Avalanche by Migos Lyrics Meaning – Dissecting the Symbols of Success and Struggle in Hip-Hop

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Migos's Avalanche at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

Woo

Poppa was a rollin’ stone
But now I got rollin’ stones in the bezel (ice)
Momma at home all alone, hustlin’
Tryna keep this shit together (momma)
Young niggas smokin’ on gas
I’m livin’ too fast, my foot on the pedal (woo)
If I got back to the past
My niggas ain’t know we’d be rockin’ Coachella (hey)
If a nigga ever try me or play me
I buy him an iced-out shovel (ice)
Dig ya own grave, nigga, you played yourself
I put some cash on your schedule (you played yourself)
If a bitch ever try to filet me, huh
I just sit back and let her (she got it)
Think she come up of the ‘Cho, it’s whatever
My pockets came with extra cheddar (go)
I can see through the fuck shit (fuck shit)
I think that my skills gettin’ better (gettin’ better)
With a stick, come in peace, Mandela (Mandela)
I’m willin’ to feed whoever (who?)
How can I help you? (How?)
Nobody judge you but God (God)
You can watch us beat the odds (beat it)
This is no cap, no facade
Young, rich, and black, and we gon’ beat the charge (we gon’)
I’m spendin’ cash, no card
I’m likin’ her natural ass, no fraud (yeah)
If she got a fake ass, of course
Girl, ain’t nothin’ wrong with enhancin’, it’s yours (she bad)
From the back, from the back, we enjoy it (soo)
Hunnid rack, I’ma attack with my boy (attack)
Got the clip pokin’ out, we be showin’ (showin’)
Anybody check clout, we be knowin’ (clout)
In and out, in and out, we be goin’ (go)
On a 757 Boeing (jet)
And my AP same size as The Forum (that’s big)
Better get you some bread where you from (yeah, yeah)

I spend my mills on the crib (mansion)
Cover myself, F&N is my shit (cover)
I spent a dime, go run you a drill (dime)
If you do the time, come home to a mil’ (time)
Double my seal (double), sign another deal (sign)
G6 pills (G), money gimme chills (chills)
I make the bitch hit her knees, she kneel (bitch)
I make the stick hit when I’m in the field (stick)
I made your bitch lick it up like, “Ew” (uh)
Spend a hunnid racks on the teeth, not a grill (racks)
Lookin’ at your diamonds on your neck, ain’t real (who?)
Nigga, you a bitch, let the Draco kill (bitch)
Heard what I said (heard)
Spinnin’ your block every day ’til you’re dead (spin, spin)
Live on the edge, Codeine my meds (Codeine)
Open your legs (legs), I fuck with my stick in the bed (brraow)
We shootin’, not fightin’ like Craig (boaw)
Bad bitches, they DM, they still in my thread (DM)
They ain’t never give us our cred’ (cred’)
Patek, rose gold with the face, ruby red (ruby)
Put a hole in your head, not your legs (hey)
Put my hands on her head, she a pet (ah)
M-i-g-o, nigga, that’s the set (Migo)
Fuck that P-O, I’ma just pay it (who?)
White glass in my Lambo, it look like it’s albino
I hit your bitch, she say, “Ouch,” hit a high note (ouch)
I’m Richie Rich like Lionel (Richie Rich)
Count your blessings, don’t worry ’bout the rivals (hey)
Grandma told me, “go read the Bible” (grandma)
Shoulda listened, still look at the sky, though (sky)
Snifter sippin’, this not the Moscato (sifter sippin’)
Bitch, I’m gifted, I’m smokin’ gelato (bitch, I’m gifted)

