The Phenomenal Rise Of Migos' Offset: A Timeline

2017 has been a strategic year for Atlanta rap. The folks down south have continued to keep hip-hop in a chokehold, with non-stop quality releases blessing our collective ears since the first week of January. Future, Young Thug, 21 Savage, Playboi Carti, Hoodrich Pablo Juan, Sahbabii -  the city is always being repped to the fullest. Migos, ATL’s Nawfside neighbors, are a crucial part of this roster and took Atlanta to new heights this past year by landing their first #1 single in “Bad and Boujee.”

With Takeoff being the youngest member and Offset in and out of jail during their initial rise to prominence, Quavo was often deemed the defacto leader of Migos. However, “Bad and Boujee” seemed to kick off a feverish discussion about the oft-slept on merits of Offset (as well as the constant underappreciation of Takeoff - who was left off of the smash hit). Where Quavo often shuns traditional rap verses to bring a certain je ne sais quoi with his melodic touches, Offset makes sure to always rap. This has quickly won over even the most staunch critics of Migos, establishing Set as the go-to rapper in the group. His rise as a critical darling has fatefully coincided with the Migos’ hitting their commercial peak, positioning Offset to become the first one in the group to truly break out as a solo artist.

And with Without Warning, he’s effectively delivered on that premise. With Metro on the the board and just 21 Savage by his side, it’s hard to think about how well choreographed this entire dance has been. This is his first outing, his first official commercial project, without the aid of his two usual counterparts, and he absolutely smashes every single verse. And with his recent engagement to Cardi B, Offset is on the verge of becoming rap royalty.

Since he was released from his most recent bid, back in December of 2015, Offset has kept his head down and all but lived in the studio. He’s shown a relentless dedication to his craft that has paid off in spades. Over the past two years, the quality of his work has been staggeringly consistent, even exhibiting an upward trend as of late. Meaning, the best is yet to come.

Presented below is a timeline of Offset’s rise to prominenc

After serving eight months in jail, this is the ferocious mission statement that started it all. “Lost everything I had like Solomon,” he raps, taking his plight to Biblical proportions. The ominous Murda Beatz instrumental is a perfect backdrop for his grave yet inspirational rhymes. This track also foreshadows the numerous great collaborations Offset x Murda will unleash in the coming two years.

A little over two weeks later, Migos unleashed a long-awaited collaboration with Young Thug, “Crime Stoppers.” Aptly titled in light of Offset’s previous legal troubles, “Crime Stoppers” features an added verse from the newly freed rapper that is honestly, lowkey, one of the best moments of 2015. “I feel like breaking Offset out the pen’,” Quavo raps, before Offset snatches the mic from him to quip, “(Offset!) They broke me out of the pen'/Back at it again, dressed in Louboutin.”

It’s a flawless transition that sees Offset delivering an all-time great verse jam-packed with quotables. Our favorite bars might be: “Right before Christmas they let out the Grinch/I hug on my mama, I pick up my prince.”

The first Migos project following Offset’s release was probably a bit premature. Despite how strong his first few standalone verses were, Offset’s performance on this project was a bit shaky while Quavo and Takeoff sounded uninspired. This was clearly a transition period for all those involved.

Migos - YRN 2 (Young Rich Ni$$a$ 2)

One of the best guest verses on Thug’s surprise offering, I’m Up, Offset’s “Special” is a tour de force. It is proof that any ostensible cobwebs during the YRN 2 sessions have since been taken care of. He ends this relentless verse by shooting his shot at Rihanna (“I want an island bitch, come here Rihanna/I got out of jail screaming, "Fuck the 'your honor'!"). It’s an ambitious attempt, but we all know how Set’s love story ended.

One of the best verses on the Bankroll Mafia tape headed by T.I. and Young Thug, this is a show-stealing verse from the hardened trap star. “Woke up in apartments, to the gun sounds/Dressing up in garments, I can rest now,” he ends the verse, somber and introspective about his troubled past and hopeful about his bright future.  

