I Am > I Was
by 21 Savage
  • Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: Dec 21, 2018
Metascore
81

Universal acclaim - based on 6 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 6
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 6
  3. Negative: 0 out of 6
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  1. Variety
    Jan 2, 2019
    85
    Despite all the high-profile guests, it’s actually on the soulfully inventive “Ball w/o You,” “Gun Smoke” and the sensual “Out for the Night”--which all feature 21 Savage on his own--that “i am > i was” is at its best and most dynamic.
  2. HipHopDX
    Jan 2, 2019
    84
    At 15 songs and 51 minutes long, it’s an enjoyable listen with good pacing, filled with the right amount of vulnerability, heartache, menace, and savagery.
  3. The Guardian
    Jan 4, 2019
    80
    There is a slight uptick in vocal musicality compared with his previous work. ... He has plenty of average lines--almost as offensive as the rightly controversial “Jewish money” lyric in ASMR is the weakness of “you get burned like toast” as a simile--but his catchy flows always make him magnetic, especially when paired with universally brilliant production from Metro Boomin, Kid Hazel and others.
  5. Pitchfork
    Jan 2, 2019
    78
    i am > i was shatters the notion of 21 Savage as a specialist with a narrow purview and audience, and recasts him as a star in waiting, all without forcing him into unflattering contortions. It also cements him as a far more original stylist than other hopefuls from Atlanta.
  6. The 405
    Jan 11, 2019
    75
    Overall, it’s a massive improvement on the disappointing Issa Album, with 21 Savage showing maturity whilst keeping his dark humour and persona.
  7. Consequence
    Jan 2, 2019
    67
    21 Savage’s ability to express a variety of feelings allows the music to stand out at times and become more than a generic gangsta rap presentation. It’s unfortunate, then, that the record finds itself held back by unfeeling and monotonous takes on issues like gun violence. Overall, i am > i was is a mixed bag of experience that offers enough solid tracks to keep fans latched on.

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User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 123 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 111 out of 123
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 123
  3. Negative: 7 out of 123
  1. ms2822
    Feb 27, 2019
    8
    21 Savage is many things - "accurate album title picker" is one of them. He went savage mode on his breakout mixtape with Metro Boomin,21 Savage is many things - "accurate album title picker" is one of them. He went savage mode on his breakout mixtape with Metro Boomin, fittingly titled Savage Mode. His debut, Issa Album, was, well, an album. He dropped his collaborative album with Offset and Metro Boomin, entitled Without Warning... well, without warning! And on his sophomore effort, 21 Savage has proven himself greater than he was by delivering his best performance yet. Right away, on album opener "a lot", you find 21 flowing over a surprising medium (a soul sample) delivering something even more surprising - introspection. Then J. Cole comes in and the entire song just explodes. 21 continues to work outside of the box elsewhere in the project, whether it's a catchy strip club banger in "a&t" with City Girl Yung Miami or "ball w/o you", his strong attempt at forlorn 808s and Heartbreak-style in-my-feelings autocrooning (with a surprisingly effective falsetto portion). On "out for the night", 21 seems to almost affectionately parody Drake while still effectively keeping it 21. "all my friends" serves as a strong follow-up with Post Malone to their smash single "rockstar", even throwing in an update on 21's now-iconic twelve-car garage. "good day" shows 21 handling hook duty, leaving the verses to two artists we haven't seen in a while: TDE's ScHoolboy Q and, more surprisingly, Memphis legend Project Pat. (They both slay it.) However, the most striking track, in my opinion, was "monster", a true slapper that also contains the first rap feature from Childish Gambino since Steve G. Lover's "No Hookahs" in 2016, and the first rap verse from Gambino in a long time. The ever-versatile Donald Glover kills his feature, but still leaves room for 21 to desecrate the track's corpse. Overall, this was a phenomenal sophomore effort from Britain's finest.… Full Review »
  2. Numba1Stunna
    Jan 7, 2019
    9
    This is a very solid album. Great production throughout and 21 shows a lot of maturity. “Gun smoke” and “4L” are absolute BANGERS. The featureThis is a very solid album. Great production throughout and 21 shows a lot of maturity. “Gun smoke” and “4L” are absolute BANGERS. The feature with J. Cole is excellent (“a lot”), as is the one with Childish Gambino (“monster”). He has several tracks where he appears solo (like the aforementioned “gun smoke”) and one of my faves on the album is “out for the night”. Whether you prefer old or new school, this album will appeal to you. Overall, in my opinion, his best effort yet.… Full Review »
  3. AdityMaha
    Jun 11, 2022
    7
    I Personally thought that this Album was **** amazing with the expection of the track "out for the night pt.2" the rest of the project was aI Personally thought that this Album was **** amazing with the expection of the track "out for the night pt.2" the rest of the project was a pretty banger of Album which also features a couple of my absolute favorite 21 Savage songs to this day like: "Monster(feat. Childish Gambino), a lot(feat. J. Cole), 1.5(feat. Offset) and 4L along with other bangers like out for the night 1 and all my friends which featured a killer chorus by Post Malone. Anyway this Album as a whole is pretty amazing and is in opinion at least 21 Savage's better solo project he has released(he has only released 2 Solo albums so far in his carrer) this album definitely has its high points and low points and for that I think that 21 Savage's 2018 Shomphore Album "i am > i was" is a Strong 7 out of 10.… Full Review »
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