Using white people as a metaphor for cocaine is a well-worn trope of Southern hip-hop, but Migos breathed new life into that equation on their delirious Y.R.N. track “Hannah Montana,” the upcoming single that cuts into their recent luxurious “Versace” video. In “Hanna Montana,” Migos invoke Miley Cyrus as Hannah Montana, Lindsay Lohan, Hillary Duff as Lizzie McGuire, Eminem, and Patrick Swazye in the first verse alone. They continue to break ground on “Roll On,” a new single featuring French Montana that is the subject of an upcoming video. Over a pitter-patter beat from frequent producer Zaytoven, Quavo and Takeoff namedrop the Three Stooges, Mary Kate and Ashley, Dylan and Cody Sprouse, as well as “Ken” (Ted) Nugent and the NBA player O.J. Mayo, who is black but whose surname is a common white substance.
On the one hand, “Roll On” — which also nicks a line from the classic Big Tymers song, word to 2 Chainz’s “Used 2” — could be held up as an example that Migos are one-note in subject and style. But the truth is that they haven’t yet depleted their stash of metaphors, twisting flows, and deceptively catchy hooks. They are breakout stars, as we chronicled in our story “Bando Brothers,” for a reason.
