Savage Mode II Review
Dan Flavin
Best Song: Too many to list
Rating: 8/10
On Oct. 2 rapper 21 Savage and producer Metro Boomin released the sequel to their 2016 trap classic Savage Mode. The original project, known for its dark tones and menacing production, put 21 on the map and helped lift him to the mainstream name he is today.
Savage Mode II opens with narration from Morgan Freeman that will continue throughout the project. He talks about everything from collaboration to snitches.
The story of the album isn’t the number of incredible songs, it’s the lack of bad ones. Metro Boomin’s spooky production is the perfect complement to 21’s dark lyrics and it seems no matter what they do they can’t make a bad song.
The lack of misses doesn’t mean there aren’t also high points. For example “Mr. Right Now (feat. Drake)” brings not only the star power of Drake but also melodies we don’t often hear from 21 himself. Singing with heavy autotune on the chorus with the most light-hearted beat on the project creates for a different kind of vibe listeners aren’t used to with 21 and Metro. Drake's verse is as expected from one of the biggest names in all of music. They both flow well over the reversed melody and upbeat drums.
Another great song is “Many Men.” The song, inspired by 50 Cents legendary track with the same title, brings a new edge to menacing trap music. The spooky sample used only for the first 8 beats rides into the actual instrumental perfectly. The drums on the track are very simple and straightforward, but the hard-hitting kick and powerful snares bring a punch that excludes the need for much more. Metro’s ascending and descending melody brings an uneasy feel to the track.
Metro Boomin’s production throughout the project only cements his name as one of the best trap producers ever. His ability to keep his production sound simple, but secretly hid some complicated sample use and drums is so important to trap music. The simple progressions make the tracks easy to listen to, but the hard drums and pads keep people coming back.
The downfall of the project comes with how repetitive it gets. 21 Savage is a talented rapper, but his subject matter of gang violence and drug use gets old and doesn’t leave a lot of creative room for lyrical content. They did add some tracks to mix up styles, but it was still not enough to break up the monotony of the project.
Overall “Savage Mode II” was great. There are no bad tracks and also a few standouts. Metro Boomin continues to prove how talented he is and 21 keeps on improving. The project overall earns an 8/10.
