From “No Flex Zone” to “Black Beatle,” it’s been clear Rae Sremmurd knows how to make hit songs. And, based on the quality of their previous albums it’s always a safe bet that their albums will contain some nice tunes. SR3MM is an addition to the “Sremmlife” series. This is a triple album which includes solo albums by Swae Lee & Slim Jxmmi. Swae’s album is titled Swaecation, while Slim Jxmmi’s is titled Jxmtro. Shortly after the success of their debut album, there were rumors about Swae Lee going solo. Many people who are familiar with their discography know Swae Lee is more of a singer and delivers most of the hooks. Slim Jxmmi is a rapper and he likes to spit, not sing. That’s what influenced the formation of solo albums. A better option than a split.
During their interview with Rolling Stone, they described their different solo album approaches. Swae Lee describes his as “crazy melodic.” Meanwhile, Slim Jxmmi said he “came out spraying” for his side of the project because he didn’t want to sing like Swae. When asked about their decision to gift fans solo projects and a joint Rae Sremmurd album, Jxmmi said, “We wanted to give y’all something different because it’s one side saying, ‘Man, this person should go solo,’ so why don’t we just end the argument and give it to you, and then give you Rae Sremmurd so you can see why we are Rae Sremmurd and who we are as individuals.” The two solo albums will be compared, but neither of the solo albums end up being better than their joint album.
SR3MM is the first side on this album and it is packed with a selection of star-studded features. From Juicy J, to Travis Scott and The Weeknd, fans should be eager to press play on each of these songs.
One thing every song on the Rae Sremmurd album has is great production. With beats from TM88, Mike Will Made It, Metro Boomin, and 30 Roc, amongst others, the quality of the production prevails. Some songs with remarkable beats are “Close,” “Bedtime Stories,” “Powerglide,” and “Buckets.” They’re also able to create amazing sounds with the aforementioned featured artists, like The Weeknd and Juicy J.
“Powerglide,” which is almost 6 minutes long, is one of the more riveting songs on this album as it leaves us wanting extra verses from Swae Lee and Slim Jxmmi. There are so many entrancing lines in each verse. On Jxmmi’s he says “Say her birthday late July, yeah, that means she a Leo/ Might just leave with me tonight, but that don’t mean she a freak ho.” On Swae’s he says: “Pedicure gang, get your fingernails did with no shame, flips that ass like heads or tails.” Juicy J brings exciting rhymes to this track with his verse. With the energy on this song, the boys could continue with the rhythm for five more minutes and we’d still be interested.
“T’d Up” is one more interesting song on this album. The quality in the Metro Boomin co-produced song prepares it for the charts. With the catchy chorus and smooth flow of lyricism, the power Swae and Slim present as a team remains top-notch. On “42” there is so much life as both artists are playful yet metaphorical with their lyrics. The Weeknd’s chorus on “Bedtime Stories” acts as a solid foundation for Swae Lee’s vocally engaging verse. With the lyrics on this track, Rae Sremmurd present two stories. Swae urges his girl by saying “Falling in love, not your worst nightmare” while Slim Jxmmi tries to escape falling in love.
However, on “Perplexing Pegasus” and “Up In My Cocina,” they struggle to find the perfect rhythm for the beats, making it sound middling.
The hitmakers deliver so many hooks on this album, preparing it for the airwaves and charts. On tracks that have simple choruses, they make up for it with lyrically and rhythmically strong verses. Rae Sremmurd have always created the best hits as a team, which is why SR3MM is another win for the duo.