March Album of The Month

Dropping his first solo album in 6 years, 21 Savage has returned with American Dream, returning Atlanta’s (and London’s) golden boy to the forefront of rap. Consisting of 15 songs, American Dream is Savage’s life story, starting in Atlanta’s Zone Six housing projects and ending with his climb to stardom. Featuring production from Savage’s frequent collaborator Metro Boomin, the album’s sound consists of effective layering and trap beats, accompanied by audio samples including clips from Rose Royce’s Wishing on a Star, Malcolm McLaren’s About Her, and Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.

While the first half of the album mainly consists of Savage's signature violent lyrics, American Dream mellows, adding hints of R&B to the later portions of the album. Should’ve Worn a Bonnet with Brent Faiyez shows how much Savage has grown as an artist, providing a stark difference to his earlier LPs like Issa Album. Fans appreciated the album’s new sound, though, as American Dream debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 on January 27th, and has stayed top ten ever since. The album’s release has been accompanied by a tour announcement for this spring and summer, and even a biopic trailer featuring Donald Glover and Caleb McLaughlin. However, Savage confirmed earlier this month that a full-length film will not be made, and was just used to promote the album.

When asked about the new album, Jaylen Nichols (10), said that 21 Savage has been one of the most consistent artists, saying: “Every feature, single, or album he’s on, 21 always has the best flow.” This statement isn’t surprising, as Savage has been nominated for eleven Grammys and won one over the past 10 years. While American Dream may not be his most popular album, I think it will age extremely well and should be considered a contender for rap album of the year.