This is the 2nd full-length solo album from St. Louis producer, DJ & record executive Metro Boomin’. Gaining notoriety in the middle of the previous decade as one of the most in-demand beatsmiths in hip hop today, he’s gone on to produce some of the best trap projects of the decade in their entireties including Future’s 3rd album D.S. 2 (Dirty Sprite 2) as well as Gucci Mane’s 53rd mixtape Droptopwop and the Offset/21 Savage collab tape Without Warning. It was until after Halloween 2018 when he put out his solo debut Not All Heroes Wear Capes & with it’s 4 year anniversary passing by last month, Metro’s looking to make a trilogy out of it by dropping the sequel Heroes & Villains.
“On Time” by John Legend is an incredibly symphonic opener to the album produced with & TM88 singing about how he can’t take no days off prior to a ghostly switch-up sampling Homelander from the Prime Video original series The Boys as well as a spoken word outro from both Morgan Freeman & A$AP Rocky whereas “Superheroes (Heroes & Villains)” starts off with Future over some triumphant trap production spitting braggadocio until a somber beat switch as Chris Brown asking who the villain really is. “Too Many Nights” by Don Toliver & Future takes a more bassy yet moodier route with the help of Honorable C.N.O.T.E. & Allen Ritter, but then “Raindrops (Insane)” by Travis Scott embraces a cloudier vibe talking about double cupping his pain.
Meanwhile on the piano/trap-laced “Umbrella”, we have real life cousins Young Nudy & 21 Savage linking up to spit some gangsta bars leading into the appropriately hypnotic “Trance” by Cactus Slatt talking about possibly giving this bitch a chance. “Around Me” is a full-fledged Don Toliver solo cut with dance-inspired groove admitting to seeing enough whirls for 1 night just before “Metro Spider” finds Metro Thuggin’ reuniting for a ghoulish trap hit flexing Young Thug’s entrepreneur lifestyle.
“I Can’t Save You” by Don Toliver works in some hi-hats & an incredibly cinematic loop to remind the world that you can’t save a hoe while “Creepin’” by The Weeknd & 21 Savage finds the 2 joining forces for a wavy alternative R&B/pop trap ballad telling their significant others that they don’t want to know about them creepin’ on them if that happens to be the case. “Niagara Falls (Foot or 2)” by Travis & 21 however is another piano/trap hybrid showing off the extravagant way they live while “Walk ‘Em Down (Don’t Kill Civilians)” starts off with 21 over some rich chords representing destruction until a powerful beat-switch & Mustafa singing about being done for.
The penultimate track “Lock on Me” by Future & Travis Scott is a shimmering trap cut bragging that they had to switch new foreigns while the closer “Feel the Fiyaaah” by A$AP Rocky & the late Takeoff hooks up a soul sample with some hi-hats asking why they greedy like wolves. “All the Money” by Gunna however serves as a bonus cut with a flute/trap instrumental talking about exactly what he wants this time around.
Metro has always been a top tier producer in the trap subgenre of hip hop in my opinion & this is one of those instances where the sequel album is superior to the predecessor. It’s more conceptual, his sample choices are remarkably well picked & the guests all provide their unique flavor with them sounding actually enthusiastic to be on here rather than phoning it in. If Yung Metro hasn’t earned your respect by now with the evolution he’s shown here, then I don’t know what to tell you.
Score: 4/5
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