We been the niggas that steppin’
We came in the door and they takin’ the flow, call it repo (bite)
My dog, he gon’ bite, no Chico (argh)
Get hit with the Draco and make him with Rico (brrt)
Ain’t shoppin’ Rodeo
You wanna see the three Migos, then turn on your Vevo (Vevo)
The Wraith colored mayo (white)
And the cheese like I ate a bag of some Cheetos (cheese)
They must’ve forgot we the Migos (forgot)
Straight from the North out the bando (bando)
I done been quiet for too long (too long)
I copped that Cuban, it’s two-toned (two-toned)
I heard he trappin’, they tappin’ the static
Tell that boy go get a new phone (brrt)
Out in Bel-Air, copped a new home (new home)
Avalanche with the blue stone (ice)
I am the shit, can’t find a fit, my neck is a fridge
The rings and wrists, I retro the kicks
Ain’t givin’ no kiss, I’m givin’ her dick
You starin’ too long like you seen a ghost
So whip out your camera, take you a pic
So when you get home, get back on your phone
Zoom in on the flick and look at the drip
She ask me to pay for the ass to get lifted
I told her, “I’m better off gettin’ you a Lyft”
Think I’ma put all my trust in a ho with no benefits?
Tell her go jump off a cliff
I go two-thirty, a cup of that purple
Put ice in my drink just to keep it on chill (lean)
Fuck all that talk, you ain’t been in the field (nah)
Open my bank account, it give me chills (chills)
Takeoff

In the opulent tableau of Migos’s ‘Avalanche,’ lyrical bravado intertwines with a raw portrayal of ambition and legacy. This track off the group’s 2021 album ‘Culture III’ is not just a celebration of their rise to the pinnacle of hip-hop royalty – it’s a potent narrative of resilience, family roots, and the ever-ominous presence of mortality within the triumvirate’s lavish lifestyles.

Blending elements of their history with their present-day conquests, Migos deliver a track replete with the symbolisms of success, the anchor of their origins, and the inevitable baggage that accompanies fame. The dissection of these lyrics unveils a labyrinth of depth beneath the glittering surface of wealth and notoriety.

Beneath the Ice: The Symbolism of Jewel-Encrusted Chronology

When Migos reflect on the transformation from rolling stones to ‘rollin’ stones in the bezel,’ they are crafting an elegant metaphor for the tale of their ascension. The ‘rolling stones’ evoke the image of their fathers – nomadic, ever-moving – while the ‘rollin’ stones’ in their watch bezels encapsulate accumulated wealth and stability gained through arduous hustle.

This juxtaposition underlines a generational shift, from the instability marked by the elders to the affluence and influence Migos wields within the music industry. Ambition, once tempered by uncertainty, is now affirmed by the luminescence of bejeweled success.

Veneration and Vice: The Dualism of Family and Fast Living

The homage to maternal struggle: ‘Momma home all alone, hustlin’,’ collides with the emblematic ‘livin’ too fast, my foot on the pedal.’ It magnifies the dichotomy of honoring one’s roots whilst navigating the seductive allure of celebrity indulgence.

Migos take a moment to acknowledge their mother’s sacrifices, indirectly pointing to the support system that undergirds their achievements. Yet, they do not shy away from the reality of their accelerated lives, a candid nod to the intensities that come with their profession.

Triumph Over Trials: The Hidden Meaning in Overcoming Adversity

The song’s braggadocio also conceals a nuanced dialogue on adversities faced and conquered. Lines like ‘Nobody judge you but God’ and ‘we gon’ beat the charge’ impart a sense of overcoming legal and societal hurdles, speaking to the broader racial and economic dynamics at play.

On a deeper level, ‘Avalanche’ becomes an anthem of defiance against preconceptions and miscast judgments, asserting Migos’s narrative control amidst the chaos of unpredictability and scrutiny in the limelight.

From Versace to Veneers: The Material Milestones and Their Meanings

Every namedrop – from ‘Patek’ watches to ‘Cheetos,’ from ‘757 Boeing’ jets to veneers versus grills – functions as a linguistic badge of luxury, weaving together a tapestry depicting the enormity of their wealth.

However, these ostentatious symbols unpack the importance of status and distinction in hip-hop culture, reinforcing their painstaking journey from the ‘bando’ to Bel-Air. Each luxury item thus transcends its material value, becoming a milestone in the Migos odyssey.

The Echoes of Legacies: Memorable Lines and Unspoken Tales

The song’s indelible lines, ‘If I got back to the past / My niggas ain’t know we’d be rockin’ Coachella,’ not only gloat on their mammoth stages of performance but also manifest a reflective nostalgia for their unforeseen successes.

These lyrical moments paint a broader picture of time and transformation, allowing a rare glimpse into the minds of artists often caricatured for their luxurious excesses. Within these echoes, we find the heart of ‘Avalanche’ – a narrative stitched together with threads of family, fortune, fidelity to one’s community, and an engrained hope that surmounts the apex of industry success.