Rocket Power (album)

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Rocket Power
Studio album by
ReleasedAugust 18, 2023 (2023-08-18)
Genre
Length51:03
Label
Producer
Quavo chronology
Only Built for Infinity Links
(2022)
Rocket Power
(2023)
Singles from Rocket Power
  1. "Greatness"
    Released: February 22, 2023
  2. "Turn Yo Clic Up"
    Released: July 14, 2023

Rocket Power is the second solo studio album by American rapper Quavo. It was released through Motown and Quality Control Music on August 18, 2023. The album features guest appearances from the late Takeoff, Future, Young Thug, Hunxho, and BabyDrill.

Background[edit]

Rocket Power is dedicated to Takeoff, who was shot and killed shortly after the release of collaboratory album Only Built for Infinity Links. Quavo has described creating the album as a form of therapy for him, writing:

This album is for the Rocket, our true fans, and also, this is my therapy. This album is a true reflection of how I feel right now. Sometimes I’m good, sometimes I’m down, sometimes I’m disappointed, sometimes I fall apart, but then I always find my strength again. I know everything might not be alright right now, but the Rocket showed me a way to make it right![2][3]

On February 22, 2023, Quavo released the album's lead single, titled "Greatness".[4] On April 5, 2023, Quavo announced the album title, dedicating it to Takeoff.[5][6] On July 14, 2023, Quavo released the second single of the album, "Turn Yo Clic Up", a collaboration with fellow American rapper Future.[7] On July 24, 2023, Quavo released the trailer for the album and discussed the album's themes stating: "This Album Is Embodying All My Emotions. Through the process of healing I've learned to turn tragedy into triumph. I had to dig deep into my purpose and find the power to keep striving".[8] On August 1, 2023, Quavo announced that the album would be delayed by exactly two weeks and now be released 17 days later instead of three.[9] Quavo announced the album's track listing on August 17, 2023, the day before it was released.[10]

Critical reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic73/100[11]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[12]
Clash7/10[13]
HipHopDX3.6/5[14]
Pitchfork7/10[15]
RapReviews7.5/10[16]

Rocket Power was met with generally positive reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 73, based on five reviews, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[11]

Robin Murray of Clash gave a positive review, stating "In the end, Rocket Power isn't perfect, but it's definitely rewarding. For fans, it's simply emotional to hear Quavo in the studio again, doing what he does best. After unimaginable grief, he's able to look to the future – and that in itself is worth cherishing".[13] Steve 'Flash' Juon from RapReviews stated, "The focus of Quavo's Rocket Power is on him – as it should be".[16] HipHopDX critic Will Schube said, "It, like so many mainstream rap records, could be five songs shorter, and would be more successful if some of this fat was trimmed. Even though some of the material sounds like it was left over for solo work pre-tragedy, or supposed to be on the second Unc & Phew tape, it holds back an album that could have been in the best of the year conversation".[14]

Dylan Green of Pitchfork said, "Listening to him navigate those raw emotions while staying the diamond-encrusted course makes for some of his messiest and most mature music yet".[15] Publication AllMusic said, "While the beats are huge and the songs are full of energetic hooks and smooth, snaking flows, a sense of loss and mourning touches all of it".[12]

Track listing[edit]

