Rapper Offset, aka one-third of the hip-hop supergroup Migos, dropped his own long-awaited debut album titled “Father of 4” on Friday, Feb. 22. Even though his name has flooded celebrity gossip for the past year, the rapper has lacked a true introduction to the public. Much of his popularity has resulted from his well-documented relationship with recently-emerged megastar Cardi B. Offset also made headlines after suffering a near-fatal car crash in May 2018. However, since the Migos’ arrival to music prominence in 2013, Offset’s legal troubles have provided the majority of the attention that he has received outside of the group. With “Father of Four”, Offset finally seizes the opportunity to make his long-overdue introduction to the public.
This album throws a lot at you. First, there’s the plethora of high-profile features. Everyone from Gucci Mane to J. Cole contributes a verse, and the album even has a song featuring both Travis Scott and 21 Savage (“Legacy”). The producers on this project may actually steal most of the spotlight. Metro Boomin, the young legend himself, crafts the instrumentals for the majority of the album’s songs. Even when a track lacks Metro’s presence, the production remains outstanding. Thanks to these high-quality beats, Offset has more than enough room to work his magic.
A man known for his way of riding beats, Offset does just that on this album. He throws his signature ad-libs all over the jiggy and bouncy “Lick” and shows his effortless speed-changing abilities on the hypnotically sinister “Wild Wild West”. While he manages to sound vulnerable and introspective on some songs (“Red Room”, “North Star”), other songs (“Legacy”, “On Fleek”) present the unapologetic and boastful Offset which have sculpted his reputation as an artist. The more heartfelt songs contain a variety of messages which Offset declares both to his loved ones and himself. The album’s introductory title track finds the rapper openly speaking to all four of his kids. On “Don’t Lose Me”, Offset shares his wrongdoings towards Cardi B and attempts to heal their marriage. The most hauntingly moment on the album comes when Offset confesses that his personal trauma has caused him to need lean in order to sleep (“North Star”).
“Father of 4” is not a guide for young men on how to raise four children. Offset has not written the hip-hop edition of “How to Parent For Dummies”, nor was this his intent. Instead, “Father of 4” serves as Offset’s claiming of his identity and an all-encompassing guide to his life. While he places this strong emphasis on fatherhood, Offset’s rhymes cover a wide array of content. His ability to narrate his tough, violent past before switching to luxurious party raps accurately depict the many dimensions of Offset. His focus on these more superficial themes may appear repetitive at times, and the fact that the album stretches to 16 songs may not have properly fit his approach for this project.
The album as a whole is no masterpiece. Offset could have expanded his sound a little bit more and tried to implement some of his different flows on certain songs, but there are enough stand-out moments anyways to make “Father of 4” memorable. My favorite track is the project’s outro “Came A Long Way”. I feel like this song properly closes out an album that provides an extensive and lengthy insight into the life of Offset, both the man and the rapper. All things considered, I give this album a 4 out of 5.
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