Rae Sremmurd is a group I’m sure you’re familiar with if you’ve been reading my reviews: the Black Beatles themselves are back with their third full-length studio album, following up on 2016’s “SremmLife 2,” an album that I feel improved in many ways on the duo's solid debut album, 2015’s “SremmLife.” As mentioned, I myself really enjoyed both albums and have continued to come back to them regularly, so I was definitely anticipating this one.
Now, instead of talking about the group in detail in this intro here, I’m gonna give a quick disclaimer: as I said before, this is a triple album. Unlike previous long albums like Chris Brown’s “Heartbreak on a Full Moon,” an album that just happened to be two discs, this is three separate projects in one. Thus, I will introduce, assess and grade each project separately, before giving an overall rating at the end of the review (so yes, this entire review is #91 in my review history. I won’t treat the three sides as #91, #92 and #93).
SR3MM:
This is the meat of the album: “SremmLife 3” itself. To give a more proper introduction to the duo, Rae Sremmurd consists of brothers Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi, and they first broke out in 2015 with “SremmLife,” an album with viral hits like “No Flex Zone” and “No Type,” and they followed it up in 2016 with “SremmLife 2.” The boys had themselves a big 2017 as well, starting the year by seeing “Black Beatles” hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the seventh non-consecutive week (the track ended the year at #19 on the Year-End Hot 100, above songs like “Starboy” by The Weeknd, “Bodak Yellow” by Cardi B, and “1-800-273-8255” by Logic, Alessia Cara and Khalid, just to name a few). They followed that with the big single “Swang,” which peaked at #26 on the Hot 100 (and ended the year at #64 on the Year-End Hot 100 over a number of songs that had higher peaks), and after a few months of silence, they released a new single called “Perplexing Pegasus,” a song that I initially thought was just a standalone track, but low and behold, it made the cut on the final album. They then opened 2018 by giving us singles like “T’d Up,” “Powerglide,” and “CLOSE.”
Now, obviously, I mentioned that I’ve liked this group, probably a bit more than most have, and I was very much anticipating this record. My excitement was only increased when I heard those first few singles, particularly “Perplexing Pegasus,” which grew on me a lot, and “Powerglide,” which has continued to ring off for me even now. Of the three projects on this triple album, this is the one I’ve been looking forward to the most, for one because I’ve enjoyed those singles, but also because I think Swae and Jxmmi are best when they are together. Let’s see what the duo has to offer in the joint venture on the album.
Up In My Cocina: Swae Lee takes the lead on this track, one that honestly doesn’t really excite me all that much. Sure, Swae’s vocals are energetic and somewhat fun, but I feel like this song just has some very basic, nothing special production, and neither Swae nor Jxmmi’s verses really feel all that exciting. Honestly, this one feels a bit too derivative of some of the weaker cuts off of the first “SremmLife.” No, it’s not one of their worst songs ever, but it’s ultimately not as great as some of the singles from this album.
CLOSE (feat. Travis Scott): The most recent single the group released before the album, this is one that I’ve enjoyed a bit more than most. Sure, the fact that Swae Lee chooses to spell out the word “close” on the hook might be a bit clumsy, but I think it’s honestly kinda catchy and it’s got some neat, somewhat dark production. Swae also gives a pretty solid vocal performance on this one, Slim Jxmmi has some solid flow on his verse, and featured artist Travis Scott comes through with a decent verse, even if his vocals on this song don’t feel all that distinct. Still a really great track, though.
Bedtime Stories (feat. The Weeknd): Some time ago, Swae Lee posted a picture on Twitter of him and The Weeknd, and I said that I really wanted to see a Rae Sremmurd/Weeknd track. Rae Sremmurd opened for The Weeknd on Phase 1 of his “Starboy” tour, so a collaboration was only the next logical step. Well, my wish came true, and right from the start, I’m digging the very bright, piano-driven instrumentals. I don’t think The Weeknd’s hook is one of the best he’s ever made, but he does have some typically solid vocals for the short time he's there. Swae’s verses are not too bad, even if his crooning is as strong as Abel’s, and I think even Jxmmi outdoes him on the auto-crooning on this track. Overall, it’s not quite what I was hoping it would be, but it’s not a bad track and it might grow on me with a few listens.