A loosie from the rumored third instalment of the No Label series, “Say Sum” should’ve been a smash hit. It’s Migos in a melodic bag that they’ve all but shunned for the better part of a year. On his verse, Offset not only rhymes “say sum” with “stallion,” he showers his girl with endless flirtatious praise. He asks for her birthday, her sign and ends the verse rapping: “Show you manners like my momma say You might meet my momma just one day Tuxedo on feng-shui Smoke a blunt in peace, GandPrince Williams/WireImage)hi Celine on her from the runway One of one, only one made”

Another No Label 3 loosie that should’ve been huge, “Cocoon” features great performances from all three of the Migos. It’s a fitting song for the current state of drug use in the rap game, and sees Offset battling with his addiction: “This for the people that taking drugs everyday/Fuck what they say, let the pain go away.”

Sidenote: with his vibrant green dreads, this was around the first time since his release that Offset publicly started carrying himself like a superstar in the making.

Released by DJ Lil Keem, these are the first two solo Offset loosies we received post-release from jail. Although they were largely under looked, as were most of his verses prior to “Bad and Boujee,” both “Ball Player” and “In Her Throat” are brief yet catchy offerings that tease the stellar material he’s got on the way.

An off-the-cuff collaboration with Lil Yachty, who became an overnight superstar while Offset was locked up, “Truckloads” showcases chemistry none of even knew existed. Offset adds an unexpected melodic touch on top of his already impressive opening verse. He’s watching his back like an owl and pouring Actavis in a peach Crush while counting up truckloads of racks.

One of the best and the most underrated Migos projects to date, 3 Way EP is a brief yet flawless offering from the group. It works as an effective reset after YRN 2 and lets us know that the chemistry is back to where it used to be prior to Offset’s arrest.

A follow up collaboration with Yachty, “Dipset” is a fun, raucous track that sees Offset absolutely body his younger counterpart.

This remix with Rae Sremmurd is as great as we expected it to be. Offset opens up the song in fantastic fashion, claiming that he’s “sipping on kryptonite,” and the added verses from Quavo, Jxmmi and Takeoff are just icing on top.

This trippy cut from Lil Uzi Vert’s The Perfect LUV Tape sees Offset carrying much of the weight as far as rapping is considered. However, Playboi Carti and Uzi provide great foils to Offset’s relatively more traditional approach.

Somehow, Offset keeps ending up with the best verse on every song he’s on - despite the caliber of stars by his side. While Thug, Quavo and Scooter all deliver fantastic verses, Offset’s glides all over this Wheezy x TM88 beat with a mesmerizing air of nonchalance.

The very next day, “Bad and Boujee” came out. Now, we know this might sound odd to some of you - but it’s true! “Bad and Boujee” was floating around on the interwebs for at least a month before it picked up any steam. Not to sound too snobby, but this particular writer was singing the song’s praises since the day it dropped - unfortunately, it wasn’t until the meme-ification of Offset’s hook that things really started to take off for this loosie. It’s the epitome of an unexpected hit.

A brief yet effective offering on the A$AP Mob project, Cozy Tapes, Vol. 1: Friends. Right on the heels of the “Bad and Boujee” success, Offset is clearly starting to mingle with the rest of the industry

Going back to his roots, this collaboration with ATL legend, icon and OG, Peewee Longway, has an undeniably infectious bounce. Both rappers pride themselves on their sharp flows and dexterous rhyming and their dedication to their craft shows.

This time, Offset plays the role of OG and takes a second to put on one of his labelmates, Mango Foo. It’s one of his best guest verses of 2016.  

What a way to top off an already impressive breakout year. These four features on the Murda Beatz' project should’ve been enough proof that Offset was planning a takeover for 2017 - boy were we naive. “M&Ms” is a menacing collaboration with Blac Youngsta, while “Scorin’” sees Offset try his best to carry Playboi Carti to the finish line.

The real highlights are the two solo Offset cuts on here: “Growth” & “Pop Off.” They are both undoubtedly two of the best solo Offset offerings to date. If anything, both songs are too short, teasing us with an infectious hook and a single hard-hitting verse. Elusive auto-tune, tongue-twister flows, green Lambos that look like Kermit, black Phantoms that look like crows, diamonds that dance like Ricky Riccardo - both these cuts contain every Offset-ism you could ever hope for.

