Savage Mode II is the number one album this week.
Savage Mode II, the collaborative album from 21 Savage and Metro Boomin, has debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 as predicted. According to Nielsen Music/MRC Data, the release racked up around 171k units in its first week, breaking both artists’ personal records. While both 21 Savage and Metro Boomin have earned No. 1 spots before with solo projects, this is a first for their collaborative efforts. Savage Mode II is Savage’s fourth Top 10 album and second No. 1 in addition to his previous solo project I Am > I Was.
Coming in with matching stats, Metro also earned his fourth Top 10 and second No. 1 with this album.
Dropping on October 2nd, Savage Mode II features appearances from Drake, Young Thug, and Young Nudy. Drake’s verse on the track “Mr. Right Now” quickly had people talking, considering the surprising revelation that he had dated SZA back in the day. “Yeah, said she wanna f*ck to some SZA, wait,” he rhymes. “Cause I used to date SZA back in ‘08/If you cool with it, baby, she can still play.” SZA later confirmed the claim, although she made sure to clarify that the year wasn’t accurate after fans started doing the math on her age at the time. Letting everyone know that the relationship actually transpired in 2009, she explained, “I just didn’t want anybody thinking anything underage or creepy was happening. Completely innocent. Lifetimes ago.”
Drake has a habit of showing up on other artist’s projects and having the world stop to talk about him, but in this case, Metro and Savage’s latest seems to be holding its own among critics and fans, and would probably be able to do so even without the Drizzy attention it has stirred up.
It’s been four years since 21 dropped the first Savage Mode, but it appears that the wait for the follow-up was well worth it.
