New Music: Savage Mode II by 21 Savage and Metro Boomin
- Killjoy Reviews
- Oct 15, 2020
- 2 min read
By Dylan Shulman
The album begins with the voice of God himself. Legendary actor Morgan Freeman delivers an introductory spoken word piece before the long-awaited sequel record begins. The first "Savage Mode" collaboration between Atlanta rapper 21 Savage and St. Louis producer Metro Boomin released in 2016, a short project with nine tracks and one feature. It generated massive support and fans, including me, have been anxiously looking forward to the newest project from the two artists. Teased with a horror-themed trailer, "Savage Mode II" dropped October 2 with 15 songs and a full 44 minutes of highly polished trap, plus album art that nods to old school rap. The album is one of my favorites from this year, and it has something for everyone. It's hard to choose a favorite track, but I keep returning to "Runnin," "Slidin," and "Many Men." There are not really any misses on this record, but "My Dawg" and "Brand New Draco" are likely my least favorites.
Metro shows off a lot on this album, namely with his silky smooth transitions between songs that oftentimes lay Freeman's dark words on top. The first track, a sample-heavy trap hitter, opens the record with swagger and finesse. It flows right into "Glock In My Lap," a beautiful instrumental with horror-soundtrack strings that pop up just at the right times. Next is the Drake song, and I will say it's nice to hear 21 get a little romantic. The Drake feature is decent, although there are a couple corny lyrics here and there, and of course the SZA controversy. The fifth track is also great, and I always love to hear Young Thug features because of how vocally dynamic he is, helping break up a possibly boring song. "Slidin" may be my favorite track on the project. I think the beat is cold, and 21 Savage switches up his flows but never lets up.
"Many Men" is a great tribute to 50 Cent's 2003 "Many Men (Wish Death)" and even includes a sample of the song. Another great tribute to old school rap, "Steppin" has 21 rapping over a beat almost identical to the 1989 "Nobody Disses Me" by Rodney-O and Joe Cooley, but as a testament to his versatility he sounds just as good outside trap. Savage gets vulnerable on the tail end of the album, talking about his thoughts on love, cheating and past relationships. Supported by stellar instrumentals, the last two songs demonstrate the softer side of 21 Savage and we get a little break from the braggadocios bars of women, money and violence. 21 is a big fan of R&B slow jams, and I can't help but wonder if there may have been some inspiration drawn from the genre. Of course, lyricism is far from 21 Savage's repertoire, but it's nice to see some branching out.
This project cements 21 Savage and Metro Boomin as some of the top players in today's rap game. 21's growth is clear and profound, and Metro's hit-making ability is ever-present. How could I hate a record that Morgan Freeman deemed worthy to narrate?
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