Earlier this month, before 21 Savage released his new album American Dream, he hyped up the project with a trailer for a movie. It was called American Dream: The 21 Savage Story, starring Donald Glover and Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin portraying the rapper at different points in his life.
However, 21 has a bit of a history with trickery, like when he and Drake did a mock Vogue cover to promote their album Her Loss. So, what’s the deal with the American Dream movie?
Is The 21 Savage ‘American Dream’ Movie Real?
It’s not, no.
Savage made the reveal in an interview with Shannon Sharpe on a new episode of Club Shay Shay (as Complex notes). Sharpe asked if the movie was coming out soon, and Savage let the cat out of the bag, answering, “Nah, that was a parody.”
Sharpe was insistent that Savage’s life story actually could make for an interesting movie, though, to which the rapper replied, “I feel like it could be one day. They would hate on it now, though. Because they gon’ be like, ‘What the f*ck 21 Savage deserve a story for, a movie about him for? What he did?’ You know how they do.”
So, American Dream: The 21 Savage Story isn’t real, but we’ll always have the trailer, which you can revisit above. Also check out the full interview with Sharpe below.
British-American rapper 21 Savage released his third solo studio album this week, titled American Dream. The album is his first solo venture in over five years and follows his chart-topping 2022 collaborative effort with Drake, Her Loss. The latest outing from the rapper is sure to please fans, featuring murderous lyrics, witty wordplay, and impeccable beat selection. Here’s a comprehensive guide to American Dream and a review of the material within.
The Album Connects To An Upcoming Film
American Dream isn’t just a musical outing. The album also serves as a companion piece to an upcoming feature film of the same name, starring Donald Glover and Caleb McLaughlin. The trailer for the film was released days before the album and doubles as a music video for the opening track “All of Me.” The film likely tackles 21’s early days as a street-wise youth facing criminal persecution in Atlanta. At this time, we have very little information about the film’s plot, and this is only speculation.
This is further illustrated in American Dream with narration from 21’s mother. This narration bookends the album’s intro and outro tracks with inspiring words about her dreams for her son’s success and happiness. Despite these inclusions, the album lacks a cohesive through-line that thematically ties the material back to the premise promised by the title and imagery.
The overall aesthetic of American Dream may lead listeners to assume that the project is a meditation on the state of poverty or immigration in 21’s life. However, these concepts are rarely addressed and never fleshed out. Instead, the album serves as a loose assortment of tracks that cover topics such as gang activity, loyalty, romantic relationships, and flexing on apps with expensive possessions.
The closing track, “dark days,” is best at synthesizing concise ideas about the experience of Black Americans facing poverty and gang violence. It features compelling lyrics such as, “You say you love your switch, but it don’t lovе you back. You can hug that block all night, it ain’t gon’ hug you back.” The track provides thought-provoking illustrations of 21’s American experience, shedding light on his growth as an artist.
Historically speaking, 21 Savage is at his best lyrically when addressing mindless topics like expensive cars and loaded weaponry. But as the artist continues to mature in his sound and reach for more serious topics, he frequently falls short of finding anything significant to say about them.
Though it is mildly disappointing to see no Childish Gambino inclusions on the record, American Dream touts an all-star list of guests who provide excellent contributions to the album’s overall sound. Doja Cat stuns with her trademark blend of melody and humor on the track “n.h.i.e..” There, we see her using the word “ad-lib” as an actual ad-lib. Further, Young Thug briefly but notably appears on the track “pop ur sh**.” Unfortunately, it underwent censorship due to the rapper’s ongoing RICO case. The case seeks to utilize his lyrical content as evidence of actual crimes.
Meanwhile, Travis Scott raps like his bills are due on the track “née nah,” offering a rare glimpse into his energetic lyrical capabilities in place of his usual vocal passages, which are often drowning in autotune. Similarly, Summer Walker delivers a heavenly vocal performance on the track “prove it.” Finally, Metro Boomin appears on a myriad of tracks to provide unparalleled cohesive production. This proves that Metro and 21 have some of the best collaborative chemistry in the game.
Conclusion
21 Savage may not win over any haters with his latest endeavor, but fans will surely have this LP on repeat all year long. The album features some of his most ambitious work yet, layered atop production that steals the show at every turn. Releasing the album at the top of the year was a bold choice, considering the American Dream film isn’t set to release until July. However, the timing may be a perfect way to ensure this record continues to get spins throughout Summer 2024 and beyond.
