Originally the group started as family, who all had an interest in music. It wasn't until 2008 that this trio took their talent seriously, and put together and released their first project "Juug Season" in 2011. The group later released another mixtape titled "No Label" in 2012, which featured "Bando", a track that was soon labeled a "dope-boy anthem".
In 2013, Migos released their breakout single "Versace". The single was produced by Zaytoven and peaked at number 99 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Later that year, Canadian rapper Drake brought the single more recognition when he remixed the song, adding a verse, which he would later perform at the 2013 iHeartRadio Music Festival. On June 13, Migos released their mixtape Y.R.N. (Young Rich N***as), which features the lead single "Versace", to critical acclaim. Brandon Soderberg of Spin gave it 8 out of 10 stars, commenting that it "is a super-cut of Dirty South vibes" and compared the three members to Gucci Mane, Soulja Boy, and Future.
On June 15, 2013, the group performed at rap radio station Hot 107.9's Birthday Bash. In October 2013, the group was featured in XXL's section "Show & Prove". "Versace" was placed in multiple year-end lists of 2013, including number three on XXL's "The 25 Best Songs of 2013", number four on Complex's "The 50 Best Songs of 2013", number five on SPIN's "50 Best Songs of 2013," number 38 on Pitchfork's "The Top 100 Tracks of 2013" and number 69 on Rolling Stone's "The 100 Best Songs of 2013." Y.R.N. (Young Rich N***as) was named the 27th-best album of 2013 and sixth-best hip-hop album of 2013 by SPIN.
Migos released their debut album Yung Rich Nation in July 2015, through Quality Control Music and 300 Entertainment. Their second album, Culture, was released in January 2017 also through both record labels, and debuted atop the US Billboard 200 chart. The group later signed a deal with Motown and Capitol Records in February 2017, and followed up the latter album with Culture II in January 2018, giving the group their second number one album in the United States.
On October 28, 2016, Migos released the first single of their new album Culture. The single was titled "Bad and Boujee". The song was produced by Metro Boomin and features vocals from fellow American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. The music video for the single was released on October 31. The single went on to top the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Migos' first number one single in the US. Their second album, Culture, was released on January 27, 2017. In April 2017, Migos were featured on Katy Perry song "Bon Appétit" from her fifth studio album, Witness.
On May 30, 2017, Migos (branded by Quality Control) released "Too Hotty" which is featured on the compilation album, Quality Control: Control the Streets Vol. 1 that was released on December 19, 2017. The single was officially released on streaming service on August 24, 2017. The music video was released on August 25.
On October 27, Migos officially released "MotorSport", the lead single off their second studio album Culture II, along with Cardi B and Nicki Minaj. The second single, "Stir Fry", was released on December 20, 2017 on the official Migos YouTube channel. The song was produced by Pharrell Williams. The song was used for the 2018 NBA All-Star Weekend. A promotional single was released on January 22, 2018, titled, "Supastars". It was produced by Honorable C.N.O.T.E., Buddah Bless, and Quavo; it was co-produced by DJ Durel. Culture II was released on January 26, 2018. The album contains twenty-four tracks, featuring production from Metro Boomin, Dun Deal, Murda Beatz, Travis Scott, Zaytoven and others.
In October 2018, Quavo stated that Culture III would be released in early 2019. The album was then delayed and re-scheduled for release in early 2020. However, the album was pushed back again, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Quavo spoke to Billboard in March 2020, and announced the group's decision to hold off on the release of Culture III, explaining it was largely due to their inability to properly roll out the album once social distancing rules went into effect in most states in the US. Instead, the group will first release Quarantine Mixtape in the lead-up to Culture III.
Highway 85
Migos Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Migo N.W.A nigga
Woke up quick at about noon
just thought that I had to be on the north soon
Hop in my Beamer to see my moms
my mom started trippin' 'bout my stinkin' ass bombs
Stopped at the gas station, get it pumped by the bums
I grabbed my Glock then I dialled one number
Tell my brother that I'm slipping and I'm in trouble
So the nigga I don't like made a move to the right
I grabbed the Glock and point it at him on sight
The nigga to the left told me put the gun down
Bow one round, uh, its going down
I ran out the store, I can't believe I ain't hit
My Migos pull up with macs and sticks
Rel hopped out and let 2 shots off
Then I looked around the corner it's Gwinnett County law
I rolled down the window, it's the officer
Put his nose in my car, he say he smell the herb
He opened up the door and asked me can he search?
Hell naw, officer you know how much I'm worth?
