21 Savage built his reputation in the underground before experiencing mainstream success in 2016 thanks to the Metro Boomin-helmed Savage Mode. The project was relatively short but incredibly potent. Metro accentuated 21’s menacing yet dry delivery by utilizing an array of measured and sinister sounding beats.
One year later, 21 seems determined to not be pigeonholed by his breakout sound. On his solo debut Issa, the Atlanta rapper goes to great lengths to display a versatility that was not present on his star-creating project. He still delivers plenty of brutal tales about the street life, but his delivery and the brighter production aim to make the content a bit more palatable.
21’s efforts sometimes go in vain and occasionally produce mediocre results, but the strides made are certainly commendable. On “Famous,” he conveys his rise in the rap game in a flashier manner. Both Metro Boomin and Zaytoven craft a beat that’s mellow instead of grim and 21 adapts by adding a little flavor to his rhymes, straining his vocals and even employing some Auto-Tune. “Dead People” is another notable example of 21’s change in approach. The 24-year-old abandons the slow, plodding flow for an up-tempo one that matches the demanding pace of Southside and Jake One’s production.
Issa’s ex-factor ultimately comes courtesy of 21’s newfound (or at least newly publicized) social consciousness. “Nothin New” is an answer to those who might believe 21 is simply glorifying the street life. Although many can’t tell judging from the lack of Twitter activism this side of Talib Kweli, he’s more than aware of the systemic racism and dire circumstances that bred him. “I used to sell dope, nigga, now I can’t vote/Popping Percocets to kill the pain, I can’t cope/Anger in my genes, they used to hang us up with ropes/Civil rights came so they flood the hood with coke/Breaking down my people, tryna kill our faith and hope/They killed Martin Luther King and all he did was spoke,” he laments on the second verse.
While “Nothin New” is a bright spot in 21’s development, the Slaughter Gang rhymer’s ventures into love songs are a glaring weakness. 21’s persona already miscasts him for such records as it feels like watching Vin Diesel try to do Shakespeare. The execution makes the awkward endeavor all the worse, as heard on “Facetime” and “Special.” The former sees our heartless hero holding down his best Drake impression but fail miserably with a cringeworthy hook only Amber Rose could love.
Another downfall of Issa is its runtime. 56 minutes is a perfectly fine on paper but 21 is not dynamic enough to carry a compelling narrative for this length of time. The lack of lyrical wizardry to balance the redundant content will enable longtime fans to appreciate the brevity of Savage Mode that much more. The closing track, “7 Min Freestyle,” only exacerbates this problem with 21’s simplistic bars running out of steam to end the LP.
Despite its flaws, Issa is a laudable effort from a promising talent that should inspire confidence in his career going forward. The budding star easily could have played it safe and stuck to a winning formula, which remains a strong suit (i.e. Issa’s “Bank Account” and “Close My Eyes”). Instead, he challenged himself to be more musically ambitious. While his experiments didn’t produce dynamic results, the positives overshadow the negatives. If 21 can grow as a studio visionary, he’ll prove a lot of doubters wrong. Issa inevitability.
I’ll give it a 2… Banging beats with little to no concept at all. No fire what so ever behind his lyrics. All adlib rap…
another classic from savage. btw, where’s that yachty review, dx? y’all way overdue on that one.
Good comment (minus the classic part; dahell? LOL). We kinda tried something new here with Yachty: https://hiphopdx.com/editorials/id.3771/title.lil-yachtys-best-absolute-worst-lyrics-from-teenage-emotions
Not a single song on this album is about anything new. What happened to new concepts? I genuinely thought as younger rappers came through, regardless of whether you like their sound or not, would be crafting songs about new things. Take that Joyner Lucas album, a song about suicide and a song about the life of a 100 dollar bill. Why can’t these young guys make concept songs like that? That is my problem with hip hop right now. It’s 90% strip club music, 9% ‘I’ll murder you, I have no feelings’
After reading this comment I checked out Joyner Lucas. Fucking Banging.AJ
This album is great, looking forward to see what he comes up with next, close my eyes is an amazing song.
kotex with wings
Issa garbage ass album by a mumble rapper.
solid review, but don’t sleep on those slower songs, lots of people fuck w those the most off the album. Plus 7 minute freestyle was hilarious, idk what you were listening to. 5/5
that 7 min freestyle is dope.
I wondered if you could restrain yourself from mentioning Amber Rose in the review….clearly not…
I have literally never heard him spit one bar cause i aint interested in trash mumble mouth fake trap fools.The issa knife meme is the only thing he gon be remembered for that was so funny he so dumb n high i dont think he even knows what people laugh about
Richtiger Dreck
In terms of the style of music 21 is creating, I understand he doesn’t have to be a lyrical genius. But at the same time you have to look at the bigger picture. Its very repetitive and he can be quickly replaced and forgotten by another young rapper doing the same thing. I do appreciate that he made the slight effort to expand out of his mono tone and redundant rapping format in some of his later tracks in the album but in the end it still isn’t quality. As much as I don’t like 21 I have to admit that the first four songs are hits. It may not be something with a smooth layout of witty puns or double entendre’s but Its what the people (or at least some) want to blast the volume to.
so still no Joyner review? damn it
2.8 out of 5
The album not trash yeah he’s not a rapgod or bring something new to the table. But he’s got good lyrics nice beats flow a bit average but speak truth and being real stop hating cause he sound like he’s mumbling he’s actually good not great not amazing but good
Issa piece of HORRIBLE garbage from a talentless and dumb AF, ugly rodent.
0/5
I think he did pretty decent for is first album he definitely has a few songs on there that are hitting and I was really surprised by the track he produced himself which I think will end up being the single off this project he also tapped into a side of 21 that we haven’t seen before so I’ll be looking forward to hearing more from him and I give it a solid 3 out of 5
boring as hell and no talent
Best album 2k17
4:44, future, Issa ….. 3 best sounding albums this year then drake, then Kendrick…..remember 3 best SOUNDING, not lyrical, just 3 best sounding.
hey hip hop dx your guys didn’t review dc4 or wins and loses guess nicki must be paying you guys well oops I mean Karen Civil guess the check cleared.
complete garbage, i can’t give it 0 cuz the lowest option is 1…
My friends all really liked this album. I thought it was just alright.
Issa bad album!