21 Savage

Metro Boomin’s production has defined a generation. In an era where producer tags have been memorized by listeners, Metro’s is one of the most recognizable. Most recently, clips from Metro’s appearance at the Red Bull Symphonic performance have gone viral. The orchestra accompanied him to perform multiple songs from his illustrious catalog. John Legend, Swae Lee, NAV, and Roisee also made appearances during the performance. His dedicated fans have always praised his cinematic and sonically layered production, so this performance felt long overdue.

Metro Boomin has done production for chart-topping artists like Travis Scott, The Weeknd, Migos and many more. He has also continued to make music with his day-one collaborators, like Future, Young Thug and 21 Savage. So far, he’s dropped two solo albums and several collab albums with a wide array of hip-hop’s finest. As Metro’s career has progressed, his sound has expanded. Originally known for creating catchy trap anthems, he has since elevated to a new level while maintaining the essence of trap music. His ability to bring eerie or grandiose-sounding melodies is one of his signature techniques. Sometimes, he even weaves in gospel samples to paint his soundscapes. In this list, we’ve gathered some of the best examples of his production style.

Read More: Metro Boomin’s Most Unique Tracks

“Jumpman” – Drake & Future (2015)

This was the first song with Metro’s signature “If young Metro don’t trust you, I’m gone shoot you” tag. Metro Boom’s production is all over Drake and Future’s collaborative project What A Time To Be Alive. This is the most popular song from that album and it received quadruple platinum certification by the RIAA. The song’s energetic hook and flows from both artists are a key reason for its success but Metro’s production plays a vital role too.

“Mask Off” – Future (2017)

Metro Boomin’s production of this song became a source of humor and praise at the same time. The track comes from Future’s 2017 self-titled album. It was the second single from the album and significantly more successful than the first single, “Draco.” The track reached #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been certified nine times platinum by the RIAA. The song’s lead flute melody quickly became an earworm and was just as popular as the song’s simplistic yet catchy hook.

Surrounded by trap drums, the song’s solemnly melancholic production creates an atmosphere that simultaneously combines feelings of hype, relaxation and reflectiveness. Amongst these emotions, Metro’s creativity remains at the center. He got the flute sample from “Prison Song” by Tommy Butler, a track from the soundtrack for the stage play Selma. The flute melody inspired other producers to do their take on the sound with tracks like Drake’s “Portland” and A$AP Rocky’s “Praise The Lord (Da Shine),” both released after “Mask Off.”

Read More: Metro Boomin Details He & Future’s Recording Process

“Father Stretch My Hands, Pt. 1” – Kanye West Ft. Kid Cudi & Kelly Price (2016)

Metro Boomin’s production joins forces with several other heavy hitter collaborators like Mike Dean, Rick Rubin and Kanye himself on this track. Noah Goldstein, Allen Ritter and DJ Dodger Stadium, legends in their own right, also contributed. The track comes from the “living, breathing changing creative expression” that was Kanye’s The Life Of Pablo. The song’s gospel sample intro precedes Metro’s iconic beat tag, providing a complete tonal shift. The gospel sample continues throughout the song and its blending with the other sounds of the production make it a truly special listen for many fans.

“Bad & Boujee” – Migos Ft. Lil Uzi Vert (2016)

Metro Boomin’s production undoubtedly helped transform this record into one of the most popular rap songs of modern times. His production on “Bad and Boujee” combines with production from G Koop and leans more into a glitzy sound as opposed to an eerie one. This lines up well with the lyrics which find Migos and feature Lil Uzi Vert speaking on their extravagant lifestyles. One surprising aspect of this song is how long it is, clocking in at almost six minutes long — a rarity for a radio single. Still, it reached the ears of people who previously did not listen to rap at all which only helped expand the fanbase of all the contributors to the track.

“Ric Flair Drip” – Offset & 21 Savage & Metro Boomin (2017)

This song captures core elements of Metro Boomin’s production. Like “Jumpman,” the eeriness of the production is present on the track but there’s still a certain accessibility to it. This song comes from his collab project with Offset and 21 Savage, Without Warning. The snappy bounce that Metro provided makes the song easy to dance to which the artists and Flair himself do in the music video. This sound may remind some listeners of the work of DJ Mustard, who was known for his snap and clap based club anthems. It also made some listeners think of the subgenre of snap music, which was popularized by Atlanta in the early 2000s.

“Superhero (Heroes and Villains)” – Metro Boomin Ft. Future & Chris Brown (2022)

The Metro Boomin production on this song is a testament to the cinematic and grandiose sound he has developed as his career has progressed. This is the second track from his second solo album, HEROES & VILLAINS. The entire album is full of seamless transitions like this, a testament to the intentional cinematic presentation Metro was going for with it. This track highlights Metro Boomin’s production by showcasing two beats in one song. The portion with Future features blaring trumpets that make Future sound like an ominous villain. Meanwhile, Chris Brown’s portion features no trumpets but a solemn yet still cinematic piano, practically making him sound like a hero. Metro’s ability to bring these two sounds into one track and paint a contrasting auditory picture of a hero and villain highlights his skill as a curator, composer, and producer.

“Runnin” – 21 Savage & Metro Boomin (2020)

Metro Boomin’s production has been a large part of 21 Savage’s career since it began. This song comes from their collaborative album Savage Mode II and is the epitome of their collaborative sound. Metro Boomin’s production on this song features a dark piano melody and an eerie vocal loop. These aspects are commonplace in his work with 21 Savage and pair well with his dark lyrics. Multiple other trap artists have used this type of sound in their work but Metro’s techniques have taken it to a different level due to the way he layers his sounds together. He’s made the sound accessible to larger audiences without comprising key aspects of it.

[via] [via]

The post Metro Boomin 7 Best Beats appeared first on HotNewHipHop.