What Is the Best Migos Song?

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What Is the Best Migos Song?

Is it "T-Shirt"? "Bad and Boujee"? Or all of the above?

It began with the greatest moment in the history of American cinema, the "T-Shirt" video. That prompted a simple question heard 'round the office: Was this the best Migos song ever? On one hand, it obviously was, due to the fact that it was awesome and a Migos song and seriously did you hear Quavo's verse? On the other hand, isn't every Migos song the best Migos song? To settle this question, we asked more than two dozen VICE and Noisey staffers, friends, artists, DJs, and writers to weigh in on the most important question of our time. This is what they said:

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The Best Migos Song Is: "FEMA"

HURRICANE WRIST
HURRICANE WRIST
HURRICANE WRIST
HURRICANE!
HURRICANE!
Gregory "Beef" Jones, VICELAND producer

The Best Migos Song Is: "T-Shirt"

This may be a little too early to call, but I don't think any Migos song has moved me the way "T-Shirt" has. I honestly haven't stopped playing it since the video came out. This is peak Migos we're hearing right now. From the ad-libs to the verses to the visuals—they're in full form at the moment. People counted them out, and they're back and better than ever. They somehow unlocked that other 90 percent of their brains. I have to tip my hat.
Andrew Barber, owner and founder of Fake Shore Drive

It sounds like Christ's redeeming love.
Alex Hancock, writer

The best Migos song is "T-Shirt" because, even though "Bad & Boujee" is the song on the world's radar right now, "T-Shirt" provided the cultural moment that shifted everything: five minutes of Quavo, Offset, and Takeoff dancing around a snowy cliffs in the forest among gigantic mountains. Name a more iconic five minutes. While you try to do that, I'll try to think of something else to write about how incredible this song is……………………………..OK both of these tasks have been proven impossible. "T-Shirt" is perfect.
Eric Sundermann, Noisey Editor-in-Chief

Choosing the best Migos song is like choosing your favorite child… in that it's extremely easy. You pick the best looking. So, since "T-Shirt" is their best music video, that's what I'm going with. Also, speaking of children, I'm currently babysitting my infant niece, and when I asked what her favorite Migos song was she drooled on her shirt, which I took as confirmation. What's more, the song contains a very important message that I hope my sister imparts on her daughter: "Mama told me not to sell work". I'm not certain that the Migos heeded their mom's advice about not dealing drugs, but I hope my my niece does. My sister is going to hate that I wrote this.
Zach Goldbaum, host of Noisey on VICELAND

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The Best Migos Song Is: "John Wick"

The best song by Migos is by far "John Wick" (yes it is based entirely off of the action movie starring Keanu Reeves). It missed a lot of people somehow, but in my opinion it's an eternally good listen. It has everything: bowel-quaking bass, movie spoilers, and the Migos' most heart warming ad-lib, "MOMMA."
Zack Fox, writer and artist

The Best Migos Song Is: "YRH" feat. Rich Homie Quan

"YRH" features all Migos rapping hard as shit, multigenerational cultural references (Jett Jackson, Cassius Clay, Master P, Tookie Williams, Lil Boosie), a bangin beat from Metro and TM88, and, most importantly, listening to it makes me want to kick down a brick wall wearing designer sneakers while beautiful women spray bottle of Dom behind me, all in slow motion.
Topshelf Tyson, DJ

The Best Migos Song Is: "Cross the Country"

YO CROSS THE COUNTRY IS THE BEST MIGOS SONG BECAUSE OFFSET VERSE ON THERE IS STRAIGHT CRILZ FIRE FLAMEBINI… MY GUY ADLIBS ON THE SHIT ARE ART B LIKE THEY GOTTA TEACH OFFSET'S VERSE IN SCHOOL DURING DEVELOPMENTAL YEARS JUUHEARDDDDD
The Kid Mero, host of "Desus and Mero" on VICELAND

The Best Migos Song Is: "Young Nigga" by Que feat. Sonny Digital

It's really hard for me to pick what I would consider to be the absolute best Migos song, but a favorite of mine that instantly comes to mind is 2013's "Young Nigga" with Que and Sonny Digital. This was the record that put me on to Migos right before they dropped their Y.R.N. mixtape and I've had it in constant rotation since. This shit still goes.
Ty Howard, Fake Shore Drive staff writer/Shade 45 DJ