Perplexing Pegasus: Admittedly, I didn’t think this track would make the album! With some of the things Swae Lee said about it in interviews, it sounded like the song was just a one-off single that the group released as opposed to an album single. Don’t get me wrong, though, I’m glad it ended up on the record because it’s definitely a really great track that’s grown on me a lot with repeat listens. Really cool production on the song, I like the somewhat dark but upbeat vibe of it, the hook is really catchy, and there are some pretty clever bars on this one. Definitely a track I’ve really grown to enjoy!
Buckets (Balling) (feat. Future): Slim Jxmmi handles the hook (and largely takes the lead) on this track, which I honestly think was for the worse because the hook on this cut is one of the weakest on the album. I’ve said it before that I’m fine with hooks that work on repetition, but this one just feels so bland, calling back a bit to “Unlock the Swag,” a track from the first “SremmLife” that I still don’t really like. Some cool things are going on instrumentally, and Future provides a surprisingly solid guest verse, but Jxmmi’s performance just feels really unenthusiastic and, if not for Swae’s pretty solid verse, this would be one of the weaker tracks on the album. As it is, it’s nothing all that special. Maybe it might need some repeat listens, though.
“42”: Swae Lee jumps back in the lead on this track, as the boys flex about how they’re able to shop in America and overseas because they’re just that good. They do that over some pretty loud, somewhat abrasive production, but there are still some cool things going on instrumentally, and I do like the hook on this one. My only real problem is that, while Swae and Jxmmi both have some fun on this track, it does feel like their flow can get a bit repetitive on here. It might grow on me with a few more listens, like a number of Rae Sremmurd tracks, though.
Powerglide (feat. Juicy J): A song I loved at first listen, this one is super bright and fun, and it pretty much embodies everything the group is: they make vibrant and fun turn-up music with some charismatic and energetic vocal performances. Swae Lee’s hook in particular is really catchy, Jxmmi's verse is very fun, and I also really dig Juicy J’s guest performance. I was kinda sad “Shake It Fast,” a song from “SremmLife 2” that also featured Juicy J, didn’t get the single push, so I’m glad this one got it and charted relatively well. It’s a really fun track, and it’s honestly one of my personal favorites from Rae Sremmurd.
Rock N Roll Hall of Fame: Unsurprisingly, this track right here is essentially a continuation of their megahit “Black Beatles.” This track has some really interesting, guitar-led production, making it feel even more like a continuation of “Black Beatles.” It’s a really bright track with a pretty catchy hook, some really fun auto-crooning from Swae Lee, and an equally fun performance from Slim Jxmmi. Is this track gonna be as great or culturally impactful as “Black Beatles?” Probably not, but it’s still an admittedly pretty enjoyable track overall.
T’d Up: With this final track on the first side of the record being produced by Metro Boomin, the group has now worked with what I consider the trifecta of big-name producers (obviously, Mike WiLL Made-It, but they worked with DJ Mustard on “Set the Roof,” and now they have Metro Boomin on a track). And while I wasn’t sure what to think of this single at first, it’s definitely grown on me with some repeat listens. It’s got a cool, somewhat dark vibe with a pretty catchy hook, and with some of the ad-libs and bars on this thing, it feels like a really cool throwback to some of the stuff on the first “SremmLife” album. Definitely a really cool track, and a solid end to this side of the album.
Overall, the joint side of “SR3MM” honestly feels very underwhelming and, if it was released on its own, might honestly be Rae Sremmurd’s weakest project to date. This side of the project does feature some of the group's best singles yet with songs like “Perplexing Pegasus” and “Powerglide,” but admittedly, I feel like the two couldn’t really come through on some of the non-singles with this album. In fact, I’d say that some of the non-singles actually feel a bit reminiscent of some of the weaker cuts off of the first “SremmLife.” Sure, the boys provide some more fun performances every once in a while, and some of the tracks have decent production, but I feel like they definitely took a step backward from “SremmLife 2” and didn’t really come through beyond the singles.
