21 Savage - Without Warning

21 Savage
Without Warning
2017
Spotify

If you are looking for Without Warning on streaming services you'll have to search for 21 Savage but this is by no means his album alone. The rapper is joined by Offset, Migos, Travis Scott and production from Metro Boomin. The album like the title says was released "without warning" overnight. It's a dark Trap heavy mixtape filled with features at their most comfortable. From the beginning Without Warning has a casual feel, but just under the surface is the bubbling sense of dread and violence. "Rap Saved Me" with 21 Savage and Quavo really captures this sentiment, making a track feel really hyped up without doing too much yelling and screaming. 21 Savage knows what He is saying when he says, "Issa vibe", it's that vibe you can’t quite define but Issa thing. You can't help but think Without Warning is a direct reaction to Future & Young Thug's SUPER SLIMEY but this album feels far more inspired and like the people working together actually like each other. "Ric Flair Drip" is Offset at his absolute best, totally in control yet willing to cut people down with his unique style. This posture is a much more digestible one for 21 Savage; you are able to understand him and connect rather than only knowing him through this really opaque way that He communicates with the media. Meto's production is also razor tight exactly in line with what is happening right now in the trap world. 

The one thing with Metro Boomin's beats is you never really escape the spooky vibe. The lightness has to come from the rappers because the beats are so heavy with bass and orchestral sounds. When it works it bangs super hard, but a whole album of it tends to feel to weighed down. 21 Savage doesn't do much to shake that vibe either. He tends to land on the same delivery every time and makes it feel pedestrian. At only 10 tracks this is pretty short for this kind of mixtape and it's actually a good thing because much more of the exact same thing would be a real slog to get through. When they switch it up on "Still Serving" 21 can't capitalize and the song ends up sounding like a dated slow jam with trap vocals, not a match made in heaven. Quavo is able to lighten things up but only just and you can tell how much better his delivery is. Without Warning for a surprise record and seemingly more of a throwaway does actually really bang in parts. Check this one out but don't expect it to blow you away. 

7.3 out of 10