21 Savage makes a powerful return, officially announcing the release of the trailer for his upcoming movie, American Dream: The 21 Savage Story. The trailer, featuring brand new music from 21 Savage, offers a glimpse into the film and introduces an ensemble cast including five-time GRAMMY winner Donald Glover, Caleb McLaughlin of Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” Natasha Lyonne, Jabari Banks, Victoria Pedretti, Young Mazino, Chad Lindberg, Gail Bean, and Atlanta comedian Druski.
Directed by Donald Glover, Stephen Glover, Jamal Olori, and Fam Udeorji, the trailer portrays three generations of 21 Savage amid a personal crisis. Produced by Tara Razavi and Udeorji, the film promises to explore the Atlanta superstar’s journey.
Despite more than five years since his last solo LP, 21 Savage has continued his prolific career, achieving multiple Billboard 200 chart-topping albums and GRAMMY wins. Notably, joint albums with Metro Boomin (Savage Mode 2) and Drake (Her Loss) both debuted at #1, solidifying 21 Savage’s status in the music industry. Stay tuned for the much-anticipated release of American Dream: The 21 Savage Story.
21 Savage may be a London native, but Atlanta, Georgia, is where his heart is. As part of his forthcoming film, American Dream: The 21 Savage Story, Donald Glover will examine how, in 2019, the rapper found himself in a fierce legal battle with US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Last month, 21 Savage’s legal issues were put to bed. To celebrate, he took a trip back to the UK for a larger-than-life homecoming concert. During the show, he was on track to release his first solo album in nearly six years. Fans now know this long-awaited music project will serve as the visual’s official soundtrack. So when does the American Dream: The 21 Savage Story soundtrack come out?
Unfortunately, the release details are a bit murky because the webpage linked to his social media pages seems to be broken. But according to 21 Savage’s latest post on X (formerly Twitter), the album is set to be released on Friday, January 12.
The promotional poster and supporting trailer starring 21 Savage, Glover, and Stranger Things actor Caleb McLaughlin show that in the film, viewers will journey through his initial move to the US, Atlanta upbringing, and his rise to fame. Watch 21 Savage’s trailer below.
American Dream: The 21 Savage Story soundtrack is out 1/12 via Epic Records. Find more information here.
Slaughter Gang’s head honcho just announced an upcoming movie on his life titled American Dream: The 21 Savage Story on Sunday (January 7). Given its reveal — a vague post from his and Donald Glover’s (also known as Childish Gambino’s) Instagram accounts — many fans didn’t know how to interpret this. Fortunately, we know a little bit more about this production at press time, so we compiled a breakdown of what you need to know about the film. American Dream: The 21 Savage Story aims to cover his arduous, complicated, but triumphant path of the American Dream which he hinted at during a Rolling Stone interview: from childhood poverty and street dangers to becoming one of the biggest rappers in the world.
First, some background. Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph was born in the UK, but moved to Atlanta at a young age. As such, he was raised in the U.S., facing hardened conditions rife with trouble before eventually climbing up the rap echelon. However, even as 21 climbed the ranks, he found himself in the middle of a high-profile case in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested him in 2019 for an alleged expired visa.
The “Brand New Draco” MC and his legal team fought for his right to stay, expressed anger at the unjust and punitive system, and brought national attention to this issue. Last year, they finally made him a permanent U.S. citizen and allowed him to leave the States, returning to his native country for a show. With that in mind, let’s dive into American Dream: The 21 Savage Story. If this is all just fake for an album rollout… well played, Savage.
All the information in this section appears in the film’s trailer‘s description on YouTube, and it’s unclear whether these credits are just for the sneak peek or for the full-length product. Nevertheless, the upcoming movie stars the aforementioned Childish Gambino as 21 Savage, and Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin as his younger self. Savage’s connection to Donald Glover is well-documented through collaborative cuts like “monster,” “This Is America,” and “12.38.” In addition, the movie’s trailer (released on Monday, January 8) showcased a host of other actors, including Jabari Banks as (presumably) Metro Boomin. Other “special appearances” from actors include Gail Bean (presumably as his mother), Druski, Chad Lindberg, Victoria Pedretti, Young Mazino, and Natasha Lyonne.
Furthermore, four directors helmed this, including Gambino’s younger brother Stephen Glover, who previously wrote for his older sibling’s series Atlanta. Jamal Olori, Fam Udeorji, and Luis Perez also have directing credits. Stephen Glover and Olori wrote American Dream: The 21 Savage Story, whereas Udeorji and Tara Razavi are listed as producers and executive producers. Happy Place and Gilga are behind the film’s production, as well as Lionsgate, according to the trailer. The veracity of these interpretations is still up in the air.