The Best Migos Song Is: "Dennis Rodman" feat. Gucci Mane

It was far too hard to choose my favorite Migos track; the list of bangers is staggering. I mean, how can you pick between "Pipe It Up" and "Hannah Montana" or even "T- Shirt"? They keep get better and better! Anyways, I felt I may as well shine the light on a track that got me hooked early on. "Dennis Rodman" (feat. Gucci Mane) was that one. I think I liked it based on the title alone. I didn't even need to hear it. But how they flipped an entire song solely on the concept of girls changing their hair color like Rodman?!?! Ooooooooh. It's fire! "Ridin' round smoking OG stank / switch your hair up like you rob banks / your hair matching my drank" Truly a masterpiece.
Hanni El Khatib, musician

The Best Migos Song Is: "Trophies" (Remix)

Released on December 30, 2013, "Trophies (Remix)" is the best Migos song. Here's why:

1. The fact that this is technically a Drake song, but the best version of this available on the internet does not even mention that Drake exists in relation to this song. Migos secretly took this song from him, after he attempted to do the same on "Versace." This is why this song never appeared on a Drake project, and instead appeared on the second Young Money comp, sans Migos.
2. This cover art.
3. Scientists say that this is the beat you hear as you strut into heaven.
4. I know it's cool to hate Drake now, but damn, listen to him on this.
5. "Man, this shit is not a love song"—Drake, every single song since this song came out.
6. "I'm celebrating with my family"—this is the modern day "Family Affair." 7. "I want a Grammy"
8. Quavo's verse on this short, but the entire thing is Instagram caption worthy.
9. "At the top right now I wanna order up a million bottles."
10. The fact that somehow Takeoff says every possible syllabic sound a human voice can make in the matter of three seconds.
11. "Tryna fuck me a Rihanna."—Takeoff is accepting of any and all possible Rihannas in the multiverse.
12. The fact that Takeoff says every word in the dictionary in two seconds at the end of his verse, but those words mashed together sound like "bricks in the kitchen."
13. This is one of Offset's first songs after he got out of jail in 2013. He sat dormant while Migos blew the fuck up in mid-2013, and then hit their songs ungodly hard till he was locked up again. Quavo and Takeoff basically clear the runway for Offset to go the fuck off on this. Without this, we don't get "Bitch I'm a dog, woof (grrrrr)."
14. "Got the Mac-11 call it macaroni"
15. "Sittin' at home I was contemplating, changing and switch up my situation, tryna see the bigger picture."
16. "No it ain't no money issue, grant all my momma's wishes."
17. Takeoff 2020
17.5. The beat riding out represents
Andrew Winistorfer, Vinyl Me, Please Senior Editor

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The Best Migos Song Is: "Freestyle" feat. Young Thug

"Freestyle" is an oft-forgot deep cut from Streets on Lock III, but it is notable for featuring arguably both one of Young Thug's greatest verses and one of Offset's greatest verses. "I got the white call it Pamela… Anderson / White Lambo, Jennifer Aniston" is everything a rap couplet should be. The slow-rolling strings serve as the perfect backing for the triplet flow, and everyone finds their pocket. It's a flawless track.
Bauce Sauce, writer

The Best Migos Song Is: "Bando"

The best Migos track is "Bando" because what other rappers could make selling drugs out of an abandoned property over a beat with a flute sound so whimsical?
Desus Nice, host of "Desus and Mero" on VICELAND

Definitely "Bando." Shit sounds like Yoshi's inner monologue.
Alex Russell, writer

This is my favorite song to date because it was the first song that I discovered from the guys. I remember feeling something instantly when I pressed play. The production… I felt something. It sounded so vintage… so southern. It was on repeat my whole trip to SXSW that year.
Diane "Shabazz" Varnie, founder of Electric Circus

The Best Migos Song Is: "Trouble"

Once my kickboxing teacher played "Trouble" during an attack round and it banged so hard that every time I feel kinda rowdy I think about the hook THEY DONT WANT NO TROUBLE and it makes me happy.
Jenna Wortham, New York Times Magazine staff writer

The Best Migos Song Is: "Birds"

"Slippery" just dropped, so it's too soon to say that one. "Holmes" maybe, but that doesn't have Offset on it. I'll go with "Birds" then, but it could also be "Sloppy Toppy." Please never ask me to do something like this again, thanks.
Trey Smith, VICE.com social producer

