price'". Fact. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h Walker, Angus (March 23, 2017). "Migos "What The Price" Video". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  11. ^ a b c d Hazlehurst, Beatrice (March 23, 2017). "Watch Quavo Prove He's the Beyoncé of Migos in their New Video for 'What's the Price'". Paper. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  12. ^ a b c d e Yoo, Noah (March 23, 2017). "Migos Play Guitars, Brawl With Biker Gang in Wild New "What the Price" Video". Pitchfork. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  13. ^ a b Josephs, Brian (March 23, 2017). "Video: Migos – "What the Price"". Spin. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  14. ^ a b c Ross, Alex Robert (March 23, 2017). "Migos Go Full Rockstar in New "What the Price" Video". Vice. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  15. ^ a b c d Platon, Adelle (March 23, 2017). "Watch Migos Get into a Bar Brawl in 'What's the Price' Video". Billboard. Retrieved 2 November 2024.
  16. ^ "Migos Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  17. ^ "Migos Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
  18. ^ "Migos Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 2, 2024.
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