New Music From 21 Savage
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 22: 21 Savage attends as Latto hosts Hoes Down, Pimps Up birthday affair at The Bank on December 22, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage/Getty Images)
In addition to this film, 21 Savage will also release a soundtrack of music the movie inspired. It’s available to pre-save on streaming platforms right now via American Dream‘s website. Given reports that he’s already working on a new album, this is very exciting news. Fans hope that this isn’t what the 31-year-old meant when he teased new material and that this is just a supplemental project drop until his full-length solo follow-up to i am > i was.
Still, given what we heard in the film’s trailer, it looks like 21 Savage is undergoing another career level-up. The trailer actually doubles as a music video for an unreleased, soulful trap track that tackles his trials and tribulations, as well as showcases his talent and triumph. Not only that, but in the performance parts of the visual, the London-born artist raps to Glover and McLaughlin’s versions of himself. As such, die-hards expect this to be a pretty reflective and cathartic experience.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – DECEMBER 8: Rapper 21 Savage attends Young Democrats Of Atlanta Presents A Blue Christmas Gala at Atlanta City Hall on December 8, 2023 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Prince Williams/WireImage/Getty Images)
American Dream: The 21 Savage Story will release on Independence Day this year (July 4, 2024), according to the trailer’s final frames. But we’re not yet 100% sure if it will only be a theatrical release. After all, it’s very possible that it could appear on a particular streaming service, as that’s the model of choice for a lot of visual projects out there these days. Perhaps the near future will confirm this for fans.
Meanwhile, 21 Savage’s accompanying soundtrack for this biopic will reportedly drop this week on Friday, January 12, according to Billboard. It’s quite far away from the film’s release, which might be a bizarre choice for some listeners and viewers. It certainly contributed to immediate interest in American Dream, and will likely fuel that train until we get it on-screen. What’s more is that this could also be a teaser of what he will offer on his next studio album.
What Do We Expect?
LONDON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 30: 21 Savage performs his first ever London headline show at The O2 Arena on November 30, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Burak Cingi/Getty Images for Live Nation)
Already, many fans are talking about American Dream: The 21 Savage Story with a lot of skepticism but also anticipation. This is very understandable: Drake’s Her Loss partner has a pretty spotless catalog when it comes to projects, and Donald Glover is almost a decade older than him. He’s earned Grammy nominations and became a commercially dominant giant. Moreover, he’s undoubtedly culturally impactful and artistically influential. As such, a lot is riding on this product to do him and his journey justice.
For our money, we’d love for these releases (whether it’s a film or just an LP rollout) to encapsulate the emotional heft and nuanced perspective of Mr. Right Now. Maturity, perseverance, and perception are big themes of the trailer and his career, ones that continue to evolve and prove themselves both on and off wax. Finally, this film’s most important mission is to show the world why the low-toned spitter is such an important representative of hip-hop right now, and what makes his story resonate beyond cultural, ethnic, and class lines. Beyond the violence and hedonism lies a crucial narrative of balance, accountability, and community that this movie should champion above the celebrity spectacle. For all these reasons and more, we can’t wait for whatever American Dream: The 21 Savage Story is. Let us know what you think about this rollout in the comments section below.
Overnight, 21 Savage confirmed some rumors that had been swirling around for weeks. The rumors stated that he was working on an autobiographical film telling his life story and they turned out to be true. He shared a movie poster announcing American Dream: The 21 Savage Story. Alongside the poster, he also made the reveal that Donald Glover and Stranger Things alum Caleb McLaughlin were included in the project.
Now just a few hours later, Savage shared a trailer for the upcoming film on YouTube. The trailer shows off some of the events the film is expected to cover. It goes all the way back to Savage’s youth detailing the story of how he arrived at rap music. The trailer concludes with the scene where he, played by Donald Glover, chooses his rap name 21 Savage. Much of the trailer seems to deal with his controversial arrest by ICE that shocked fans in 2019. Numerous scenes shown in the trailer take place in an interrogation room. Check out the full trailer for the biopic below.
Another thing the film’s trailer reveals is the musical elements it will deploy. Much of the 4 minute trailer is a music video of sorts even featuring Savage himself rapping in an interrogation room. Additionally in the description of the video it reveals that there will be some kind of musical accompaniment to the film. It features a link to pre-save the music from the film on various streaming platforms.
Last year, 21 Savage teased a couple of new projects that had fans pretty excited for what he had to offer in 2023. The biggest of the bunch is his next official solo album. His last solo album i am > i was dropped all the way back in 2018. Subsequently, Savage hasn’t exactly been quiet releasing a pair of collaborative projects with Metro Boomin back in 2020 and Drake a few years later in 2022. What do you think of the trailer for 21 Savage’s upcoming biopic American Dream: The 21 Savage Story? Let us know in the comment section below.
