ALBUM REVIEW: Offset ‘Set It Off’

Sports and Music Editor Will Lyons takes a deep dive into Offset’s heavily anticipated sophomore album. After a lot of criticism around his debut album it’s time to see what Set can really do as a solo act.

Offset has released his second solo album ‘Set It Off’ four years after going gold with his debut ‘Father of 4’. The album represents a new direction and sound for Set after spending years on Quality Control Music as both a solo act and part of the legendary group the Migos. Offset’s name has been linked to lots of blog posts and controversy since the release of his debut and the eventual split of the Migos but the Atlanta rapper seized the opportunity to take his time and craft an album that truly shows his growth as an artist and his sound not just the Migo sound.

Taking four years between albums can go a few ways. The artist can take too much time away from music and lose sight of what makes them unique or they can put together a memorable body of work, Offset has done the latter. The Motown rapper has production from a wide range of producers, most notably Southside, Tay Keith, Boi-1da and one of the hottest producers in the game in Metro Boomin. There’s some of the usual trap sound but there is also some experimentation with Offset singing on some of the tracks in a Travis Scott-esque manner but it works.

Following one of the most creative album rollouts in recent memory it was nice to see that Offset was reallu in his bag on this project. Offset is on a mission to show he is a big dawg and he uses a variety of topics like haters, money, big dawg status, and sex to do so. Set carefully selected the features that bring a lot of value to each song. Guest appearances from Travis Scott, Don Toliver, Future, Cardi B, Mango Foo, Latto, Young Nudy, and Chlöe give ‘Set It Off’ a star studded cast for Offset’s first true outing with no group affiliation.

Standout Tracks

‘Don’t You Lie’ — This song shows some of Offset’s growth as an artist. I don’t think he would be able to execute this type of track a few years ago. ‘Don’t You Lie’ is a true standout on an album with quite a few of them. Set’s rapid flow and the production just work it’s like hot sauce and soul food. You won’t be able to listen to this album and skip this song.

“Porsche panoramic, she know I do damage (Go),
My watch white ceramic, give gifts like I’m Santa (Santa),
Northside Atlanta, red like a Panda (North),
Servin’ that raw, dirty Diana (Raw)…” — Offset on ‘Don’t You Lie’

‘Worth It’ ft. Don Toliver — At first listen I wasn’t able to really vibe to this song when I heard the Busta Rhymes ‘Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Can See’ sample. It had nothing to do with execution we are just in a time of oversampling so I was already on defense. After listening to the song multiple songs the spin Offset and Don Toliver put on this was really dope. The energy goes in a completely different direction than the original but it still able to do it justice and Don Toliver has been bodying any chorus he’s on. Sounds like Offset is finding his bearing with using transparency to fuel his verses, this is a welcomed evolution.

“You know you want me, so why you be playin’ for? (Why?),
The message say delivered, so what you delayin’ for? (Hey),
You think I’m out f*ckin’ around, I’m in the studio (Yo),
It’s petty sh*t, tellin’ your friends all the info,
Now your heart cold, fuck around, buy you a mink coat,
All your friends got on Chanel, only hoes squad goals (Hey),
I’ll go Narco, whack any n*gga that seem close,
It’s a double R hearse, lil’ mama, you seein’ ghosts (Ghosts),
I know you’re tight with me, you know the type of n*gga I am,
I shoot it spitefully, I don’t give a damn what they sayin’,
You better fight for me, want me or you don’t, tell the truth, don’t be lyin’ to me,
Need you to be my peace ’cause these streets get grimy,
See you with another n*gga, I’ll be damned,
Better not catch him up in traffic, hope my gun don’t jam (Boh)…” — Offset on ‘Worth It’

‘Fine as Can Be’ ft. Latto — Offset has been really consistent on this album and I can appreciate his willingness to work with some of the hottest femcees in the game. Set did his thing but this is all about Latto, she had one of the better feature verses outside of Cardi in 2023.