Favorite tracks: CLOSE, Perplexing Pegasus, Powerglide, Rock N Roll Hall of Fame, T’d Up
Least favorite tracks: Up in My Cocina
Rating: Okay
SWAECATION:
Swae Lee is the younger of the two brothers, and he’s had far more love out of the two in regard to solo work. Ever since “SremmLife 2” (hell, possibly even earlier than that), critics have been talking about Swae’s potential as a solo artist and they praised his performances on “SremmLife 2” (for good reason, too). He used that success to grab some decent features with several big artists, like “Sativa” with Jhené Aiko, “Don’t Judge Me” with Ty Dolla $ign and Future, “The Ways” with Khalid on the Black Panther soundtrack, and “Spoil My Night” with Post Malone, though none of his solo appearances have been bigger than “Unforgettable” with French Montana, a track that peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and ended the year at #15 on the Year-End Hot 100.
Personally, I’ve always found Swae to be the more interesting of the two (no disrespect to Jxmmi, I’ve just always dug Swae the most). I like his more melodic, auto-crooning throughout his songs, and I’ve found that he brings a rather interesting, R&B-flavored edge that Jxmmi doesn’t really match. And on top of that, I’ve again really liked this first few singles, “Hurt to Look” and “Guatemala,” so I’m going into this side of the album pretty excited. Let’s see if he delivers!
Touchscreen Navigation: A pretty slow but nonetheless danceable track, Swae makes his presence in the tropical/R&B side of things instantly felt with this one. Sure, some of his jumps into his falsetto felt a little “meh,” especially if you’re one of the critics that didn’t like “Swang” (don’t worry, it’s not on that level if you didn’t like that song), but his auto-crooning remains pretty solid, and the track has a good vibe to it. It’s a bit short, but it’s a really neat track and a good start to this side of the record.
Heartbreak in Encino Hills: A song describing Swae’s heartbreak over a girl that only wanted him for his money and his cars, I’m already really digging the vibe of this one, as the track features a very laid-back beat with some pretty cool guitar strumming. It’s easy to get into, it’s got a pretty catchy hook, and I again dig Swae’s autotune-assisted vocals on this one. It’s really easy to get into and nod your head along to, and I think I’ll definitely come back to this one in the future!
Heat of the Moment: Swae takes things a bit more uptempo on this track, one that features a very bright sound and a danceable drum beat. There also appear to be some flutes that compliment the track nicely, and Swae’s more lowkey vocals on this cut are quite nice. If you’re one of the people that aren’t quite fond of his falsetto, you won’t have to worry about that here because he stays away from it. Even so, he brings more good vibes on this track, and he crafts another very nice song here.
Offshore (feat. Young Thug): Young Thug, who previously collaborated with Rae Sremmurd on “Throw Sum Mo,” joins in here with an intro that tries to be emotional but comes off as a bit silly. Fortunately, Swae’s crooning on the hook remains solid, even if the track itself is a bit too empty-spacey at times. There’s still a cool bright sound to this and a really fun, 808-driven drum beat, although I could do without Young Thug’s vocals on this one. They just feel kinda silly and, even though he’s got some solid flow, I feel like he tries to sound a bit more emotional here, but to not as much success. Not a terrible track, but I personally feel it would’ve been better without Young Thug.
Guatemala: Swae Lee described this as a sequel to “Unforgettable,” and regardless of whether it’s looked at like that, or as a song on its own, it’s a song I really dig. It’s very easily danceable, I like the hook a lot on this one, and the beat is very catchy and vibrant. Swae’s autotuned singing also remains pretty charming, and while Slim Jxmmi’s singing doesn’t have the same charm as Swae’s, at least he tries to make it interesting. I really liked this track a lot, it’s got a really cool tropical vibe and it’s definitely replay-button-worthy!
Lost Angels: This track starts off sounding more sinister than many of the other cuts here, and even when it kicks in, it keeps the pretty dark feeling going; from the instrumentals to the filters placed on Swae’s vocals, it just feels more downbeat in comparison to other Rae Sremmurd/Swae Lee tracks. Still, it’s got a really cool vibe to it, and despite the dark feel, it’s also a pretty danceable, head-noddy song! Enjoyed this quite a bit!
Hurt to Look: The first single from the album, I really enjoyed this one after some repeat listens. It’s got a really catchy hook and, while I wasn’t initially big on the beat of this one, I do like the tropical R&B vibe that this song provides. Swae’s established himself before as a solid auto-crooner, and he continues to provide solid vocals on this song right here. It wasn’t my favorite when it was released alongside “Powerglide” and “Brxnks Truck,” but it’s definitely grown on me with repeat listens and it’s an enjoyable single.
