Though touted as a Migos mixtape, Migo Lingo acts more as a platform for the Atlanta crew’s YRN imprint, as well as the Quality Control label at large. The tape is hosted by DJ Durel and YRN Lingo and showcases 14 rappers in total, with the Migos trio taking the lead on just two of the 18 tracks (though they’re featured on several more). Despite the number of artists, the project is predictably one-note. It’s repetitive, cadence-driven trap, with middle fingers all the way up to anyone that might suggest variation. And with their style of delivery named after them and then co-opted by mainstream rappers (the Migos flow), it’s hardly a surprise to find the clique staying in the lane they created.

That scorching triplet rap dominates Migo Lingo, spit in varying degrees of tempo as a shrug toward versatility. The whole camp knows how to sell the Migos flow and singular content; their aggression is both unifying and authentic. YRN Lingo, Rich The Kid, Skippa Da Filppa, Domingo, Mango Foo, Bobby Shmurda, Rich Homie Quan and more stack the cast of characters in Migos’ compilation of aspiring hustler anthems, strung together by DJ Durel’s abrupt transitions. The whole crew lets adlibs fly like bullets as they talk money over likeable 808s and hi-hats.

Migos is as reliable as ever, viewing the dope game with a humorous tint on tracks like the Rich Homie Quan-assisted “Falisha.” The trio plays to its strengths well by reinvigorating pop culture references, utilizing basic yet on-the-nose metaphors and even just sheer energetic repetition. “Falisha” extends the Friday reference to the perpetually broke, with Quavo, Offset and Rich distancing themselves from “Falisha” in hyper-opulent fashion. “Shmoney Never Stop” mirrors that shameless luxury, leaning on a tireless hook and peppering in some rewindable lines (“Red dot on your head, pop the cherry pussy nigga was a virgin”).

The other half of the tape’s namesake, YRN Lingo, is largely overshadowed. “Real & Fake” and “On The Go” consecutively fall flat, as Lingo’s rhymes limp along two respectable beats. Tonally he’s solid, and “Migo Lingo Freestyle” showcases some nice timing, but generally we get familiar rhetoric on a loop rather than any distinctive point of view. In contrast, Domingo and Mango Foo emerge as notable features, with particularly brutal energy on “Go Get 'Em,” working a baritone hook that will bounce around your head for days. Skippa Da Flippa also flexes a demanding presence on the project, if only because he sounds like a turnt Rick Ross.

The Quality Control label is undeniably a force to be reckoned with, and while Migo Lingo makes sense in theory, in reality it feels a bit bogged down. There are too many cooks in the Bando kitchen, and the project lacks the remarkable punch of prior Migos mixtapes. Whatever Migo Lingo tracks they decide to push will surely have a market, whether with loyal fans or club-goers, and the tape is a smart way to intro some of the lesser-known affiliates. That said, what may be a good look for the label ultimately sounds unnecessary for the Migos trio, as their highly anticipated debut album looms just around the corner. —Rachel Chesbrough

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