“B*tch from the gutter, p*ssy feel like butter,
Paint his face, eat it like it’s last supper,
Always strapped, but we don’t ever use a rubber,
New York n*gga tryna make me meet his mother,
(Grrt) Choppa got a stutter,
(Skrrt) In the ‘Cat burnin’ rubber,
Hit the lotto’, have that n*gga doin’ numbers,
Let it blow, pop, never been a sucker,
I got the WAP like Cardi B (Haha),
Swing first, I don’t do arguin’ (Phew),
They say that Latto be spittin’,
If you ask my n*gga, he say I be swallowin’ (Uh),
Double whatever they offer me (Yeah),
Buyin’ Chanels is comedy,
I already bought me every color Birkin,
Now I want the stocks and properties (On Hod)…” — Latto ‘Fine as Can Be’

‘Jealous’ ft. Cardi B — From the sample to the verses this song is extremely well done and perfect for one of the most heavily blogged about celebrity couples. Offset sets the tone along with the Three 6 Mafia sample (“Jealous *ss B*tch”) for a hard hitting track that’s all about flexing on jealous haters. Cardi follows up and absolutely hits a homerun in another year of her bodying features with no album in sight.

“Hatin’ ass n*gga ’cause I got it out the mud,
Hatin’ in the family, n*gga, be your own blood,
Screamin’, “F*ck 12” to the D.A. and judge,
Never been a dub, never been a scrub,
.45 Glock, now, oh, you want the judge?,
Better than who? Must be high on them drugs,
Coolin’ in the mansion with the bubbles in the tub,
Heard you undercover, you a b*tch, you was a stud,
‘Set, yes, n*gga, don’t try mе,
In a Lamb’, I be damned if a *igga try me…” — Offset on ‘Jealous’

“Look, ain’t no b*tch finna front on me (No),
Bad body b*tch with the jumbo teeth,
Yellow Lamborghini like a bumblebee,
Girl, nobody listen to you ‘less you talking ‘bout me (Woo),
It’s always a bird tryna tweet sh*t (Yeah),
You offended when I be on defense (F*ck you),
They’re too worried ‘bout me and my n*gga (Huh),
You should worry ‘bout the n*gga yours sleep with, hmm (Ah),
Face is given and never not gave,
Been to Atlanta, but b*tches ain’t brave,
How b*tches mad? I’m the number one pick,
It’s funny, your n*gga the one that’s a trade,
B*tches is mad stupid (Stupid),
They get to the bag and lose it (Lose it),
I’m still in the bed, I live in her head,
Water and gas included, brrt (Grrah)… “- Cardi leaving Earth on ‘Jealous’

‘Blame It On Set’ — Offset found a rhythm and he’s just killing everything right now. He’s letting his haters hear how they can’t touch him every chance he gets and it’s dope.

“I been a menace, in the lab, I’m a cook like a chemist (Chemist),
Tryna f*ck ‘fore I end the first sentence (Hey),
By myself, I done strained my business (Strain),
If I f*ck her, I got on a jimmy (Jimmy),
I’ma sniper, my target, I hit him (Snipe),
They got mad ’cause I didn’t want the minimum (Uh-uh),
No “I love ‘em”, I had to get rid of ’em (Bye-bye),
Man, your house is the size of my living room,
Kill a opp and I pay for his funeral (Hey),
Taking notes, they was watching my visuals (Notes),
N*ggas hate when they can’t get rid of you (Can’t)…”

Conclusion

The progression from ‘Father of 4’ to ‘Set It Off’ is massive. Offset had some bangers on his debut but the overall perception was a miss. He took his time and channeled all of his frustrations and all of his visions for what he could produce into well-crafted album with something for everyone. Offset puts on for the “Nawfside” and shines on an album with plenty notable features and star-studded production. ‘Set It Off’ is the best solo album from the Migo camp to date and the 21 track outing doesn’t have anything close to a skip in my opinion. Offset must’ve been sprayed with a fire extinguisher after recording this strong outing. Offset earns a 9/10 and gives Atlanta another favorite release of 2023 to date.