British-American rapper 21 Savage has proven himself deserving of mainstream fame with his latest album, “American Dream,” released on Jan. 12. The album, whose songs ranged from fast-paced rap to drawn-out R&B, featured several other prominent artists, such as Travis Scott, Metro Boomin, Young Thug and Doja Cat.
Savage, given name Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was born in London but moved to Atlanta, Georgia, with his mother, where he was exposed to violence and criminal activity, serving juvenile hall time before eighth grade. Savage joined a local gang, 2100, at the age of 13, dropping out of high school in favor of street life. Savage began his rapping career in 2013 and released his first studio album, “Issa Album,” in 2017. Six years and 20 billion Spotify streams later, Savage now gives back through the 21 Savage Bank Account Campaign, which teaches teens about financial literacy.
“American Dream” is Savage’s third studio album, following Savage’s 2022 undeniable success “Her Loss,” a collaboration with mainstream rapper Drake. “Her Loss” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and all 16 tracks debuted within the Hot 100’s top 40.
“American Dream” is heavily influenced by producer Boomin, who makes four appearances on the album. Savage has released multiple albums with Boomin, such as “Savage Mode,” “Savage Mode II,” “Without Warning,” and “Not All Heroes Wear Capes,” and Savage made four appearances on Boomin’s 2022 album “Heroes & Villains,” so fans were delighted to see them reunited on “American Dream.”
Usually, I have to listen to an album a few times before songs start sticking out and earning permanent spots on my playlist. However, with this album, I was hooked after the first listen. Each song was unique and avoided rap’s repetitive and sometimes dull nature.
My favorite track from the album was, without a doubt, “Née-nah.” With a distinctive and energetic sound produced by Boomin and sampled audios from Malcolm McLaren’s “About Her,” I returned to and relistened to this song multiple times. Scott’s rhythmic opening verse was fantastic, and I found Scott and Savage to be a compatible musical duo. This was not surprising, as they have partnered for other great tracks like “Niagara Falls (Foot or 2)” from “Heroes & Villains” and “Topia Twins” from “Utopia,” Scott’s 2023 album.
Another favorite track was “Dark Days.” This track bore a slightly less vigorous tone than the album’s other tracks, opting for the more melodic route and profound lyrics in which Savage reflects on the struggles of street life, exploring his personal growth and providing advice to children who may be from a similar background as him. Mariah the Scientist contributed flowing vocals that complemented Savage’s steady rap verses well, and while I hadn’t heard of her before this song, I will be checking out more of her music.
I also enjoyed “Redrum.” The song, which features a seamlessly woven-in sample of
Elza Laranjeira’s “Serenata do Adeus,” opts for an adrenaline-filled pace that stays true to Savage’s usual style. Other songs like “See The Real” and “Dangerous” contributed to the album’s overall high energy level.
I would give this album a comprehensive rating of 9/10. Every song on this album had its unique charm — a rarity in rap albums, which often fall prey to dryness and redundancy. Savage experimented with melodies and sampled audios in this album, all of which gave the songs a hip-hop feel and paired well with his straightforward rapping style. I hope to see more self-reflection from Savage in the future and witness his songwriting capabilities expand even further.