I'm worth a million
High speed chase, going down 85
Blue and white lights on the north side
High speed chase, going down 85
Young nigga ain't trying to see no jail time
High speed chase, going down 85
Blue and white lights on the north side
High speed chase, going down 85
Young nigga ain't trying to see no jail time
High Speed chase going down 29
Mama on my line sayin' I'm on Fox 5
I said "you sure Ma?" she said "baby it's live"
I said "Fuck twelve" turn up the alpine
Rockin' down Boggs Road seen a punk ass busta
Got the 38 on me but this bitch kinda rusty
Fuck it I'ma shoot it, if it's jammed then I'm running
Bow bow bow bow crumpet must be from Oakland
I ran through the cut, 12 chasin' me
Smoking on gas got the best of me
He getting so close, bout to tackle me
I turned around and emptied the clip, get from round me
It's fucked up, niggas in the hood they killing each other
And most of us got single parents, only a mother
Niggas in the kitchen whipping chickens, tryna get butter
Police on my ass 'cause the Budniks on the Cutlass
Police pull me over got the mac in the back
Wait till he get up out the car and hit the gas
High speed chase down 29
And if I get caught I'm gettin' a lifetime
High speed chase, going down 85
Blue and white lights on the north side
High speed chase, going down 85
Young nigga ain't trying to see no jail time
High speed chase, going down 85
Blue and white lights on the north side
High speed chase, going down 85
Young nigga ain't trying to see no jail time
Once upon a time not long ago
Three amigos by the name of Offset Takeoff Quavo
Stayed on the north side, that's where anything goes
And if a nigga disrespect, he meet the funeral home
Wake up in the morning, thank him 'cause it's me that he chose
Migo Jerz at the bando with a fork in a bowl
My nigga called me at the park and said it's getting too deep
Jumped in my R8 with ostrich seats and hit the streets
Ridin' down club drive feeling myself
I know the block inside, I'm screaming fuck 12 sparking a spliff
My conscious telling me You tripping Takeoff think I see 12
Damn I shouldn't of served that nigga at the shell
Now lemme tell you a riddle
Mirror mirror on the wall
what would you do if police told you pulled over your car?
Mirror, when do you picture the Migos falling off?
The mirror said you stupid boy, don't ask that question at all
I see red and white blue lights as I look in my rear
Put the gas out, it's Friday and it's smokey in here
Fuck another high speed chase, that's when the Hemi kick in
Forgive me for my sins, I ain't going back to the pen
It's gon be a
High speed chase, going down 85
Blue and white lights on the north side
High speed chase, going down 85
Young nigga ain't trying to see no jail time
High speed chase, going down 85
Blue and white lights on the north side
High speed chase, going down 85
Young nigga ain't trying to see no jail time
The lyrics to Migos’ song “Highway 85” describe the story of three amigos, named Offset, Takeoff, and Quavo. The song features a story of a high-speed chase involving several dangerous predicaments, including a confrontation with law enforcement officers, violent shootouts, and instances of drug trafficking. The lyrics of the song depict a violent and chaotic life of a gang member, where the singer is stuck at the wrong end of the law and has to tackle the difficult situation of handling an uncertain future.
The song portrays a life of crime, where the societal hierarchy is determined by criminal depravity and status is awarded based on one’s willingness to break the law. The lyrics of the song highlight the social and economic deprivation of the black community and how crime has become a method of survival. In conclusion, the song “Highway 85” by Migos provides listeners with a controversial yet thought-provoking perspective of gang life.
Line by Line Meaning
Take it back to the north side
Let's go back to where we belong on the northern side of town
Migo N.W.A nigga
I am a member of the Migos, just like the N.W.A (Niggas With Attitude)
Woke up quick at about noon
I woke up late, around midday
just thought that I had to be on the north soon
I realized I needed to head back to the northern side of town soon
Hop in my Beamer to see my moms
I got in my BMW to go see my mother
my mom started trippin' 'bout my stinkin' ass bombs
My mother complained about my bad body odor
Stopped at the gas station, get it pumped by the bums
I stopped at the gas station and had some homeless people fill up my car
See some niggas that ain't like where I came from
I saw some people who didn't like that I'm from a different part of town
I grabbed my Glock then I dialled one number
I took out my gun and called a close associate for help
Tell my brother that I'm slipping and I'm in trouble
I informed my brother that I'm in danger and need assistance
So the nigga I don't like made a move to the right
An individual I dislike moved to my right side
I grabbed the Glock and point it at him on sight
I pulled out my gun and aimed at him immediately
The nigga to the left told me put the gun down
Another person to the left of me instructed me to lower my weapon
Bow one round, uh, its going down
Gunshots were fired, the situation escalated
I ran out the store, I can't believe I ain't hit
I ran out of the store, surprised that I didn't hit anyone with my gunshots
My Migos pull up with macs and sticks
My Migos companions arrived with heavy artillery
Rel hopped out and let 2 shots off
A member of the group named Rel got out and fired two shots
Then I looked around the corner it's Gwinnett County law
I peeked around the corner and saw the police from Gwinnett County arriving
I rolled down the window, it's the officer
I lowered my car window and saw a police officer
Put his nose in my car, he say he smell the herb
The officer sniffed around and claimed he smelled marijuana in my car
He opened up the door and asked me can he search?
