21 Savage & Metro simply do not miss on ‘SAVAGE MODE II’

21 Savage & Metro Boomin

SAVAGE MODE II

Epic Records Group · October 2, 2020

When 21 Savage and Metro Boomin shared the SAVAGE MODE II album trailer — complete with an ominous voiceover by Morgan Freeman and the two recording in a dark, gloomy, and bloodstained house — people were primed for an equally ruthless sounding album. Although that was not the case, it’s still quite a solid showing from both.

The album starts off strong with “Runnin,” the song from the trailer, which features a catchy little hook and some nice bars. It’s a danceably despondent song that flows well from the Freeman-voiced “Intro” and showcases Metro’s superb sampling.

The Morgan Freeman skits, written by the legendary Big Rube of the Dungeon Family, continue throughout the album and are both chilling and absurdly hilarious at times. According to an interview from Complex, Morgan agreed to take the role after he “read the copy and was like, ‘Wow, there’s some wisdom in here.” And boy was he right: this album is chock-full of wisdom. Freeman’s in-depth lesson on the nuanced distinction between snitches and rats on the aptly named “Snitches & Rats (Interlude)” was a fun and refreshing break. Beyond just that, the transition from Freemancalmly laying down that “at least a snitch is human, but a rat is a fuckin’ rat, period,” to the beat drop on the subsequent track “Snitches & Rats (feat. Young Nudy)” was a definite highlight.

After “Glock In My Lap,” another standout sinisterly-produced banger, comes “Mr. Right Now (feat. Drake).” This song doesn’t match the theme of the previous two songs or the narration in the slightest, but it’s just too good. Metro’s production is so fun and exuberant and 21’s hook is insanely infectious. The combo here is just smile inducing and even Drake, who’s a certified chump, comes with a great verse and a chuckle-worthy bar about being “the slow stroke king.” The next song, “Rich N**** Shit (feat. Young Thug),” is another light and jazzy hit with a great hook and some standout bars like “I did a 69 with her friend, I’m prayin’ to God she don’t tell on me.” Again, it doesn’t match the dark energy of the first two at all, but it’s arguably much better. This is the album’s main issue—it can’t decide what it wants to be. The menacing bangers are cool and hype and everything, but they lose their punch when they go back-to-back with the relaxed songs. This wouldn’t even be a problem if this project was just a mixtape or a collection of songs, but the dour Morgan Freeman narration that’s supposed to tie it together and curate a theme ends up just highlighting the tonal inconsistencies.

“Slidin” is another heavy hitter, with evil sounding hi-hats and a good throwaway line where 21 claims that “All my glocks got dildos.” “Many Men” might be the best song on the album, showcasing the absolute charisma that 21 and Metro have working together. 21’s verses float over the beat and Metro’s sampling at the end complements the song incredibly well. “Steppin on N*****” takes its beat and flow straight from the 1980s—another weird tonal shift—but does so quite well and is a prime example of a great song that doesn’t fully mesh with the others. Same with “RIP Luv” and “Said N Done,” two really personal and emotive tracks that close the album. They’re sad, reflective, and raw — the complete opposite of the more brazen and threatening tracks that make up the core of the album. Despite this, they’re still fire.

Rating this album is a really difficult task, because literally every song is good, if not great. 21 and Metro simply do not miss. As an album, however, there’s a little bit left to be desired. After the heartless “No Opp Left Behind,” two songs about romance and the tragedy of interpersonal relationships just feel out of place. The versatility displayed on this project is fantastic, but the structure makes for some awkward transitions. The narration and the interlude, while awesome, try too hard to tie something together that can’t be tied together. Having Morgan Freeman do a profound reading of “When all is said and done we can only judge, punish, reward, enslave, and free ourselves” feels weird when it comes 30 seconds after the line “Right hand on my Glock, left hand on her coochie.” But that’s the thing: this is a really weird, beautifully constructed, wacky album that just happens to take itself too seriously at times. SAVAGE MODE II is fire.