What a way to start the year off. Migos’ best album to date just so happens to be their most commercially successful. It was a joy to watch the stars align for this hardworking trio and even more satisfying to watch them successfully capitalize on this opportunity. Each one of the Migos was responsible for a hit on here, whether it’s Offset with “Bad and Boujee,” Takeoff with “T-Shirt,” or Quavo with “Slippery.”

These cats never sleep, huh? Based on Quavo’s harmonies, this sounds like a CULTURE leftover, but Dolph quickly makes it his own track. Offset and Takeoff join Quavo for a compact last verse that sees the three going back & forth with each other. 

Keeping the CULTURE momentum going, Migos shine on this high profile feature alongside Detroit wordsmith, Big Sean. “The devil had entered my soul/My momma had beat it out me,” raps Offset, exorcising his soul on wax.

If the rap thing doesn’t work out, Migos definitely have a future in commercial jingles. This meme-turned-fire-song sees all three of them deliver hilariously straight-faced versus about their flavor of Rap Snacks, with Offset somehow rhyming “dab of ranch” with “ambulance.” 

As far as we know, this is where the romance all began. After Offset hopped on this remix of the fan favorite Gangsta Bitch Music Vol. 2 single, his relationship with Cardi B was introduced to the world. They showed scandalous chemistry in the music video, held hands during a date at the Super Bowl, started appearing in each other’s Instagram posts and, well, the rest is history.

The great looks for Migos continued with this placement alongside Frank Ocean for Calvin Harris’ lead single. This the first time any of these artists have collaborated and the trio makes sure to show up. “Good gracious,” Offset starts, before takin’ a trip to Malaysia in a spaceship while smokin’ gelato. Yes, you read that correctly. 

A star-studded posse cut off of Mike WiLL Made-It’s Ransom 2, Offset still manages to shine here despite the heavy competition. As soon as the “OFFSET” ad-lib lands, you know it’s off to the races.

An iconic pairing between two of the most notorious acts in hip-hop: Dipset & Migos. Juelz Santana and Jim Jones hold it down for the old heads, while Offset, who has the opening verse, makes it clear that the new school can rap their asses off as well.

Cousin Stizz has been bubbling under the radar for a minute now. Offset comes through for the Bostonian rapper with a fierce guest verse on “Headlock.”

The next day, Lil Yachty unveiled his new song for the clubs, “Peek a Boo,” featuring all 3 of the Migos. The QC labelmates formed like Voltron on this Ricky Racks produced banger.

That same day, The Fate of the Furious: The Album dropped. This is just another example of how you couldn’t avoid Migos in 2017, no matter what medium of art you turned to (music, TV, film, fashion, etc.). The song itself was mainly Takeoff’s show, but Offset made sure to add his two cents, rapping, “Not scared of the cops, we cappin 'em (twelve)/They think that we rappin', we wrapping them.”

Over a span of few weeks, producer OG Parker released a solo track with each of the Migos. Apparently none of them were officially sanctioned releases, but we’re sure Offset wasn’t too mad after seeing the overwhelmingly positive response “Monday” received. The hook is insanely catchy and the verse are endlessly quotable (from “My son got a dub in his piggy bank” to “Customize my whip, Xzibit/You ain't making no noise, got crickets”).

Is there a bigger sign that you’ve broken through to the mainstream than Katy Perry tapping you for a collab? Probably not. And although Migos only got a brief showing towards the end of this single, it was clear at this point that their trademark flavor, drip, dab - whatever you wanna call it - was in high demand. Also, the way Offset says “I” is just wonderful.

The same day, as if their dominance wasn’t clear enough, Sean Paul released “Body” with Migos. In his own words, Paul describes Migos as one of his “favorite rap groups” and says, “it was wicked to have them flowing over a dancehall oriented track.” Offset, who has the opening verse, flexes the more melodic facets of his style but still comes through with amazing one-liners, such as: “Smoking gas like I’m Willie Nelson in Belgium.”