Rocket Power track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Fueled Up"3:08
2."Patty Cake" (with Takeoff)
2:13
3."Mama Told Me"
  • Marshall
  • Paul Penso
  • Allan Lopez
  • Darold Brown
  • Koncept P
  • Tweek Tune
2:25
4."Who Wit Me"
2:21
5."Narkedo Speaks"
  • Marshall
  • B. Saint-Fort
Bnyx0:54
6."Hold Me"
2:21
7."Where Can I Start"
  • Marshall
  • Kevin Price
  • Timothy McKibbins
  • Darryl McCorkell
  • Julius Rivera III
  • Go Grizzly
  • B100
  • Cheeze Beatz
  • Squat Beats
2:29
8."Wall to Wall"
  • Marshall
  • Lindstrom
  • Darryl Clemons
  • Donald Paton
  • Abraham Herrera
  • Edgar Matthews
  • Tyler Ludy
  • Murda Beatz
  • Pooh Beatz
  • Felix Leone
  • Jack Uriah
2:42
9."Turn Yo Clic Up" (with Future)
  • Marshall
  • Nayvadius Wilburn
  • Ahn-tuan Tran
  • Basil von Stietencron
  • Chi Trieu
  • Maximilian McFarlin
  • Atake
  • Basobeats
  • Sluzyyy
  • Macshooter49
3:50
10."Back Where It Begins" (with Takeoff featuring Future)
  • Marshall
  • Ball
  • Wilburn
  • Wesley Glass
  • Justin Glass
  • Wiktor Kaczmarski
3:50
11."11.11"
  • Marshall
  • Price
  • McCorkell
  • Jerel Nance
  • Raul Bermejo
  • Go Grizzly
  • Cheeze Beatz
  • Jambo
2:30
12."Galaxy"
  • Marshall
  • Clemons
  • Alex Lustig
  • Nance
  • Pooh Beatz
  • Lustig
2:39
13."Disciples"
  • Marshall
  • Lindstrom
  • Oriel Bitton
  • Murda Beatz
  • Bitton
2:48
14."Focused" (featuring Young Thug)Buddah Bless3:57
15."Stain" (with Hunxho featuring BabyDrill)
  • Marshall
  • DelQuristo Wilson
  • Ibrahim Dodo
  • B. Saint-Fort
  • Rob Davis
  • Catherine Dennis
Bnyx3:46
16."Not Done Yet"
2:20
17."Rocket Power"
  • Marshall
  • Lindstrom
  • B. Saint-Fort
  • Dylan Cleary-Krell
  • Schyler O'Neal
  • Murda Beatz
  • Bnyx
  • Dez Wright
  • O'Neal
3:36
18."Greatness"
  • Marshall
  • Gene Hixon
Al Geno3:05
Total length:51:03

Personnel[edit]

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for Rocket Power
Chart (2023) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[17] 54
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[18] 151
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[19] 79
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[20] 41
French Albums (SNEP)[21] 55
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[22] 64
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[23] 31
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[24] 7
US Billboard 200[25] 18
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[26] 4

References[edit]

  1. ^ Hopkins, Earl (August 19, 2023). "5 Takeaways From Quavo's New Album 'Rocket Power'". Grammy. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
  2. ^ Pointer, Flisadam (May 24, 2023). "Quavo's 'Rocket Power' Album Is Fueled By The 'Strength' From Takeoff". Uproxx. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  3. ^ Powell, Jon (July 27, 2023). "Quavo's new interview sees him at his most honest and emotional". Revolt. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  4. ^ Madarang, Charisma (February 22, 2023). "Quavo Honors Takeoff's 'Greatness' On New Track". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  5. ^ Lane, Barnaby (April 5, 2023). "Quavo confirms he will drop a solo album dedicated to Takeoff this summer, and explains significance of his new masked look". Insider. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  6. ^ Centeno, Tony (April 12, 2023). "Quavo Plans To Bare His Soul In Upcoming Solo Album". iHeart. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  7. ^ Dionne, Zach (July 14, 2023). "Quavo Taps Future for New Single and Video "Turn Yo Clic Up"". Complex. Retrieved July 29, 2023.
  8. ^ Torres, Eric (July 21, 2023). "Quavo Announces New Album Rocket Power". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  9. ^ Bras Nevares, Gabriel (August 1, 2023). "Quavo Pushes "Rocket Power" Release Date Back To August 18". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  10. ^ "QuavoHuncho on Instagram: 'Ready For Launch 🚀 Midnight! #RocketPower🚀'". Retrieved August 17, 2023 – via Instagram.
  11. ^ a b "Rocket Power by Quavo Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Staff, TiVo. "Quavo – Rocket Power Album Reviews, Song & More". AllMusic. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  13. ^ a b Murray, Robin (August 18, 2023). "Quavo – Rocket Power". Clash. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  14. ^ a b Schube, Will (August 21, 2023). "Quavo Channels Tragedy Into Moving 'Rocket Power' Without Losing His Sound". HipHopDX. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  15. ^ a b Green, Dylan (August 23, 2023). "Quavo: Rocket Power". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 23, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Juon, Steve 'Flash' (August 22, 2023). "Quavo :: Rocket Power". RapReviews. Retrieved August 22, 2023.
  17. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Quavo – Rocket Power" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  18. ^ "Ultratop.be – Quavo – Rocket Power" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  19. ^ "Ultratop.be – Quavo – Rocket Power" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  20. ^ "Quavo Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  21. ^ "Top Singles (Week 34, 2023)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  22. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Quavo – Rocket Power" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
  23. ^ "NZ Top 40 Albums Chart". Recorded Music NZ. August 28, 2023. Retrieved August 26, 2023.
  24. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Quavo – Rocket Power". Hung Medien. Retrieved August 28, 2023.
  25. ^ "Quavo Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2023.
  26. ^ "Quavo Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 29, 2023.