ALBUM REVIEW: American Dream - 21 Savage

 My knowledge of 21 Savage's work is strictly limited to collaborations. I had not actually heard an album of his. His energy on his collaborations has been very good though. So I am not expecting extreme disappointment, although rap is not always my genre of choice. 

American Dream begins with a poem. It makes me think of single mothers quite a bit. It lays a framework for the album.

All of Me is a little disappointing for how meaningful the poem started out, I do understand it is a discussion of the changes fame brought. 

Well it is interesting because jazz samples are very prevalent in rap, but it seems more recently jazz standards are being incorporated in rap. The sample in redrum however is very annoying and taking me out of the words he is saying entirely. Not that they are exactly much better.

n.h.i.e includes Doja Cat and it sounds like she took over the song. By this I mean the beat just sounds more like one of her Planet Her songs. I am not sure your collaborators should take over.

The first part of this album is very disappointing. I mean, maybe it is because you set up such a meaningful poem as your opener thinking this album would actually be about struggling to the top and how your family meant something to you. Instead all I have heard is fame brought you sex. Sneaky is just as disappointing, although more listenable than the early tracks.

Pop Ur Shit has a vibe of a beat but the lyrics are abysmally stupid. It is almost unforgivable... 

Letter to my Brudda is the first song to actually capture the discussion of the poem. Why did it take half the album to get here and had to listen to a poop reference in a song first?

dangerous goes back to the garbage this album has been. The annoying pieces in the back music, the lyrics that do not represent the original set up, and thinking maybe I should have tried a different 21 Savage album for my first experience. Also if I hear you drop your 21 again dude...

I feel like despite still playing this, I have checked out mentally because the songs have been so bad. Nee-nah is no better. 

Now See the Real is giving us almost a pop beat. Okay then.

Prove It includes yet another annoying background voice. Summer Walker sings well but she could be on a better song. 

Should've Wore a Bonnet makes little sense. At least it is listenable. At this point I don't think I was supposed to actually get anything out of this album. Just vibes.

Just Like Me has me hoping there are not other albums just like this one. 

Red Sky had so much potential but I am really done with toilet references on this album. But this is probably the best track on the album in spite of it. 

Dark Days closes the album and it actually circles into some more meaningful discussions. Why did it take the entire album to...get to something meaningful?

LYRICS: 4/10 - Most of it is nothing like the poetic beginning whatsoever. The fact there was so much potential here wasted into drivels of the regular shenanigans of modern rap music with no message to the point of poop references is enough for me to desire to erase I ever heard this.

MUSIC: 2/10 - Most of this album has annoying backbeats that make it almost unlistenable. It is not cohesive. Whoever thought this was a good followup should be fired now.

OVERALL: 3/10 - This is utter garbage. Don't waste your time. Put it back on the shelf and walk away. This is low even for the modern standards of rap. All over the places, crap for lyricism, and nearly meaningless.