''Savage Mode'' is a collaborative

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,71 ...

-based rapper

21 Savage Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Born in London, he moved to Atlanta with his mother at age seven. He became known after releasing two ...

and American record producer

Metro Boomin Leland Tyler Wayne (born September 16, 1993), professionally known as Metro Boomin, is an American record producer, record executive, beatmaker, and DJ. He is known for his dark production style and its influence on modern hip hop and trap. ...

. It was released on July 15, 2016. The EP was

self-released Self-publishing is the publication of media by its author at their own cost, without the involvement of a publisher. The term usually refers to written media, such as books and magazines, either as an ebook or as a physical copy using POD (pri ...

. The EP received acclaim from critics, with ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its co ...

'' including it in its list of the 40 Best Rap Albums of 2016. A sequel album, '' Savage Mode II'', was released on October 2, 2020 to further acclaim.

Critical reception

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'' called the project 21 Savage's "strongest and bleakest work" and praised the "brooding, eerie production" by Metro Boomin. ''

Complex Complex commonly refers to: * Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe ** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...

'' called it "a minor masterpiece in

sound design Sound design is the art and practice of creating sound tracks for a variety of needs. It involves specifying, acquiring or creating auditory elements using audio production techniques and tools. It is employed in a variety of disciplines including ...

", noting that "for as merciless as 21 Savage's writing can be, the album borders on

ambient Ambient or Ambiance or Ambience may refer to: Music and sound * Ambience (sound recording), also known as atmospheres or backgrounds * Ambient music, a genre of music that puts an emphasis on tone and atmosphere * ''Ambient'' (album), by Moby * ...

." ''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." ''

Exclaim! ''Exclaim!'' is a Canadian music and entertainment publisher based in Toronto, which features in-depth coverage of new music across all genres with a special focus on Canadian and emerging artists. The monthly Exclaim! print magazine publishes 7 ...

'' called the album "a grim, pearl clutching narrative straight from the South." In a positive review, Craig Jenkins of ''

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'' 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 Mass murder is the act of murdering a number of people, typically simultaneously or over a relatively short period of time and in close geographic proximity. The United States Congress defines mass killings as the killings of three or more p ...

police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, but is not limited to, ...

Track listing

Notes * "X" was originally titled "X Bitch"

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications

References

{{Authority control 2016 albums 21 Savage albums Metro Boomin albums Albums produced by Metro Boomin Albums produced by Southside (record producer) Albums produced by Cubeatz Albums produced by Sonny Digital Albums produced by Zaytoven Collaborative albums