21 Savage (real name Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph) finally released his third studio album, “american dream”, on Jan. 12.
“american dream” starts with an introduction by 21 Savage’s mother, Heather Joseph. She describes her choice to move herself and her son from the UK to Atlanta, Georgia, to give her son a chance at the “american dream”. This theme of Joseph’s sacrifice to help her son is present throughout this album, as without it, 21 Savage wouldn’t exist today.
The introduction transitions seamlessly into the first song of the album, “all of me”, backed by a beat featuring a sample of Rose Royce’s “Wishing on a Star”. “all of me” succeeds in setting the tone of the rest of the album, which feels very much like a return to earlier 21 Savage albums, like the “Savage Mode” albums. 21 Savage’s typical choice of production is back as well, with plenty of transitions and sample-heavy beats (his favorite producer, Metro Boomin, also produces 4 songs).
“all of me” is followed by my personal favorite song off the album, “redrum”. It opens with an angelic sample of Brazilian song “Serenata do Adeus”, which transitions perfectly into one of the best beats from a 21 Savage album in a while. If “all of me” set the tone for the album, “redrum” hammers it home, leaving no doubt for the listener on what to expect for the rest of “american dream”. It showcases the blend of production and raps that made 21 Savage famous in the first place, and does so well.
21 Savage is more personal in some songs, like “letter to my brudda”, which is similar in name and tone to “letter to my mother” (from his 2018 album “i am > i was”). As the title implies, it is addressed to a friend, and explores loyalty and betrayal in friendships.
But his most personal song yet, and one of the best off the album, is “dark days”, with a feature by r&b singer Mariah the Scientist. “dark days” is written like a letter to young listeners, wherein 21 Savage warns them to stay out of the street life and focus on school and their families. He also raps about his struggles with mental health, alcohol, and suicidal thoughts. This, in combination with Mariah the Scientist’s amazing verse, makes “dark days” one of the most personal and introspective songs in 21 Savage’s discography.
“dark days” was Senior Ben Garthwaite’s favorite song from the album. Garthwaite, who describes himself as a 21 Savage fan, said “I thought the album was great overall, I especially liked dark days and redrum because of their beats. I thought the production and the rapping were great on the album.” Garthwaite rated the album 8.5 out of 10.
The album received mostly positive reviews in general, being given a 6.8 (out of 10) by music reviewer website Pitchfork and a 73 (out of 100) on review aggregator website Metacritic, indicating generally favorable reviews.
Overall, “american dream” is another gem in 21 Savage’s long discography, proving his relevance in today’s industry. The album is a return to the classic 21 Savage sound, but is also more personal and thoughtful than much of the rest of his discography. “american dream” is an album I’d recommend to anyone, but especially fans of rap and/or 21 Savage.
