The overly violent shtick has been largely cut, replaced with a frequent tendency to journey inward and record the results. Because of this, I Am > I Was is a near masterpiece.
21 Savage's effortless swagger and distant affect made Issa Album fun and powerful, but it's a more complete look at the rapper's personality that makes I Am > I Was excellent.
The power in Savage’s music still lies in the gulf between what he is expected to feel and what he actually does: that brilliant vocal cadence suggests he is surveying the cars and girls of his new life with numbed distance, even disgust.
With 21 Savage maturing personally and musically since he first gained notoriety, I Am > I Was is a varied attempt at reconciling both sides of the face-tatted spitter’s vexing world.
Overall, it’s a massive improvement on the disappointing Issa Album, with 21 Savage showing maturity whilst keeping his dark humour and persona.
It’s unfortunate ... that the record finds itself held back by unfeeling and monotonous takes on issues like gun violence. Overall, i am > i was is a mixed bag of experience that offers enough solid tracks to keep fans latched on.
The maturity of this album is clear as day. It just sounds so much better than anything else Savage has done. His style is being improved greatly here. It is a very fun project with great hooks and production.
This is 21 savage's best record, no question about it.
On this album he sticks to his roots of the cold blooded trap bangers with tracks like can't leave without it and break da law. But he also adds a ton of new styles which is huge breath of fresh air with tracks like a lot and all my friends, these tracks add a huge amount of variety to keep it interesting and not just like a bland, typical trap album. All my friends in particular has an incredibly catchy hook from post malone and despite ... read more
1 | a lot 4:48 | 95 |
2 | break da law 2:57 | 77 |
3 | a&t 3:31 | 55 |
4 | out for the night 2:17 | 77 |
5 | gun smoke 2:47 | 76 |
6 | 1.5 2:28 | 77 |
7 | all my friends 3:31 | 81 |
8 | can't leave without it 3:25 | 82 |
9 | asmr 2:51 | 75 |
10 | ball w/o you 3:15 | 83 |
11 | good day 4:02 | 70 |
12 | pad lock 3:11 | 72 |
13 | monster 3:53 | 82 |
14 | letter 2 my momma 3:14 | 78 |
15 | 4L 4:48 | 79 |
#24 | / | Uproxx |