UCONNIC is finally here! After weeks of speculation, the Student Union Board of Governors (SUBOG) announced Quavo as the event’s headliner on March 30, accompanied by Noah Richardson, Tweed Sugar, DJ Meow and DJ Rytm. The rapper and record producer earned plenty of fame as the frontman for the hip-hop group Migos but has collaborated with artists like Justin Bieber, Liam Payne and Post Malone. In preparation for this year’s UCONNIC festival, the Life section has come together to name the Quavo songs they think students should listen to ahead of time.
Maleena Muzio, Associate Life Editor
I am not well-versed in Quavo’s music and am most familiar with his biggest hits from the group Migos, as well as his many popular features, such as in the late singer Liam Payne’s 2017 hit “Strip That Down.”
That being said, my favorite Quavo song is a collaboration and is probably no surprise to anyone who knows me: “Tough” by Lana Del Rey and Quavo. Del Rey is no stranger to collaborating with rap and hip-hop artists, and the 2024 southern-inspired pop-rap single did not disappoint. I first heard the song live at Fenway Park in June 2024 when it made its live debut with both artists on stage at Del Rey’s show.
The music video for “Tough” also contributes largely to my love for the song. Quavo and Del Rey have beautiful chemistry, and the video romanticizes the everyday life of an American couple with traditional Del Rey aesthetics, plus an added hip-hop influence that shines through in the outfit choices of the pair. It is simply a well-done blend of two distinct genres.
Ayyan Tamjeed, Staff Writer
You should listen to some Migos songs to learn about Quavo before his UCONNIC set. If you haven’t already, hits like “Bad and Boujee,” “Versace” and “Motorsport” are great songs that can help one get acclimated with the trap sound Quavo likes to deal with.
Quavo’s singsong chants in “Bad and Boujee” are almost hypnotic, and Metro Boomin’s sparse production gives them space to breathe. For a chorus that’s just the word “Versace” repeatedly, the way Quavo delivers each “Versace” with subtly different intonations never gets boring. “Motorsport” also highlights his heavy use of ad-libs, which can add texture to whatever he’s singing if needed.
As for his solo material, “Rocket Power,” the album he released in dedication to the late Migos member Takeoff, sounds pretty good. While it can drag at points because it’s 18 tracks long, there are some diamonds to be discovered. The opener “Fueled Up” departs from his trap sound to incorporate more elements from rage music, and the spaced-out production makes for a different vibe than his Migos work. While still subdued, it was a lot more in your face.
Jaylyn Davis, Staff Writer
Before hearing about UCONNIC, I had no clue who Quavo was. Because of that, I have little knowledge of him and his music. However, I recently listened to some of his songs, and a few of them became my favorites.
One Quavo song I recently listened to was “New Trip.” This is Quavo’s newest song, and I like listening to it when I study or do homework. I enjoy the song because, while it’s hard to decipher the lyrics, it has a very swift tempo that keeps me awake when I become unmotivated to do my work. I feel like “New Trip” would be an excellent song for Quavo to perform at UCONNIC since its rapid tempo will keep attendees animated.
Another Quavo song I cherish is “I’m the One.” DJ Khaled originally wrote this tune, but it features Quavo in one of its verses. Because Quavo isn’t the original artist, it unfortunately cannot be played at UCONNIC. However, I really love this song because it’s catchy, uplifting and contains messages about true love and intimidations that many University of Connecticut students can relate to.
Sarah Cartagena, Contributor
I’m sure most people have heard Quavo’s ad-libs throughout various popular songs, mostly from the 2010s, and don’t even know it was him! During his time in Migos, Quavo served as the frontman and primary songwriter. After the group’s disbandment, he has mostly been a featured artist.
In my favorite song by him, he was featured alongside Migos and Frank Ocean in “Slide” by Calvin Harris. Come on, that song is just stacked with talented artists! I have no doubt that it was my number one listened-to song back in 2017, and it played on practically every radio on the road. All the artists that collaborated on the song hit their peak during the late 2000s, so hopefully we’ll hear Quavo sing his ad-libs and rap verse at UCONNIC.
Another song that features Quavo that I’ve had on repeat since the UCONNIC announcement is “Know No Better” by Major Lazer, featuring Travis Scott, Camila Cabello and Quavo. This is another song from the golden age of music that was the late 2010s and is addicting to listen to. It’s the perfect song for a hot beach day or even a stroll on campus!
If you’re heading to UCONNIC this weekend, have tons of fun and don’t forget to yell out the famous ad-lib: “QUAVO!”