"Birds" is obviously the Migos' greatest opus for several reasons. Firstly, the trap symphony begins with audio of a serene squandering of eagles, masterfully and abruptly interrupted by Stack Boy Twan's producer tag demanding he turn the beat down. He shall not; nor shall we.  Then, Quavo gracefully soars in on the chorus, exhibiting early on his knack for melody and ability to craft infectious hooks. Thirdly, Quavo actually provides us with a full-on bird "trill" as one of the chorus' main ad-libs. I cannot recall either of the members of NSYNC ever giving us bird calls or sounds in ANY of their supposed hits. Lastly, the song is just hard as fuck, and it hit right after the Migos' wrist-generated hurricane hit land with "Versace" and their YRN tape, thus its timestamp will also be remembered. "Birds" is one of those sleeper hits that appreciates throughout an Artist's career, and to this day, it is still in rotation around these parts, in Dallas traps, college parties, nightclubs, and stripclubs.
Mel of The Outfit, TX, rapper

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The Best Migos Song Is: "Fight Night"

This is the hardest question of all time, seeing as that the Migos have only gotten better with time. If I have to choose one Migos song to listen to for the rest of my life, it probably would be "Fight Night." Anytime I hear it, I feel inclined to jig.
Kari Faux, rapper

This is a trick question because every song is the best Migos song. But if I have to pick one, it's gotta be "Fight Night." It's the song that gets me the most hyped up. It's got a killer beat, plenty of great quotables, and if I were a professional athlete, it would 100 percent be my walkup song.
Leslie Horn, Noisey managing editor

The Best Migos Song Is: "Bad and Boujee"

It's low key impossible to picc just one Migo record. To me. Every song they make feel like a legit hit. I say the best Migo song is the next Migo song 'cause they shxt only get more lit every time they drop. But if I just gotta picc one, Bad & Bougie the littest record in the world right now so thas my picc.
Cuz Lightyear, rapper

Man, my favorite Migos song gotta be—I usually run away from hype, but it's the most turnt song right now: "Bad & Boujee." I just can't get over it—all the way from the beat, all the way to the verses, all the way to the hook, you know what I'm saying? That song doesn't get old. But also, me and Migos did a song called "Whippin' a Brick." We can go for days on Migos songs; they got hits for days. But "Bad & Boujee" is my shit. We've also got some stuff that the world don't know about yet but they gonna know about it real soon.
Mike WiLL Made-It, producer

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I like the one with "drop top" in it.
Kim Kelly, Noisey metal editor

For obvious reasons. DAT WAY!
Sonyaé Elise, singer

The Best Migos Song Is: "Slippery"

As far as I'm concerned, every great Migos song redraws the lines of reality and recasts our understanding of the English language. Try to think about boxing now outside the context of "Fight Night." Tell me you can hear the word "bando"—which you probably didn't even know was a word pre-Migos—without repeating the hook to "Bando." And I have yet to take a trip to Chinatown in the post-"Chinatown" era without yelling the hook to that song or at least reminding everyone in the car with me that my plug look like Pacquiao, which I guess is an exception to the thinking about boxing point I made above but is still Migos related. In terms of songs that reimagined the world around us, the mellifluous tones of "Dennis Rodman" are certainly up there, but it seems unfair to say that the best Migos song is one that's carried so much by Gucci Mane and doesn't even feature Offset. Better to give Gucci the tip of the hat but leave the best moments to the Migos themselves, which is why "Slippery," although new, is the best Migos song. Quavo opens up his verse with the words "tater tot." Offset brags about giving a girl her first Patek Philippe, which is like a hundred thousand dollar watch, and courtesy of Takeoff there is yet another John Wick reference to add to the Migos pantheon. Not only have the group quietly improved a great deal since they began, but, as promised, I will never look at a wet floor sign the same way again. Believe me!
Kyle Kramer, Noisey editor

The Best Migos Song Is: "Look at My Dab"

My favorite song is "Look At My Dab" by Migos. The Migos introduced the world to a dance craze that revolutionized culture. For a moment, black and white people were united through a dance called "the dab."
Rejje Snow, musician

The Best Migos Song Is: "Memoirs"

Memoirs sticks out to me cause it's got some serious depth. It's not just a silly song. Plus one of the members phones in from prison for the intro—legit.
—Katie Monks, lead singer of Dilly Dally

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The Best Migos Song Is: "Cocoon"