Red Wine: Moving back to the more downbeat feel on this one, Swae once again takes things slower on this one, giving us a track with some very moody, ethereal production, and some pretty sad-sounding vocals as well. It’s got a good feel to it, and even though it ends relatively quickly compared to previous tracks, it’s one I find myself really digging. Maybe it’s because I like these kinds of moody, sad-sounding tracks, but Swae does a pretty good job of making this one interesting.
What’s In Your Heart?: Ending things off, we have a guitar-driven track with a more booming drum beat that feels far more danceable after the last few more moody, sad tracks. I find myself really gravitating to the hook on this one, and I once again dig the very ethereal feel of the song. I found myself head-nodding along to the beat of this one, and I found myself enjoying Swae’s vocals once again on this one. Very solid, emotional end to this side of the album.
Overall, I feel like I might end up in the minority here, but I found the “Swaecation” side of the record to be really great. A lot of it is very downbeat and slow, and some people may not dig it all that much, but I think Swae makes it interesting with some solid autotune-assisted crooning and interestingly moody production. A lot of what’s here is more chilled-out and downbeat in comparison to previous Rae Sremmurd tracks, but I think Swae makes it work. The R&B angle works pretty well for him here, and it feels pretty interesting for him in contrast to the previous side of the record. It’s not gonna be for everyone, but I dig it quite a bit.
Favorite tracks: Touchscreen Navigation, Heartbreak in Encino Hills, Heat of the Moment, Guatemala, Lost Angels, Hurt to Look, Red Wine, What’s In Your Heart?
Least favorite tracks: Offshore
Rating: Excellent
JXMTRO:
Slim Jxmmi is the older brother of the two, and while he hasn’t had the same chart success as his younger brother, Jxmmi does have a few rather prominent features. He’s made appearances on the latest albums from Gucci Mane and Juicy J, and while this won’t really add to his résumé, he was literally the only good thing about Jake Paul’s horrendous “Litmas” EP. He definitely deserved better than to be on that garbage. Still, while Jxmmi hasn’t had the prominence of his brother, and while I personally have found Swae more interesting, Jxmmi has proven before that his technical rapping skills are sharp, and he’s had some solid early singles so far like “Brxnks Truck,” so I’m still interested in seeing what he’s doing. Let’s find out, shall we?
Brxnks Truck: When this track first came out alongside “Hurt to Look” and “Powerglide,” I thought it would be the track I'd end up liking the least out of the three. As it turned out, I was really digging it right from my first listen: as I said earlier, Jxmmi’s technicality as a rapper and his flow are solid, and he shows that here. The hook is also admittedly pretty catchy, and I think Jxmmi comes through with some rather clever lines on this track. It’s a bit short, yes, but I definitely enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would.
Players Club: A sinister-sounding, piano-driven track, Jxmmi comes through with a few pretty clever bars on here, and his flow as a whole is still pretty solid, but I think the track as a whole just feels pretty standard. It doesn’t really do a lot to establish itself as anything extremely special, and at just over 2 minutes, it does feel like it ends almost as soon as it started. Definitely not a terrible track, but I feel like I’ve heard better out of Jxmmi.
Anti-Social Smokers Club (feat. Zoë Kravitz): A more fast-paced track compared to the last one, I like the pretty bright production on this one, but I’m not really all that interested in Jxmmi’s more scattered, less focused flow here. Sure, he’s got a few clever lines, but his flow just doesn’t interest me as much. Zoë Kravitz is also featured on this track, and she does have some solid flow and confidence in her performance here. Decent track, even if it’s a bit problematic.
Chanel (feat. Swae Lee and Pharrell): One of the final singles released in the lead-up to this massive album, I actually like the hook on this one a little bit; it’s honestly pretty catchy and energetic. My big issue with the track is that said hook goes on a bit too long, and Jxmmi just sticks to the same flow throughout the song, which makes it feel too repetitive too fast. I did dig Swae Lee’s guest verse, though I feel like Pharrell’s vocals on his verse can be a little grating, specifically when he jumps into his falsetto. Not a terrible track, it’s just a bit too repetitive.
