21 Savage & Metro Boomin, Savage Mode II | Album Review 💿

Grammy-winning rapper 21 Savage and rap ‘super producer’ Metro Boomin team up once again on Savage Mode II, an album full of bangers.

“Called the first one Savage Mode, my mood, that’s what it was / 2016, we was ridin’ around, beatin’ niggas up in the club…” (🎵 “Runnin”). Once upon a time, yours truly wasn’t ‘all in’ on 🎙 21 Savage.  His emotionless delivery was underwhelming, and Issa Album (2017) as a whole didn’t quite do it for me. However, over time, personally, I’ve found the rapper has improved immensely, namely his 2018 album I am > I was, which features the Grammy-winning record, “a lot”. On 💿 Savage Mode II, he pairs up with 🎙 Metro Boomin once more – the two just work together extraordinarily well.  A follow-up to Savage Mode (2016), 21 and ‘Young Metro’ are on autopilot, delivering some truly compelling bangers.

“Runnin”

The 🎵 “Intro” marks one of several instances where 🎙 Morgan Freeman serves as the narrator.  The 83-year-old Academy Award winning actor is as lively as ever, masterfully introducing Savage Mode II.  ✅🎵 “Runnin,” the first full-length track, is nothing short of epic – NO CAP.  The production by Metro goes hard, as does 21’s bars. 🎙 Diana Ross contributes to the epic sound, thanks to the sample of her 1976 classic, “I Thought It Took a Little Time (But Today I Fell in Love)”.  As classy as Ross sounds on the sampled intro, 21 Savage truly is in ‘savage mode,’ dropping numerous lit, unapologetic one-liners.  While there’s nothing humorous per se, it’s hard not to chuckle when he asserts, “I was at the Met Gala with my shooter (on God).” The best part of the record is the chorus, which is infectious AF.

After “Runnin” sets the tone, ✅🎵 “Glock in my Lap” keeps the momentum afloat.  Again, Metro Boomin, alongside 🎙 Honorable C.N.O.T.E. and 🎙 Southside, is beastly behind the boards, giving 21 Savage fuel to slaughter.  He’s tough AF, dropping his rhymes with ease yet simultaneously exhibiting the utmost conviction. As punchy as his bars are on the verses, once again, it is the chorus where his ‘bread is buttered.’ Of course, there’s nothing buttery smooth with lines like, “Glock in my lap, everywhere I’m strapped / Most these rappers cap, I ain’t givin’ dap.”

“Mr. Right Now” 

Savage Mode II keeps right on rolling with ✅🎵 “Mr. Right Now,” which brings in superstar rapper, 🎙 Drake. Bringing Drizzy into the fold, the edge established early on the album diminishes, at least to some degree.  21 Savage is still quite profane, but he shifts from glocks that’ll kill to ‘the one he has below,’ you might say.  Ultimately, it’s a welcome contrast that gives both him and Drake another noteworthy hit.

“Savage got a whole lotta hits, dawg / I be droppin’ bombs like Baghdad.” If you were thought 21 Savage had gone too soft, 🎵 “Rich Nigga Shit” featuring 🎙 Young Thug totally eliminates that line of thinking.  He may continue to lay off the guns but both he and Thugga flex, even over another more luxurious beat. In addition to the hard flex, naturally, there’s lit sex. 🎵 “Slidin” marks a full-fledged return to hard-hitting trap.  The flow is fiery – autopilot from the jump – while the beat goes equally hard, providing firm punctuation.

“Many Men” 

If parts of 🎵 “Many Men” sounds familiar, that’s because the song samples the 🎙 50 Cent standout from his Get Rich or Die Tryin’ days (2003). Like the original, 21 Savage brings the heat, remaining edgy as he has throughout Savage Mode II.  Notably, his flow is quicker at times here, which provides some contrast.  That said, “Many Men” is very much in the wheelhouse of southern hip-hop, trap, and ATL sound (regardless if 21 was born overseas). Morgan Freeman returns for the outro of “Many Men,” as well as 🎵 “Snitches & Rats (Interlude).” As Freeman breaks down these ‘deplorable’ folks, the most memorable lines arrive at the end: “The difference is [between snitches and rats], at least a snitch is human, but a rat is a fuckin’ rat, period.” 

