Savage mode II album review
Rapper, 21 Savage choosing to stay where success is, went full throttle in the sequel to the July 2016 mixtape, Savage Mode, with the help of producer, Metro Boomin. The duo has had a successful collaborating history, with ‘Without Warning’ coming between the Savage Mode series in 2017, a project which featured Offset of the Migos as a triplet. An ‘iced out’ album art which is a big contrast to that of the prequel reminds us how far the duo has come.
With six more tracks added to the nine of the prequel, the much needed foundation for Savage Mode II was laid by Metro Boomin, sound wise the acclaimed record producer showed his versatility throughout the album, switching the sound when necessary and providing an arena for 21 Savage to be savage again. Features with Drake, Young Thug and Young Nudy and a lot of narrative help from Morgan Freeman gave the album a much-needed support to make it rank further on the charts and exclude it from being another boring trap entity to listeners.
THE THEME
‘Drugs, sex and violence’ as 21 Savage (real name Sheyaa Joseph) tells us was and still is the status-quo in his neighborhood while growing up, and like all men being products of their environment this was his own environment. The project though deploys an Intro that reminds us of his choice to not be a victim to this environment but instead strive for greatness. The ‘Intro’ to savage mode 2 had a trailer directed by Gibson Hazard and narrated by Morgan Freeman, this was used to set the notion for the entire project. Morgan Freeman in the ‘Intro’ reminds us that ‘when greatness and greatness come together regardless of how many persons, it is only greatness that ensues’.
21 Savage talks about Savage Mode in ‘Runnin’ describing his mood back in the 2016 when the mixtape was released, “I called the first one Savage Mode my mood that is what it was”. 21 Savage took his Grammy award back to his neighborhood in Atlanta in the pre-released video for ‘Runnin’.
‘Glock in my lap’ was simply just a reminder of him always having his weapon around him, in his 2016 FADER interview, he talked about his desire to always have a weapon with him from a very young age. He did not forget to talk about his new weapon in ‘Brand new draco’ and also the establishments he has setup and how he is not looking to be part of anyone’s business but focus on making more money.
In ‘Mr. Right Now’ where he and Drake both rap about doing anything a woman asks for Right Now, from the designer clothes to sex, and 21 Savage restating that he is not Mr. Right to any woman but ‘Mr. Right Now’ for anything she needs. Metro Boomin’ offers an interesting and smooth transition to ‘Rich N*** Shit’ with Young Thug, as they both describe their lifestyle as Rich N***!
Curtis ’50 cent’ Jackson offers a lot of inspiration on ‘Many men’, “Many men want to kill me, dawg, I feel like 50”. Just like 50 cent, 21 Savage was shot six times on his twenty-first birthday and almost died due to blood loss, showing us what those six-bullet meant to his journey, they are present on the diamond crusted handle of the Slaughter gang dagger on the album art.
Snitches and rats. First was a Morgan Freeman interlude telling us that a regular citizen reporting a crime s/he witnessed is neither a snitch nor a rat and went on to describe what both constitute, betrayal. 21 Savage and his cousin Young Nudy on the snitches and rats track came with a reminder for ‘Snitches and rats’ that they both get ‘whacked’ for their betrayals’.
‘My Dawg’ starts of with a tribute to Nipsey Hussle whom he had so much respect for, “Nipsey was solid, I know he up there with Bigi and Pac”; as both Bigi and Pac are revered rap icons. He even brings up his UK origins in this track, where he was born and lived for 7 years before moving to the US. Just like all men pray to where hope lies, 21 Savage reminds us where his hope lies in saying “I’m praying to Ogun, there’s so much in these streets and in my past”.
21 Savage is not a fan of falling in love anymore as he tells us in ‘RIP Luv’. Two dates to remember on this track; October 22, 1992, the day he was born and July 8, 2009, which is not known what the date represents, but talks about his attempt towards love and then giving up. Its safe to say he told us when his love was born (his birthdate) and when it died. Having Zaytoven on this track gave it all the vibes of a proper trap song.
Tapping Stephanie Mills’ – Touch Me Now in ‘Said N Done’, it was right to ask his listeners, when all is said and done, who are you going to stand for? Savage answers his own part; his mother who is proud of him, his community where he is a hero without a cape on and the loved ones he lost – RIP Larry, Johnny and Tayman.
Savage mode II album review