Cap (feat. Trouble): A somewhat darker-sounding track about how people “cap” (an Atlanta slang term for lying), I actually don’t really mind Jxmmi’s hook on this one, and even though he follows the same flow throughout the track, I feel like he provides a solidly charismatic and interesting vocal performance on this one. Trouble also flies in for a quick verse, and while it’s not the greatest thing I’ve heard, he definitely proves to be a pretty capable performer. Pretty good track overall.
Changed Up: A track where Jxmmi talks about how much he’s changed since coming up and making it big as an artist, I dig Jxmmi’s hook on this one, and I like his pretty confident, energetic vocal performance as well. Sure, he doesn’t add many variations to his flow but said flow does mesh nicely with the instrumental on this one, and the track ends up being one of the better ones on this side of the project.
Keep God First: Jxmmi, honest question, how are you gonna make a song about flexing while also saying that “God comes first?” Asking for a friend. Either way, it is strange that he says that “God comes first,” but then says that his squad and family come first. Which one is it, Jxmmi? And while I like the beat on this one, I feel like Jxmmi’s attempt to sing rap on this track is not really all that interesting. His flow is kinda bouncy and fun, but I feel like he doesn’t have the vocal chops to make that kind of sing-y feel as interesting as Swae, unfortunately. Still, there are some good moments on this track, it’s just that there are also several flawed moments.
Juggling Biddies (feat. Riff 3X): A very loud, bright track, Jxmmi comes through on this track with some pretty decent flow, matching well with the upbeat feel of the song and the loud beat, but I feel like he could’ve spent a little more time polishing up the hook. Riff 3X also comes in on the track and, while his verse is nothing too bad, it’s not special enough to save the cut. I once again feel like it had some potential, but it’s too flawed to work. Not one of his worst, but not one of his best.
Growed Up: Ending things off, Jxmmi samples “Show Me a Good Time” by Drake and talks about how he’s “grown up,” though given how this side of the album has gone so far, I’m gonna dispute that "growing up" thing right now. Still, I actually dig this track a bit. Sure, the autotune filters can make his words a bit indecipherable at times, but I do think he has some solid flow on his verses, and the bright production and very catchy hook make this one worthwhile. Didn’t save the “JXMTRO,” but it’s a nice end to this side of the record.
Overall, the “JXMTRO” side of this album is easily the weakest side of "SR3MM." With Jxmmi not having the R&B vibes or autotune-crooning chops of his brother Swae, this side of the record lived and died with Jxmmi’s technical rapping flow and bars. And while he does spit a few clever lyrics here and there, it unfortunately feels like he hasn’t cleaned things up enough with these songs. He’s instead resorting to repeating himself, sticking to the same flow, and struggling to replicate his brother’s success in creating hooks. What’s more disappointing is that this was the side the album ended off on, too. This should’ve been the starting side of the album, but alas, it’s where we end off, and that’s disappointing. Jxmmi clearly has solid technicality as a rapper, and he’s shown that on past albums, but it’s unfortunately just not on display here.
Favorite tracks: Brxnks Truck, Cap, Changed Up, Growed Up
Least favorite tracks: Players Club
Rating: Bad
THE FINAL VERDICT:
Overall, “SR3MM” as a whole is a pretty disappointing record, though I should’ve seen that coming. With all the delays, different things we were hearing about it from different sides (check out some interviews, it feels like not even Swae and Jxmmi had the same idea about what was going on with this thing), and the fact that it was gonna be a triple album (with some confusing explanations as to why Swae was featured on a Jxmmi track and vice versa), there was always that small feeling that the album was gonna end up being less than stellar, even after the singles were pretty good. And unfortunately, it is: Jxmmi’s side of the project feels weak and repetitive, and while Swae’s side is VERY enjoyable, I find myself most disappointed that the joint side of the record, the main course of the project, “SremmLife 3” itself is pretty bland outside of its singles. Sure, there are highlights on each side, and some of the tracks like “Perplexing Pegasus” and “Powerglide” will definitely stick with me long into the future, but it feels like the rest of the album doesn’t live up to those singles. It’s no “Culture 2” or “Lil Boat 2,” and it’s better than most “overlong streaming-bomb trap rap” albums deserve to be, but it’s definitely a huge step back from “SremmLife 2.”
Sorry, boys.
Overall rating: Okay
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