American Dream, 21 Savage’s third studio album, was released on Friday, January 12th. This album is first solo project since I Am > I Was in 2018. Additionally, the previous success of Savage’s collaboration projects such as Savage Mode II (2020) and Her Loss (2022) elicited excitement for the album, from fans and critics alike. 

I personally enjoyed this album. It was experimental, yet at the same time quintessentially 21 Savage. I loved the storytelling of the album, with the opening track of American Dream being a poem performed by his mom. I felt that album flowed really well, with seamless transitions between songs like “American Dream” and “All of Me,” alongside “Dangerous” to “Née-Nah.”

I like Savage’s sound and voice. The production, especially with the beats made by Metro Boomin, were very good. Even on the songs not produced by Metro, I found that the beats were interesting and diverse; some were somber, some were dark, and others were typical – but good – rap beats.

While certainly not my favorite album I have listened to in the past year (that spot would go to either Utopia or Heroes and Villains), it is definitely up there with albums such as Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape. 

I enjoy the way that 21 Savage can adapt his voice to a wide variety of beats, helping to add to the dynamic character of the album. While I do wish that there had been more experimenting in the beats and choice of lyrics (as I think it would further help with the storytelling), I still think this was overall a good project. 

Students from North Hollywood expressed

similar opinions regarding the album. Rohan Blum, a junior, stated that he “…enjoyed the introspective elements of the piece,” but thought that it wasn’t “as musically interesting as I Am > I Was.” 

Angel De Leon, a senior, stated “I found the album to be something new and exciting from 21 Savage,” and that he liked that “we finally got an individual album from 21 after years of him working with people like Drake and Metro Boomin on collab albums.” 

Overall, it seems that the overall consensus regarding the album is that it’s certainly not the best thing that’s been released within the last few years but it certainly adds to the vast landscape of rap music that we have been getting. 

Personally, I would rate this album a solid 7.8 out of 10. This album felt exactly like a 21 Savage album, yet I honestly hoped for him to take new risks, such as experimenting with new beats and soundtracks. I also felt like he kept bringing up the same topics over and over throughout many of the tracks, mostly to do with his sexual relationships with different women. In all, I liked that we got new music from 21 Savage and I’m definitely looking forward to what 21 Savage and the rap genre as a whole has in store for us throughout 2024.

Bonus Section! My opinions of each song:

American Dream: Has an unconventional intro. It flows really well into the next song. I liked that it wasn’t too long. 7/10

All of Me: By far my favorite song on the album. Has an excellent hook and chorus. 10/10

Redrum: A bit repetitive, but with the dark and satanic beat on this track is iconic. 8/10

N.H.I.E.: I’m personally not a big fan of Doja Cat, but this song is still decently enjoyable. 6/10

Sneaky: Felt like a standard 21 Savage song that could’ve honestly survived as a single. 6.5/10

Pop Ur S**t: Very repetitive and not that deep or interesting. 6/10

Née-Nah: Travis’s vocals and Metro Boomin’s production really elevate this song to a different level for me. Also, the storytelling on this song is one of the best from the whole album. 9.5/10

See the Real: Nice slow, chill beat. Honestly feels more like a Drake song with a 21 feature instead of a purely 21 savage song. 7/10

Prove It: Very similar to the previous song. I enjoyed the feature from Summer Walker. Other than that not much to write home about. 7/10

Should’ve Wore a Bonnet: This song had an interesting and experimental beat but I found the lyrics to be

a bit boring. I also enjoyed the feature form Brent Faiyaz on this song. 7.5/10 

Just Like Me: Another experimental song with a nice and chill beat made by Metro Boomin. 8/10

Red Sky: This is one of my top 3 songs from the album. I thoroughly  enjoyed 21’s flow and the dark satanic beat of this track. 9/10

Dark Days: I think this is a good closer to an album, as 21 reflects on his fame and success. I enjoyed it way more than the closer to Utopia, for example. 9/10