The officer opened my car door and requested permission to search
Hell naw, officer you know how much I'm worth?
No way, officer, do you have any idea how much money I have?
High speed chase, going down 85
I led the police on a high-speed chase down highway 85
Blue and white lights on the north side
I saw police cars with flashing blue and white lights on the northern side of town
Young nigga ain't trying to see no jail time
I, as a young individual, do not want to go to jail
High Speed chase going down 29
The chase continued down highway 29
Mama on my line sayin' I'm on Fox 5
My mother called me, telling me that I'm being shown on the news channel FOX 5
I said "you sure Ma?" she said "baby it's live"
I asked my mother if she was sure, and she confirmed that it was happening in real time
I said "Fuck twelve" turn up the alpine
I cursed the police and turned up the volume on my Alpine sound system
Rockin' down Boggs Road seen a punk ass busta
While driving down Boggs Road, I spotted someone acting like a punk
Got the 38 on me but this bitch kinda rusty
I had a .38 caliber gun with me but it was old and somewhat unreliable
Fuck it I'ma shoot it, if it's jammed then I'm running
I decided to use the gun anyways, and if it didn't work, I would flee the scene on foot
Bow bow bow bow crumpet must be from Oakland
I fired my gun several times, some bullets hitting their target, while joking that the crumpet must be from Oakland
I ran through the cut, 12 chasin' me
I ran through a shortcut, with the police, or 12, pursuing me
Smoking on gas got the best of me
I was heavily under the influence of marijuana
He getting so close, bout to tackle me
The police officer was getting very close and almost managed to grab hold of me
I turned around and emptied the clip, get from round me
I turned around and fired the rest of the bullets in my gun to keep the police officer away from me
It's fucked up, niggas in the hood they killing each other
It's a sorry state of affairs that people in the neighborhood are resorting to violence against each other
And most of us got single parents, only a mother
Many of us grow up with only a mother, as a father figure may be absent or unknown
Niggas in the kitchen whipping chickens, tryna get butter
People are in the kitchen working hard, making drugs to earn money
Police on my ass 'cause the Budniks on the Cutlass
The police are after me because I have illegal drugs in my Cutlass vehicle
Police pull me over got the mac in the back
The police pulled me over and there was a MAC-10 submachine gun in the back of my car
Wait till he get up out the car and hit the gas
I waited until the police officer exited his car before revving up my engine and driving away quickly
Once upon a time not long ago
This situation is something that happened fairly recently
Three amigos by the name of Offset Takeoff Quavo
Myself along with my two music group mates with the names Offset, Takeoff, and Quavo
Stayed on the north side, that's where anything goes
We typically stay on the north side of town, where anything can happen
And if a nigga disrespect, he meet the funeral home
If someone disrespects us, they may end up dying and attending their own funeral
Wake up in the morning, thank him 'cause it's me that he chose
I wake up in the morning and thank God for choosing me to be successful
Migo Jerz at the bando with a fork in a bowl
I, known as Migo Jerz, am located in the abandoned house, cooking drugs with a fork
My nigga called me at the park and said it's getting too deep
One of my associates warned me that things are getting dangerous
Jumped in my R8 with ostrich seats and hit the streets
I jumped into my Audi R8 with exotic ostrich leather seats and drove out onto the streets
Ridin' down club drive feeling myself
I was driving down Club Drive, feeling good about myself
I know the block inside, I'm screaming fuck 12 sparking a spliff
I know this area well, and I curse the police while lighting up a marijuana cigarette
My conscious telling me You tripping Takeoff think I see 12
My conscience tells me I'm acting recklessly and I think I've spotted a police car
Damn I shouldn't of served that nigga at the shell
I regret having sold drugs to someone at the Shell gas station
Now lemme tell you a riddle
Now, let me tell you a challenging question
Mirror mirror on the wall
I ask the mirror on the wall a question
what would you do if police told you pulled over your car?
What would you do if the police pulled over your car?
Mirror, when do you picture the Migos falling off?
Mirror, when do you think the Migos will lose their success and influence?
The mirror said you stupid boy, don't ask that question at all
The mirror answered that it's a foolish question to ask
I see red and white blue lights as I look in my rear
I look in my car's rearview mirror and see police lights flashing behind me
Put the gas out, it's Friday and it's smokey in here
I put out my cigarette as it's Friday and there's already too much smoke in the car
Fuck another high speed chase, that's when the Hemi kick in
I curse the idea of another high-speed chase, but then I decide to step on the gas in my powerful Hemi engine
Forgive me for my sins, I ain't going back to the pen
I ask for forgiveness for my wrongdoing, and claim I'm not going back to prison
It's gon be a
The sentence cuts off abruptly, leaving it unclear what the ending will be
Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: Kiari Cephus, Kirshnik Ball, Qavious Marshall
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind