Two years after his last album release, Metro Boomin has released arguably the best solo album of his career. “HEROES & VILLAINS” is Metro Boomin’s first album since “Savage Mode II” (2020), a collaboration with 21 Savage.
Leland Tyler Wayne, better known by his stage name Metro Boomin, was born Sep. 16, 1993, and raised in St. Louis. Wayne began his musical career in 2009 when he was 16. Though he is mainly known for his own music, Wayne has played a large role in many famous songs.
Notably, Metro Boomin has produced “Tuesday” by iLoveMakonnen and Drake, “Bad and Boujee” by Migos, “Congratulations” by Post Malone, “Mask Off” by Future and “Heartless” by The Weeknd.
After hearing the transition from the first song “On time” to the album’s second “Superhero,” this album was bound to be great. With bits and pieces of John Legend and Morgan Freeman in the first song, listeners hear a very grand opening leading into the rest of the album. The first minute and 45 seconds is an uplifting beat, and after Freeman adds, “If young Metro don’t trust you…you better run,” the song takes a turn from the “hero” part of the song into the villainous one.
Featuring samples from Homelander, a villainous “hero” from the show “The Boys,” the song takes a quick and seamless transition to the second song, “Superhero.”
Senior Aaron Ingram was appalled by this transition between tracks. “From ‘On Time’ to ‘Superhero,’ I got the tingles and felt like I was floating. It changed my perspective on the whole rap game,” Ingram shared.
This album does not dip into any risky beats, and Metro Boomin keeps his tracks somewhat underwhelming. It is a safe album, as none of the beats are that fast or ‘loud.’ However, this is to be expected, as Metro Boomin had a similar style in albums prior.
Metro Boomin also offered a lot of space for other artists on this album, especially Future and 21 Savage. Though these big-name rappers compliment the album nicely, the album feels like they have more of a contribution than they should, especially considering that the album is a solo album from Metro Boomin.
YouTuber and one of the most respected music reviewers, “theneedledrop,” formally known as Anthony Fantano, has 2.67 million subscribers and is an avid rap follower. “I do have to mention an issue right out of the gate here,” he said in his review of “Heroes and Villains,” “There’s a lot of real estate on this record given to Future and especially 21 Savage.”
“Heroes and Villains” also features Travis Scott, Don Toliver, The Weeknd, the late Takeoff and other rap artists. With much smaller roles, they add a very nice touch to the tracks they are featured on.
This album is multifaceted, with a song fit for every mood; whether you are in the gym, driving your car or just listening for fun in your room, you can always trust young Metro.
