Without Warning (album)

On October 30, 2017, Epic Records announced Without Warning, along with the album's collaborators.{{cite web|url=http://www.complex.com/music/2017/10/21-savage-offset-metro-boomin-new-album|title=21 Savage, Offset, and Metro Boomin Drop Surprise Album 'Without Warning'|work=Complex|last=Espinoza|first=Joshua|date=October 30, 2017|access-date=October 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171031073904/http://www.complex.com/music/2017/10/21-savage-offset-metro-boomin-new-album|archive-date=October 31, 2017|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/offset-21-savage-and-metro-boomin-dropping-without-warning-album-tonight-news.39000.html|title=Offset, 21 Savage & Metro Boomin' Dropping "Without Warning" Album Tonight|work=HotNewHipHop|last=A.|first=Aron|date=October 30, 2017|access-date=October 31, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171031050055/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/offset-21-savage-and-metro-boomin-dropping-without-warning-album-tonight-news.39000.html|archive-date=October 31, 2017|url-status=live}}

"Ric Flair Drip" was serviced to rhythmic contemporary radio as the album's lead single on March 1, 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/offset-stunts-with-the-legend-himself-in-ric-flair-drip-video-new-video.43328.html|title=Offset Stunts With The Legend Himself In "Ric Flair Drip" Video|work=HotNewHipHop|last=Findlay|first=Mitch|date=March 1, 2018|access-date=August 18, 2020}}{{cite web|url=https://headlineplanet.com/home/2018/03/12/offset-metro-boomins-ric-flair-drip-makes-big-jump-hot-100/|title=Offset & Metro Boomin's "Ric Flair Drip" Makes Big Jump On Hot 100|publisher=Headline Planet|last=Cantor|first=Brian|date=March 12, 2018|access-date=October 8, 2020}} The song peaked at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/metro-boomin/chart-history/hsi/|title=Metro Boomin Chart History: Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|access-date=October 11, 2020}}

{{Album ratings

| ADM = 7.4/10{{cite web|url=http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/9033/21-Savage--Offset--Metro-Boomin-Without-Warning.aspx|title=Without Warning by 21 Savage / Offset / Metro Boomin reviews|publisher=AnyDecentMusic?|access-date=November 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171110114905/http://www.anydecentmusic.com/review/9033/21-Savage--Offset--Metro-Boomin-Without-Warning.aspx|archive-date=November 10, 2017|url-status=live}}

| MC = 78/100{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/without-warning/21-savage|title=Without Warning by 21 Savage Reviews and Tracks|publisher=Metacritic|access-date=November 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108203232/http://www.metacritic.com/music/without-warning/21-savage|archive-date=November 8, 2017|url-status=live}}

| rev1 = Consequence

| rev1score = B+{{cite web|url=https://consequenceofsound.net/2017/11/album-review-21-savage-offset-and-metro-boomin-without-warning/|title=21 Savage, Offset, and Metro Boomin – Without Warning|work=Consequence|last=Suarez|first=Gary|date=November 6, 2017|access-date=November 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107104329/https://consequenceofsound.net/2017/11/album-review-21-savage-offset-and-metro-boomin-without-warning/|archive-date=November 7, 2017|url-status=live}}

| rev2 = Exclaim!

| rev2score = 7/10{{cite web|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/21_savage_offset_metro_boomin-without_warning|title=21 Savage / Offset / Metro Boomin Without Warning|work=Exclaim!|last=Glaysher|first=Scott|date=November 7, 2017|access-date=November 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108030355/http://exclaim.ca/music/article/21_savage_offset_metro_boomin-without_warning|archive-date=November 8, 2017|url-status=live}}

| rev3 = HipHopDX

| rev3score = 2.8/5{{cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.3009/title.review-21-savage-offset-metro-boomins-without-warning-is-raw-as-in-uncooked|title=21 Savage, Offset, & Metro Boomin Without Warning Album Review|work=HipHopDX|last=Clark|first=Trent|date=November 7, 2017|access-date=November 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171108211116/https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.3009/title.review-21-savage-offset-metro-boomins-without-warning-is-raw-as-in-uncooked|archive-date=November 8, 2017|url-status=live}}