This is Gucci Mane and Offset’s first collaboration together since the former’s release from prison last May. It’s clear that Offset felt like he had something to prove to his former mentor as he demolishes this track, not wasting a single second of his hook & verse. “Get to the top and we blew the ladder up,” he raps about the Migos rise to superstardom. 

This pseudo-homage to professional wrestler Scotty 2 Hotty was the first single from the yet-to-be-released Quality Control album. Offset originally previewed this track prior to the release of CULTURE and it quickly became a fan favorite snippet. The full track, featuring a hypnotic beat from Southside, did not disappoint. Offset is rolling up Fronto leafs, “droppin’ a deuce in a Pure Leaf tea,” and he’s even poppin’ perkys like Altoids. One of the catchiest Migos songs of the year, “Too Hotty” honestly should’ve been saved for CULTURE 2.

A super overlooked collaboration between Migos and Teyana Taylor, “Drippin” sees Takeoff take a backseat as Quavo and Offset get into their dark, lustful R&B groove. The best part of the song might be when Offset takes time out of verse to convince his girl to not get lipo, claiming that she already has a “body of a goddess.” Aww.   

Offset comes through with an excellent hook for Oakland rapper, Philthy Rich.

Shouts out to Migos for getting that festival bag. This unexpected pairing of Migos, Yachty and Steve Aoki proved to be a lot more impressive than anyone could’ve predicted.

Following his stellar guest verse on CULTURE, Migos returned the favor by featuring on 2 Chainz’s Pretty Girls Like Trap Music. Offset’s verse on here gradually shifts from his typical punchline driven cadence to a more soulful, singsongy finish. “Black man with a lot of money, got the white man wanna off me,” he spits, adding a hint of spite to his otherwise carefree verse. For Offset, chasing the bag is a means of survival - it’s not just about celebration (although that’s a great perk of success)

Whether on a track with his usual counterparts, Quavo and Takeoff, or a star-studded ATL posse cut with T.I., Future and 21 Savage, Offset manages to cause a ruckus with his rapid-fire delivery and menacing rhymes. His ability to pierce through the crowd is a major part of why he’s now breaking out as the first viable solo act from Migos.

It was around this time that it truly felt like Offset was being primed to break out as a solo act. This first single from Metro Boomin’s forthcoming album had him going toe to toe with the biggest rap star on the planet and, to be completely honest, he came out virtually unscathed. Offset more than held his own. In fact, many claimed that it was Drake who was struggling to keep up. In Drake’s defense though, this was clearly a case of him stepping into Offset’s world - who knows if Offset could’ve done the same had the roles been reversed

The first collaboration between Offset & Sauce Walka, “Hop In Da Lamb” is an overlooked record. Both artists are on their A Game, with Offset providing not only a catchy hook, but a verse that once again highlights his multi-syllabic rhyming style:

“Take a seat, take seat, lil' mama don't even talk to me (shh)
I'm blessed to see the diamond jewelry (blessed)
Crawlin’ in the coupe a centipede (skrt)
No you n***** can't get rid of me (no)
I can't fuck with that negative energy (negative)
Pistol Pete so many memories (Pistol)
We took a loss in the penalty (loss)
Dynasty puzzle piece, everybody play accordingly (according)
80K can’t afford me (no)
Louie loafers cost a quarter P

Did you really expect anything out of this track other than Offset rapping circles around his two younger peers? Did you? That’s what we thought. 

Beyond his tough exterior, Offset must be super easy to approach or something seeing as how he’s given countless looks to up & comers this past year. This track with “Caroline” rapper Aminé is an unexpected yet enjoyable pairing of minds.

A reckless verse for the perpetually lit Juicy J. Before you can process the absurdity of Offset rapping, “ass so fat that I went blind,” he’s flying to meet the plug in Taiwan, eating grapes in the PJ and riding in a Matte Black Maybach, which he rudely compares to Akon.  

A great collaboration with former QC-labelmate, Skippa Da Flippa. “I feel like Hova,” Offset declares, as emboldened as ever.

