Quavo and T.I. have officially joined forces for their new collaboration “Backwards,” and the two Atlanta rap giants are bringing two completely different generations of the city’s hip-hop history together for one record.
The track officially arrived Friday, September 11, as the latest release from Quavo’s upcoming album QRÖMELIFE, and the official music video is set to take that Atlanta connection even further. The visual is directed by Supo Supreme and executive produced by Daps, with the two rappers coming together in front of a massive Atlanta-inspired flag paying tribute to the city and its deep roots in hip-hop.
And if you’ve been following Quavo’s rollout, this one has been building for a minute.
Quavo actually gave fans an early taste of “Backwards” last week when he performed the unreleased record during WWE’s Sunday Night’s Main Event in Atlanta. The performance gave fans a preview of what was coming before the song officially landed.
Now the full record is here — and having T.I. alongside Quavo makes the collaboration even bigger.
T.I. represents an earlier generation of Atlanta’s takeover of hip-hop. Before Migos became one of the biggest groups in the world, Tip was already helping put Atlanta on the map with his music and his role in the rise of trap music.
Then came Quavo, Offset and Takeoff, who helped push Atlanta’s sound into a completely different era.
“Backwards” brings those worlds together.
The record has a party-heavy feel, with Quavo and T.I. trading bars over an energetic Atlanta-inspired sound. The song doesn’t try to make the two rappers sound alike. Instead, it plays off their different styles and lets each artist bring his own flavor to the record.
There’s also a major name behind the bigger picture.
Pharrell Williams is serving as executive producer of Quavo’s upcoming QRÖMELIFE album, giving the project a major creative connection. The album is officially scheduled to arrive October 2, meaning “Backwards” lands just three weeks before the full project.
That makes this more than just another random Quavo single.
It’s another piece of the rollout.
Quavo has already released “HAAVIN” and “Trance (Walk It Down)” as he builds anticipation for the album. Both records have helped introduce fans to the direction he’s taking with this new era, while his partnership with Pharrell has become one of the biggest talking points surrounding the project.
Now he’s bringing T.I. into the mix.
And that’s what makes “Backwards” stand out.
Atlanta has always been one of the most influential cities in hip-hop, and seeing T.I. and Quavo share the same record feels like two chapters of that history colliding.
One helped establish Atlanta as a dominant force.
The other helped take that sound around the world.
Quavo is also coming into this new era with plenty to prove as a solo artist. Following the massive run of Migos and the success of his previous solo projects, he’s continuing to carve out his own lane while keeping the energy that made fans gravitate toward him in the first place.
With Pharrell behind the overall project and T.I. appearing on one of its latest singles, QRÖMELIFE is already shaping up to be one of Quavo’s most talked-about solo releases.
And “Backwards” might be one of the biggest moments of the rollout yet.
The official video gives fans another visual piece of the story, with Quavo and T.I. representing Atlanta on a record that’s all about energy, nightlife and that unmistakable Southern rap flavor.
If this is any indication of what’s coming on October 2, Quavo might have something serious on his hands.
These dollars ain’t gon throw themselves (HUNCHO) A.T.L.A.N.T.A Atlanta (run to Atlanta) You can get the most up out the dolla Fine shit, Thick, Lemon Peppa (Yea) White, Brown, flavors nigga AYEE A.T.L.A.N.T.A Atlanta
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