Savage Mode

Savage Mode is a collaborative extended play by British-American rapper 21 Savage and American record producer Metro Boomin. It was released on July 15, 2016. It features a sole guest appearance by American rapper Future. The EP was self-released.^[1] The EP received acclaim from critics,^[2][3] with Rolling Stone including it in its list of the 40 Best Rap Albums of 2016.^[4] A sequel album, Savage Mode II, was released on October 2, 2020 to further acclaim.

Savage Mode
EP by 21 Savage and Metro Boomin
Released	July 15, 2016
Recorded	2015–2016
Genre	Hip hop trap
Length	32:22
Producer	Metro Boomin (also exec.) 21 Savage Cubeatz G Koop Sonny Digital Southside Zaytoven
21 Savage chronology
Slaughter King (2015) Savage Mode (2016) Issa Album (2017)
Metro Boomin chronology
19 & Boomin (2013) Savage Mode (2016) Perfect Timing (2017)
Singles from Savage Mode
"X" Released: July 14, 2016 "No Heart" Released: October 19, 2016

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Exclaim!	6/10[5]
HipHopDX	3.7/5[6]
HotNewHipHop	83%[7]
Pitchfork	7.0/10[8]
XXL	4/5[9]

Pitchfork called the project 21 Savage's "strongest and bleakest work" and praised the "brooding, eerie production" by Metro Boomin.^[8] Complex called it "a minor masterpiece in sound design", noting that "for as merciless as 21 Savage's writing can be, the album borders on ambient."^[10] HotNewHipHop stated that "its style unequivocally trumps its substance, which is par for the course in this school of arty street rap, but its form – a compact, impeccably-curated product – is sorely missing from the genre."^[7] Exclaim! called the album "a grim, pearl clutching narrative straight from the South."^[5] In a positive review, Craig Jenkins of Vulture called it "gleefully ultraviolent and pridefully indulgent", stating that "this music is built from the same casual hopelessness that shocks us cold whenever we awake to fresh news of mass murder or police brutality."^[11]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)[12]	Length
1.	"No Advance"	Shayaa Joseph Leland Wayne	Metro Boomin	4:36
2.	"No Heart"	Joseph Wayne Joshua Luellen Kevin Gomringer Tim Gomringer	Metro Boomin Southside Cubeatz	3:55
3.	"X" (featuring Future)	Joseph Wayne Nayvadius Wilburn	Metro Boomin 21 Savage	4:18
4.	"Savage Mode"	Joseph Wayne	Metro Boomin	4:09
5.	"Bad Guy"	Joseph Wayne Sonny Uwaezuoke	Metro Boomin Sonny Digital	2:49
6.	"Real Nigga"	Joseph Wayne	Metro Boomin	3:05
7.	"Mad High"	Joseph Wayne	Metro Boomin	3:00
8.	"Feel It"	Joseph Wayne Xavier Dotson	Metro Boomin Zaytoven	2:43
9.	"Ocean Drive"	Joseph Wayne Luellen Robert Mandell	Metro Boomin Southside G Koop	3:47
Total length:				32:22

Notes

• "X" was originally titled "X Bitch"

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2016–2017) Peak position Canadian Albums (Billboard)[13] 57 US Billboard 200[14] 23 US Independent Albums (Billboard)[15] 8 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[16] 9 US Top Rap Albums (Billboard)[17] 7

Year-end charts Chart (2016) Position US Billboard 200[18] 185 Chart (2017) Position US Billboard 200[19] 58 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[20] 59

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[21]	Gold	500,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "Savage Mode by 21 Savage & Metro Boomin". iTunes. 15 July 2016.
2. Saponara, Michael (22 July 2019). "21 Savage Says 'Savage Mode 2' With Metro Boomin Is in the Works". Billboard. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
3. Findlay, Mitch (29 September 2020). "Metro Boomin & 21 Savage Unveil "Savage Mode 2" Cover". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
4. "40 Best Rap Albums of 2016". Rolling Stone. 22 December 2016. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
5. Harmony, A. (20 July 2016). "21 Savage and Metro Boomin: Savage Mode". Exclaim!. Retrieved 20 July 2016.
6. Diep, Eric (25 July 2016). "21 Savage & Metro Boomin – Savage Mode Review". HipHopDX. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
7. Lyons, Patrick (19 July 2016). "21 Savage's "Savage Mode" (Review)". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
8. Daramola, Israel (23 July 2016). "21 Savage / Metro Boomin: Savage Mode". Pitchfork. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
9. Weinstein, Max (19 July 2016). "21 Savage Creates His Own World on 'Savage Mode'". XXL. Archived from the original on 20 July 2016. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
10. Thompson, Paul (7 October 2016). "The 25 Best Metro Boomin Beats". Complex. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
11. Jenkins, Craig (20 July 2016). "21 Savage's Savage Mode Is Violent Music, But It's Oddly Comforting in Violent Times". Vulture. Retrieved 5 December 2017.
12. "Metro Boomin on Twitter".
13. "21 Savage Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved January 18, 2017.
14. "21 Savage Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved January 24, 2017.
15. "21 Savage Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
16. "21 Savage Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
17. "21 Savage Chart History (Top Rap Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 26, 2016.
18. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2016". Billboard. Retrieved 9 December 2016.
19. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved 12 December 2017.
20. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
21. "American album certifications – 21 Savage & Metro Boomin – Savage Mode". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 17 May 2017.