Another track with Peewee Longway, this one is more off-the-cuff and, in turn, a joy to listen to. “The birds be singin’ Aretha,” Set spits, adding yet another new twist to his trademark punchline.

No Plug is a controversial member of 21 Savage’s crew. With 21 still being so new to the rap game, it’s understandable if the rest of his posse is still finding their footing. However, with a tried & tested veteran like Offset by your side, it’s hard to not deliver.

Kodak Black and Offset are two of the best rappers alive (feel free to get all up in arms in the comments). This standout from Project Baby 2 sees Offset provide a pitch-perfect hook for Kodak to wax poetic about his rise thus far.

The next major installment in Offset’s rise to superstardom, “No Flag” is the lead single from London On Da Track’s forthcoming debut album. It places the Migos rapper next to Nicki Minaj and 21 Savage and just like with Metro’s “No Complaints,” Offset steals the track with ease. See a pattern here?

We’re not sure how this happened, but when Young Nudy dropped his highly anticipated mixtape Nudy Land, “Cinco De Mayo” was accidentally uploaded as “Cancer Stick No Pressure.” The mistake was quickly corrected and “Cinco De Mayo” was officially re-released a few days later. Both tracks tease untapped chemistry between the two artists, with Nudy’s more elusive style working as the perfect foil for Offset’s cutting rhymes and instantly familiar rhythm.

Recently signed to Gucci Mane, Hoodrich Pablo Juan is getting ready to make some waves off his own in 2018. This track off his most recent mixtape, Designer Drugz 3, is ATL to its core. Offset manages to sum up this entire past year in just a few bars:

“Everything we do is abnormal
$100K when we performing
Bitch, ain't no game, we been going in
We all in your face, kinda annoying
They be like, "Damn, there they go again"

Even though the point of this whole piece is to trace Offset’s rise to prominence, it’s understandably a difficult task to pinpoint the exact moment when a given artist becomes a superstar. However, if we had to stake our claim on one specific career move, this would be it: a god-damn Macklemore feature of all things. What? How? Why? Who knows. Regardless, Offset capitalizes on the moment without missing step. He finds yet another apt comparison for his Green Lambo (this time, a four-leaf clover), compares himself to Hova and continues the self-mythologizing by closing out the verse with a nod to the “rain drops” line that made “Bad & Boujee” a viral sensation (fun fact: he pulled this same move on “Too Hotty” earlier in the year when he rapped, “rain drops on me like a storm on me”). Well played, sir.

“With Vengeance” is a random yet welcomed collab with Ski Mask The Slump God (who is currently experiencing his own rapid rise to stardom). What makes things even spookier is the fact that it’s Timbaland on the boards. Dripping with auto-tune, Offset takes a left-field approach to this verse, flexing his traditional rapping as well as his more eccentric stylistic tendencies.

One of the standout cuts from Young Thug & Future’s collab mixtape, “Patek Water’ damn near broke the internet. It’s one of, if not the, strongest offerings from Offset this year. He tackles the hypnotic beat with deadly precision, triumphantly rapping, “mansion that sit on a hill, after my last arrest.” It’s a shame we don’t get more joint ventures between these New Atlanta legends. 

The proposal heard around the world. Regardless of what you may think of this CULTURE 2 single, Offset has solidified this song in hip-hop cannon simply by making it the soundtrack to his engagement with Cardi B. We should have known this was coming once Offset rapped, “$100K spent on my Señora.” Seeing as they are now poised to become rap royalty, it’s going to super interesting to watch how these two tackle 2018.

And this is where the story ends - for now. Check out our review, our highlight of Offset’s best verses and this track by track comparison to Young Thug & Future’s SUPER SLIMEY. Although it’s not a solo project, this collab tape with 21 Savage and Metro Boomin makes Offset the first one in Migos to truly branch out. While Quavo was doing god knows what with Travis Scott, Offset took initiatives and absolutely ran the rap game in 2017. Maybe he’s the Beyonce of the group after all. All you naysayers can fall back. 

Here’s to hoping Set continues to build on this incredible momentum as we enter the New Year.