21 Savage has released his new album I Am > I Was, a year after 2017's Issa Album and following his Without Warning collaboration with Offset and Metro Boomin.
The Slaughter Gang rapper’s second solo record is comprised of 15 songs. Guest features on the project include J Cole, ScHoolboy Q, Post Malone, Offset, Lil Baby and Gunna.
It also boasts Childish Gambino's first feature of 2018. Earlier this year, 21 contributed background vocals to Gambino's hit "This is America".
See the full tracklist and stream the album in full, below:
On the new album's opening track, “A Lot”, J. Cole speaks about controversial rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine, who is currently incarcerated on federal crime charges.
He raps: “Pray for Tekashi / They want him to rot / I picture him inside a cell on a cot / Reflecting on how he made it to the top / Wondering if it was worth it or not.”
Savage previewed the project this week with an interactive art exhibit in Atlanta dubbed Motel 21. He had initially teased a release date of 7 December, but the day passed without any new music. Instead, that morning he tweeted: “Dam I forgot to drop my album my bad y’all.”
I Am > I Was follows a relatively quiet year for 21, whose output has consisted of the occasional guest verse. He appeared this year on projects by Migos (Culture II), Quavo (Quavo Huncho), Young Thug (Hear No Evil), and the debut solo album by Boomin (Not All Heroes Wear Capes), who produced Savage’s 2016 breakout project Savage Mode.
