Released: 2016 • Features: Quavo
Aight, so check this—Post Malone’s banger “Congratulations,” featuring Quavo of the Migos, is a triumphant anthem that’s all about flipping the script from underdog to top dog. It’s laced with that celebratory tone for overcoming adversity and proving doubters wrong. We’re diving into a world where dedication and grinding pay off in a big way, where the past hardships fuel the lavish successes of the present.
Let’s break it down from the jump. The song kicks off with Post Malone’s mama hitting him up, proud as hell, seeing her kid shining on TV. That’s a moment, fam—an emotional crossover from dreams to reality. Post remembers days when nobody thought he’d amount to anything. But here’s the clincher: now that he’s made it big, those same doubters are fronting like they’re cheering for him, tossing out “congratulations” like confetti. The hook captures the irony—Post’s been grinding so hard that taking a break feels foreign. He’s calling out the fakers who never matched his dedication and are bitter about his rise to the top.
Then we segue into a flex session. Malone’s talking about bouncing out of that Bentley, a symbol of his newfound wealth, and it’s got him feeling some type of way—dramatic but validated, ’cause he hustled for every cent. It’s that rags-to-riches narrative, ya dig? The fame brought him a crew of “twenty bad bitches,” but they’re new to the scene; they weren’t there during the struggle. He’s putting light on the falseness that comes with fame. Everybody wants to seem significant, but when it comes down to it, the only thing that matters to Post is his true crew—his “dog.” That’s the real litmus test of who’s legit.
He moves on to mock the bandwagon jumpers, the ones who only rock with you when you’re winning. If you’re part of that success, throw your lighters up, but don’t bring negativity into his space. Malone’s been aiming for the top since he was just a kid, now he’s ballin’ out so hard, people mistake his life for a game. But real talk—it ain’t no game; it’s the result of blood, sweat, and tears. When Post says “balling since a baby,” he means he always had the vision, but now the Benjamins are real, and the bling is blinding.
Quavo comes through as Huncho, dropping his verse like a touchdown at the Super Bowl. He’s painting a picture of his own success, big plays, big money, big dreams realized. The fame has his phone blowing up, his lifestyle lavish—the “top-floor lifestyle” he references is about being at the height of luxury, physically and metaphorically. Quavo’s wordplay with “Huncho Houdini is gone” suggests he’s a magician with the moves, making success appear out of nowhere. But it ain’t magic; it’s hustle, just like Post’s.
The song wraps with that same hook, and it’s a brilliant way to circle back, reinforcing the journey from doubted to celebrated. Each repetition of “we made it” hits harder, a testament to the grind that got them both to this pinnacle of success. When it’s played, no matter where Post Malone and Quavo go, they get props—’gratulations—because they’ve turned those early visions into a stunning, sparkling reality.