My personal favorite is "Cocoon" because I like songs about taking drugs and going to the moon. One of my favorite all time groups is Spiritualized, and that's what they sing about too. It helps me to live vicariously as I am straight edge. The personal significance of this song is big because Migos played it to me at the Quality Control Studios in Atlanta just after we'd shook hands and quashed a weird kinda beef that grew out of the Noisey Atlanta online series, where they'd been locked by Georgia Police and used our documentary as (very very weak and outrageous) evidence against them in court.
Andy Capper, producer of Noisey on VICELAND

The Best Migos Song Is: "RIP"

This is a trick question that I'm not falling for because the joke is on you if you think that there is a best Migos song. The best Beatle is John. The most melodic was Paul. My favorite was George. Ringo was probably the only one you would actually want to hang out with. If Migos are better than the Beatles, which was the first and only legitimate alternative fact, by the transitive property, there can be no best Migii, nor best Migos song. * exorbitantly Gucci Mane Twitter rant voice * Ask Coach K.

However, I will select "RIP" from the original YRN mixtape because it was the moment that I realized that the Migos were for real. A lot of praise on C U L T U R E has centered around how they mastered a staccato flow and the use of negative space—as opposed to their infamous triplet flow. But it's on display right on this often-overlooked song buried on the end of their debut.

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There are many types of rap songs, but two of the best are paranoid illuminati dystopia burners and RIP tribute songs. Quavo is sitting in a hotel room reading his Bible, wiping down a dirty rifle, thinking about moving to Canada, but he knows they're still going to be watching him. It's not quite "Cell Therapy," but it's probably as close as we got in 2013. This is a tribute to both Pimp C and OG Double Dee of Freebandz. It functions in the same way as Gang Starr's "In Memory Of," another poignant overlooked elegy. Whether pouring out lean or liquor, Brooklyn or North Atlanta, the assault hits equally hard. Proof that Migos have always seen the future but revered the past. If they end up in Canada, I'm coming too.
Jeff Weiss, writer and editor of Passion of the Weiss

The Best Migos Song Is: "Get Right Witcha"

Quavo tells the Taliban to wrap his drugs,  effectively doing more to combat terrorism than Toby Keith has ever done in the 16 years after 9/11.
Annalise Domenighini, Noisey social producer

The Best Migos Song Is: "Rich Then Famous"

"Rich Then Famous" isn't so much a song as it is a mantra for greatness. It's the audio equivalent of the opening crawl of a Star Wars film that tells us over a grand score and trap drums the Migos' sole goal in their life and my own: to create a world full of "young rich niggas." And I don't give a damn if they used the wrong "than" in the title.
Jabbari Weekes, Noisey Canada editor

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The Best Migos Song Is: "Adios"

I'd have to go back to an OG Migos song just to remind myself of how good it felt to hear their flow in the beginning stages. Plus, if you've heard "Adios" before, it's something about those keys in the beginning that get you extra amped when you know what's to come. My biggest beef with this song is that Offset never got to bless it, but outside of that, no single Migos track gets me this excited. The stop-and-go flow on the hook, the way those hi-hats slap all crazy, and the way Quavo merges "sever" and "them" into one word toward the end of his verse: "Your arms and your legs, I'll SEVEM."
Lawrence Burney, Noisey staff writer

The Best Migos Song Is: "Hannah Montana"

"Hannah Montana" was my favorite song for a lil min. First time I moved to LA, that song played at the club and it was crazyyy lol. They've been consistent ever since.
Dreezy, rapper

The Best Migos Song Is: "Sloppy Toppy"

Think about when you first turn on a Star Wars movie, how the THX "eeeeeeeeearrrrrbwwwwwaAAEEEEEEEEEENNNNN" start-up is the coolest thing you've ever heard in your life. Then it's followed by the "BAAAAAA- dahdahdah" fanfare and your eyes melt into your sockets. The intro to "Sloppy Toppy" is like both of those things happening at the same time and that's before we even get to Migos themselves.

Ostensibly a Travis Scott song, Migos and close compatriot Peewee Longway are the actual stars of this work. Takeoff's flow is akin to him jumping between asteroids whizzing by at light speed, while Quavo's hook of "Know that the bad bitch got it / I know that she got it" becomes operatic when buoyed by a sudden string section. It is the most powerful song about oral sex you will ever hear. Thank you Migos Spielberg.
Phil Witmer, Noisey Canada staff writer

Illustration by John Garrison. Check out more of his work here.

Watch Migos in Noisey: Atlanta on VICELAND this Tuesday, February 7, at 10 PM EST.

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