April 20th, 2021. That’s the last time I wrote a throwback album review article on here. So I figured I’d give an album from the past another go. While looking through my Apple Music library, I spotted an album that I hadn’t listened to in a while. However, this specific project is one that I honestly feel is both underrated and under-appreciated. Metro Boomin has carved his spot in the rap hall of fame without a doubt. From producing for artists such as Drake, Future, Travis Scott and Young Thug, the St. Louis native is a veteran of the game. Despite all of that, I somehow still feel like people don’t acknowledge this album like they should. The album in question is Metro Boomin’s, “NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES”. Let’s get into it.
First, let’s take it back to April 2018. J.Cole dropped his long-awaited album, “KOD” and Metro Boomin had apparently retired from producing. It was an announcement that no one had expected considering the fact that Metro had just dropped three collaborative projects in just the previous year (“Perfect Timing with Nav, Without Warning with 21 Savage & Offset and Double or Nothing with Big Sean). In my humble opinion this announcement just made the release of “NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES” even greater. Metro went ghost on all social media for about six months and then all of a sudden, on October 26th, billboards in New York and Atlanta were showing him as a “missing person” with the text saying, “ALL HEROES DON’T WEAR CAPES”.
On November 2nd, 2018, Metro Boomin dropped his first studio solo album, “NOT ALL HEROES WEAR CAPES”. The feature list was star-studded, with the addition of the previously released single “No Complaints” with Drake and Offset. With production and writing credits on all 13 tracks, you could tell that the album was a product of the Metro Boomin blueprint. The hard-hitting 808’s with incredible sampling. When you press play on this album the first two lines you hear are from Atlanta legend Gucci Mane saying…
“Woke up in the mornin’, bust down me a brick. Gave Metro a million, told him not to quit”
Obviously the production was top class, it was a Metro Boomin album, but that wasn’t the only eye-opening part of the project. The first three songs ended with a perfectly synced transition in the next one, grabbing your attention from the beginning. I just remember bumping this album constantly in my 2017 Honda Fit (I called it “The Spaceship”), looking like Mr. Incredible in his car.
The stars of this project to me, besides Metro of course, were Travis Scott and 21 Savage. Travis was featured on five songs (two solo) and 21 had three features (two solo as well). I don’t have to say much besides listen to, “Only 1 (Interlude)” and “Don’t Come Out the House” You’ll discover why these two were the best. “Up To Something” with Young Thug and Travis made me feel like I was listening to “Skyfall” pt. 2. Let’s all remember the legendary studio session video of Metro and Travis crafting that masterpiece.
“How could you go and turn your back on me?”
The album success spoke for itself, selling 99,000 copies in its first week and claiming the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 charts. Since then Metro has been busy, dropping the sequel to “Savage Mode” with 21 Savage and producing many hit singles. I just hope that this article at least made you want to revisit this masterpiece. This album is one of those projects where you don’t think there are any “bad songs”, there are just songs that are on a different level than the others. May God bless Metro Boomin. Because he has for sure blessed our ears for nearly a decade now.
Favorite Songs:
- Only 1 (Interlude) ft. Travis Scott
- Don’t Come Out the House ft. 21 Savage
- Overdue ft. Travis Scott
- Lesbian ft. Young Thug & Gunna
- 10 Freaky Girls ft. 21 Savage
- Space Cadet ft. Gunna
- No Complaints ft. Drake & Offset
- Up To Something ft. Travis Scott & Young Thug
- No More ft. Travis Scott, Kodak Black & 21 Savage
- Borrowed Love ft. Swae Lee & WizKid
- Dreamcatcher ft. Swae Lee & Travis Scott
- Only You ft. WizKid, Offset & J Balvin
- 10AM/ Save the World ft. Gucci Mane
Rating: 8.2/10
That last throwback album review article, on Bryson Tiller’s “True to Self”, was my 43rd article. This right here is my 119th article. 76 articles in just under 16 months. I’ve been working so hard on this site and I’m happy to see people interact with the content. It’s crazy to think that I’ve been writing on here since July 1st, 2019. Three years have gone by like nothing. Anyways, thank you all for tuning in. It genuinely means the world to me. This is YSN, until next time, signing out.