It looks like 21 Savage has a pretty packed 2024 ahead of him: He appears to have a new album on the way, and yesterday (January 7), he teased a new movie, American Dream: The 21 Savage Story. Now, he’s shared the first trailer for the film.
The description of the YouTube video sheds light on the credits. The film is touted as starring 21 Savage, Donald Glover, and Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin, with “special appearances” from Natasha Lyonne, Druski, Gail Bean, Jabari Banks, Chad Lindberg, Victoria Pedretti, and Young Mazino.
The movie is directed by Stephen Glover, Jamal Olori, Fam Udeorji, and Luis Perez, and written by Olori and Glover. Tara Razavi and Fam Udeorji are credited as both producers and executive producers.
Check out the American Dream: The 21 Savage Story trailer above.
21 Savage has one of the more interesting backstories in hip-hop, so much so that it’s being made into a movie.
The rapper teased the project, a biopic called American Dream: The 21 Savage Story, on Instagram yesterday, January 7. He did so with a promotional image featuring himself, Donald Glover, and Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin, the latter two of whom will be playing Savage at different points in his life, it appears. The post was also co-authored by Glover’s Instagram account.
The image notes the movie is “coming soon.” The Epic Records and Slaughter Gang logos are on the poster, so they’re presumably involved in the production.
For now, that’s pretty much all there is to know about the movie. The poster includes a link to a website for the film, 21savage.americandream.com, but it does not appear to be active yet as of this post.
Meanwhile, aside from the movie, 21 Savage fans can also expect a new album in the near future. In December, Savage billboards started popping up in Atlanta, presumably in promotion of a new project. This came after a performance in the UK, during which he said, “London, I love y’all. I hope this ain’t my last time seeing y’all. And my album finna drop, so y’all get ready.”
There technically was a new Childish Gambino/Donald Glover project this year: an EP tied to his TV show Swarm, on which Glover wrote two songs and performed on one of them. As far as pure Gambino albums, though, the latest is 2020’s 3.15.20. Now, it looks like a new project could be coming next year.
Is Childish Gambino releasing a new album in 2024?
A TMZ interviewer caught up with Glover outside the Greenwich Hotel in New York and asked what’s coming up next from him. He said an album is on the way, so the interviewer asked when, and he replied, “Soon.”
In an interview from this past October, Glover was asked about new Gambino music and he responded, “I feel like it’ll be clear sooner rather than later. It’d be better for people to just tune in, I suppose. But I’m trying harder to not be cryptic. Tyler [The Creator] is always, like, ‘You’re so cryptic.’ But I’m like, ‘I’m really not.’ I just like suspense, I guess. I think it makes stuff better. But that’s just me.”
In a red-carpet interview from January, he also said, “I’m making music right now, I love it. I’m actually working, I’m in the studio. I’ve been bringing people in, like secret people, working on little things. But I just been, you know, making it for fun right now. But soon something will happen, I promise. Something will happen.”
So, is a new Gambino album coming in 2024? Well, he said “soon,” but he also said “soon” in January and that was nearly a year ago now. So, ultimately, time will tell.
Get ready for the return of Childish Gambino in 2024. TMZ caught up with the rapper and actor outside the Greenwich Hotel in New York City, who revealed that he had been working hard in the studio and be on the look out for new music “soon.”
This wasn’t the first time Gambino teased music, he gave a hint at the 2023 Golden Globes. When explaining his outfit before the show, the Atlanta producer wanted to be comfortable enough to sit in a chair for three hours. A sharp-shouldered jack over cream silk pajamas is what Yves Saint Laurent came up with for Glover. Another thing that stood out about Glover was his mustache! He is sporting it pretty thick these days.
The Feels Like Summer rapper was at the 80th Annual prestigious awards show hoping to win Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series for Atlanta. Unfortunately, he didn’t get the trophy Jeremy Allen White won for his role as Carmy in The Bear.
Since Atlanta came out, Donald Glover has taken a break from Childish Gambino. Can you blame him? The TV series has been regarded as one of the best shows of this generation! Atlanta has won Golden Globes, NAACP Image Awards, EMMY Awards, and the Writer’s Guild of America Awards. Although Donald Glover has been successful, Childish Gambino isn’t going away. While talking with Laverne Cox, she asked him about his music career, to which he responded that he is making music and still has a thing for it.
“I’m making music right now. I love it. I’m actually in the studio. I’ve been bringing people in, like secret people, working on little things. I’ve been just making it for fun right now. But soon something will happen. I promise.”