Freeman’s spoken word serves as a fitting preface to 🎵 “Snitches & Rats” featuring 🎙 Young Nudy. 21 Savage definitely dislikes both, judging by the chorus: “Snitches and rats, they all get whacked.” Of course, the ‘whacking’ that takes place seems to be fatal, considering he “Caught a rap nigga down bad / Now his ass is in a body bag (big facts).” Young Nudy makes it clear he’s legit – “Real convicted felon, strapped up, loaded, shit, this lethal weapon.” Worth noting, both rappers were arrested at the same time back in 2019. ✅🎵 “My Dawg” is another awesome banger, that features one of the more memorable lyrics of the album:

“Nigga keep talkin’ that UK shit like I don’t got AKs
Like, ‘cause I was born overseas, these motherfuckers ain’t got spray-spray.”

Honestly, if that were the only ‘bullet’ from “My Dawg,” it would be enough to earn it gem 💎 status in my eyes. Honestly, it kicks off some of my favorites which appear late on Savage Mode II.

“Steppin on N—as”

I really didn’t believe 21 Savage could ever achieve the level of groove that he does on ✅🎵 “Steppin on Niggas.”  Even as groovy as this joint is, 21 doesn’t really step out of his box – he’s still out for blood! Furthermore, when he’s not “Stomping niggas ‘round town,” we also learn he’s “not a Muslim, but [doesn’t] eat bacon” (verse one) and, fittingly, “Had them killers on your step like DoorDash” (verse two).  Well, having food delivered will never be the same after that line.  As awesome as 21 is, Metro Boomin drops one of his best productions to date, with the help of sample and interpolation.  

“Steppin on Niggas” is a hard act to follow, but ✅🎵 “Brand New Draco” is up to the task.  The subject matter doesn’t change mind you, but 21 Savage remains true to self, over another kick ass backdrop. Keeping it G, on the unlucky 13^th track, “No Opp Left Behind,” we get more of same. Likewise, the evaluation of the record is the same too: great production and energetic, hard-nosed, unapologetic bars.

🎙 Peter Lee Johnson, 🎙 Zaytoven, and Metro Boomin come through on another finely produced trap joint, 🎵 “RIP Luv.”  Here, we get that cool energy from 21 Savage that he excels at and has only improved upon since his early days.  The chorus marks one of the best of the project:

“Rest in peace to love, I gave up a long time ago
Hard times, everybody left, I’m the one you counted on
My shoulder took a lot of ears, woulda swore it was a fountain on
I be cryin’ on the inside and smilin’ when the cameras on.” 

On 🎵 “Said N Done,” we get something that’s a rarity on Savage Mode II – a major key song! Is 21 ever really jubilant? Nah – not his style! Still, “Said N Done” is ‘happier’ than much of what precedes it and again, moves beyond guns and violence.

Final Thoughts

All in all, 21 Savage and Metro Boomin deliver the goods on Savage Mode II – they bring the heat! There is no shortage of bangers, which seems to be the modus operandi.  While Savage Mode II can’t be called a particularly innovative or game changing album, it has more than enough solid moments to tickle one’s fancy. Honestly, it never totally misses the mark, even if 21 could stand to vary some of his rhymes beyond, well, violence.

✅ Gems💎: “Runnin,” “Glock in my Lap,” “Mr. Right Now,” “My Dawg,” “Steppin on Niggas” & “Brand New Draco”

🎙 21 Savage & Metro Boomin • 💿 Savage Mode II • 🏷 Epic • 🗓 10.2.20

[📷: Epic]