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From Texas To Abu Dhabi, Migos Traveling Road From Rich To Wealthy

This article is more than 8 years old.

It’s so busy in the lobby of the Hilton in downtown Austin, Texas, that nobody notices Migos—the trio of twentysomething rappers tucked away in a corner booth—each dripping with enough jewelry to outweigh a small dog.

The loquacious Quavious “Quavo” Marshall, his expressive cousin Kiari “Offset” Cephus and his mellow nephew Kirshnik “Takeoff” Ball  comprise the up-and-coming Atlanta-based group. They’ve played shows as far away as Abu Dhabi, but their frenetic schedule has allowed them little time to take in attractions, even the city's much-ballyhooed gold vending machines.

“Gold vending machines?” asks Takeoff, sounding both incredulous at the concept and crestfallen for possibly having missed out. “In Abu Dhabi? Gold vending machines.”

“We didn’t see much,” adds Offset, almost apologetically. “We were only there for like five hours.”

“You can buy gold bars in a vending machine?” Takeoff repeats, his skepticism taking a moment to subside. “I didn’t know there was gold bars in a vending machine.”

Anonymity in a crowded hotel lobby in any part of the world might not be possible for much longer, as Migos takes their place in this year’s Cash Princes Class of 2015. Prosperity and its trappings are rapidly becoming a reality for the trio: the group now grosses about $30,000 per show, according to Pollstar, though The Fader reported their fee was closer to $40,000 last fall.

Full coverage: Hip-Hop Cash Princes 2015

Migos has yet to release its debut album, but has already cranked out more hits than some hip-hop acts do in a lifetime. Singles “Versace,” “Fight Night” and “Handsome And Wealthy” have all appeared on Billboard’s singles charts (says Quavo: “Whatever makes your head nod, that’s want we want to give you.”) They’ve been earning strong reviews from many of their peers as well.

“Migos have quietly been building a catalogue of underground hits the past few years through mixtapes and singles in the clubs,” says Cash Princes alum Tyga. “I feel they are going to get that big crossover look real soon.”

Migos’ chances are improving as the Atlanta trap rap genre that they grew up on continues to assert its influence on mainstream hip-hop. The group’s singles tend to be more easily remembered than those released by the competition: for hits like “Versace,” the hook consists mostly of repeating the song’s title.

Like the music or not, it's in some ways a take on a time-honored tradition that dates back to Berry Gordy’s philosophy at Motown. In addition to penning catchy choruses, he and his production team often instructed acts like the Jackson 5 to say the name of the song once more at the end to ensure it would stick in listeners’ minds, as Michael Jackson did at the end of “I Want You Back.”

“We didn’t have Berry Gordy telling us that,” says Quavo. “We learned on our own. So if we did what the greats did, hell yeah we’re going to keep doing it.”

With increased visibility comes added scrutiny. Migos endured criticism on the national level last fall over the violent implications of the lyrics to “Fight Night,” which ESPN dubbed “questionable music” after it was played at LP Field shortly before a Cowboys-Titans game (the group insists that the song is simply about “having sex”).

Meanwhile, the members of Migos currently find themselves at the monetary crossroads exemplified by the Jay Z line “F*ck rich, let’s get wealthy.” Flush with more cash than they’ve ever had in their young lives, they are still short of the $7 million annual payday generally needed to make the Hip-Hop Cash Kings list.

They’re clearly focused on continuing to move in that direction, as evidenced by song titles like the aforementioned “Handsome And Wealthy.” And they contemplated the concept aloud at the Hilton.

“Wealth is just consistency … I don’t want to be rich,” says Quavo, echoing Jay Z’s words. “I want to be wealthy.”

They’ve certainly got some of the right people around them, including Lyor Cohen--an executive close to the aforementioned rapper—who signed Migos to 300, a new label he started with fellow Def Jam alums Kevin Liles and Todd Moscowitz.

The distribution deal allows Migos to stay with Atlanta indie label Quality Control, cofounded by Pierre “Pee” Thomas and Kenneth “ Coach K” Lee. The latter has had a hand in the rise of Cash Kings alums including Young Jeezy and Gucci Mane.

For Migos, the next big test will be the summer launch of their first full-length LP, Y.R.N.: Tha Album. The letters, in this case, stand for "Young Rich N*ggas"; for the group’s YRN clothing line, which will debut simultaneously, they signify "Young Rich Nation."

Migos will hit the road beforehand, with dates planned for the U.S., Russia and the United Arab Emirates. This time, Migos will make more time for sightseeing, particularly in the latter country, where the list suddenly seems to include the vending machines that sell gold bars.

Says Takeoff: “I’m gonna go buy me some.”

For more on the business of hip-hop, check out my book Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went From Street Corner to Corner Office. You can also follow me on Twitter and Facebook.