
This is a brand new collaborative album between Canadian rapper, singer/songwriter, actor & businessman Drake along with London born albeit Atlanta raised rapper, songwriter & producer 21 Savage. One is an pop rap icon starting out as an actor before becoming a Lil Wayne protege in the late-2000s & the other beginning to turn heads in the Atlanta trap scene after landing a spot in the iconic 2016 XXL Freshman Class. Their paths have crossed a handful of times within the last 5 years with bangers like “Mr. Right Now” & even “Knife Talk”. Last we heard from them was when Drizzy dropped the mediocre house album Honestly, Nevermind this past summer in the form of the standout closer “Jimmy Cooks” & are now joining forces to drop Her Loss.
“Rich Flex” kicks off the album with some braggadocio on top of an instrumental from Tay Keith, BoogzDaBeast & Vinylz with some hi-hats & angelic vocals during 21’s verse prior to the sample switching into some keys for Drake’s whereas “Major Distribution” embraces the piano trap sound even further talking about going stupid. “On BS” has a cloudier vibe to it, but then “BackOutsideBoyz” comes through with the first of 4 Drake solo cuts on the album & my personal favorite talking about the 6 God coming back over a synth-trap beat produced by Rio Leyva alongside Taz Taylor & Dez Wrightof Internet Money Records.
Meanwhile on “Privileged Rappers”, we have Drizzy & 21 expressing their desire to fuck bitches in banks accompanied by a cloudy trap instrumental from 40 & Earl on the Beat leading into “Spin ‘Bout U” flipping an R&B joint talking about coming out of their bodies for their significant other. “Hours in Silence” has a more moodier sound to it seeking to turn their bitches up just before the syrupy “Treacherous Twins” laced with the help of Boi-1da paying tribute to their soulmates & the line about 21 not showing an ID at the club because they know he’s 21 is incredibly witty.
“Circo Loco” obnoxiously samples the Daft Punk jam “1 More Time” to get boastful with Drizzy even confessing that he did the Free Larry Hoover concert with Kanye West last winter solely for J. Prince’s sake only for Travis Scott to come into the picture for the pillowy “Pussy & Millions” encouraging to bring on the cons of having more money. “Broke Boys” is well-structured 2-parter featuring co-production from Wheezy taunting all the bum ass motherfuckers out there while the 2nd Drizzy solo joint “Middle of the Ocean” dives into boom bap turf talking about how he’s been a player.
As for “Jumbotron Shit Poppin’”: I really like the beat that F1LTHY & Cubeatz whip up along with the subject matter asking if anyone really want smoke with Drake, but the fact that he called himself “a real vamp” like he thinks he’s Playboi Carti when he’s actually a decade older than me during his verse is fucking embarrassing. The song “More M’s” has to be my favorite on the album from the dark Metro Boomin’ production to the lyrics talking about making more paper than taking Ls while “3AM on Glenwood” is the only 21 Savage solo track on Her Loss for some reason although it doesn’t disappoint with it’s wavy instrumental & bars like the Steph Curry/Stephon Marbury one or the one where he hollers at the hobbit to help get his brother out of jail. “I Guess It’s Fuck Me” though ends it all with a Drake solo cut on top of a bare piano calling out a woman who left him abruptly.
It’s definitely not on the same caliber as Without Warning or even What a Time to Be Alive, but both these guys managed to give us a decent collab effort here & one that’s slightly better Honestly, Nevermind. Their chemistry is certainly strong enough to carry a whole project, but the production throughout is just very mild & Drake has more presence throughout than 21 does.
Score: 3/5
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