We’ve seen a slew of event releases in the rap landscape over the past month, from Big Sean’s stacked Detroit 2, to Griselda Records’ unrelenting September run, to Public Enemy’s perfectly timed What You Gonna Do When the Grid Goes Down? That run continues today with 21 Savage and Metro Boomin’s long-awaited Savage Mode II. And in case you doubted that this thing was a true event, just let Morgan Freeman tell you. (Or, uh, let Drake claim he used to date SZA? He’s there, too.) The actor known for his epic narration and playing God himself narrates the album, a sequel to 21 and Metro’s definitive 2016 collab. His introduction sets up their return: “Great men with great ideals can be separated by hundreds, or even thousands, of miles and still be in the same place,” he says. “They can be years, or even generations, apart in age, and yet somehow find themselves on the exact same page.” Did someone say bars?
Freeman helped debut the album when the trailer, featuring his intro, came out on September 29. But he’s featured throughout: speaking over a 50 Cent sample, teaching us the difference between snitches and rats on an interlude, and even getting the project’s final words. Ever wanted to hear God tell you to “stay in Savage Mode”? Here’s your chance.