| rev4 = HotNewHipHop

| rev4score = 84%{{cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/21-savage-offset-and-metro-boomin-without-warning-review-news.39138.html|title=21 Savage, Offset & Metro Boomin "Without Warning" Review|work=HotNewHipHop|last=Lyons|first=Patrick|date=November 3, 2017|access-date=November 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171104020910/https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/21-savage-offset-and-metro-boomin-without-warning-review-news.39138.html|archive-date=November 4, 2017|url-status=live}}

| rev5 = Pitchfork

| rev5score = 8.0/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21-savage-offset-metro-boomin-without-warning/|title=21 Savage / Offset / Metro Boomin: Without Warning Album Review|work=Pitchfork|last=Pearce|first=Sheldon|date=November 3, 2017|access-date=November 3, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171103081606/https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21-savage-offset-metro-boomin-without-warning/|archive-date=November 3, 2017|url-status=live}}

| rev6 = Pretty Much Amazing

| rev6score = B+{{cite web|url=https://prettymuchamazing.com/reviews/metro-boomin-21-savage-gucci-mane|title=Reviews: Metro Boomin|work=Pretty Much Amazing|last=Gu|first=Marshall|date=November 15, 2017|access-date=November 16, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171116133734/https://prettymuchamazing.com/reviews/metro-boomin-21-savage-gucci-mane|archive-date=November 16, 2017|url-status=live}}

| rev7 = RapReviews

| rev7score = 6/10{{cite web|url=http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2017_12_withoutwarning.html|title=21 Savage x Offset x Metro Boomin :: Without Warning :: Slaughter Gang/Epic Records|work=RapReviews|last=Juon|first=Steve "Flash"|date=December 12, 2017|access-date=December 12, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213093211/http://www.rapreviews.com/archive/2017_12_withoutwarning.html|archive-date=December 13, 2017|url-status=live}}

| rev8 = Spectrum Culture

| rev8score = {{rating|3.25|5}}{{cite web|url=https://spectrumculture.com/2017/11/06/21-savageoffsetmetro-boomin-without-warning/|title=Savage/Offset/Metro Boomin: Without Warning|work=Spectrum Culture|last=Bromfield|first=Daniel|date=November 6, 2017|access-date=September 3, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903095852/https://spectrumculture.com/2017/11/06/21-savageoffsetmetro-boomin-without-warning/|archive-date=September 3, 2019|url-status=dead}}

| rev9 = XXL

| rev9score = 4/5{{cite web|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/reviews/2017/11/offset-21-savage-without-warning-review/|title=Offset and 21 Savage Find the Right Balance on 'Without Warning'|work=XXL|last=Gibbons|first=Chris|date=November 8, 2017|access-date=November 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109081340/http://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/reviews/2017/11/offset-21-savage-without-warning-review/|archive-date=November 9, 2017|url-status=live}}

}}

Without Warning was met with generally positive reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 78, based on nine reviews. Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.4 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.

Sheldon Pearce of Pitchfork praised the chemistry between the rappers, its Halloween aesthetic and Metro Boomin's production, stating: "It's short and cohesive, an enjoyable and uncomplicated 33 minutes of sheer exhilaration, filled with stings, itches, and cold chills. In one form or another, the collaboration comes as a surprise to all of us, arriving suddenly and carrying within the electricity and satisfaction of a good scare." Marshall Gu of Pretty Much Amazing said, "The best song comes early in "Ghostface Killers", with an excellent rapped chorus from Offset that's been running through my head since the tape dropped and Travis Scott sounding excellent as always even if he doesn't say much anything at all". Gary Suarez of Consequence said, "Where the Super Slimey too often felt like a requisite Xanax-blasted victory lap, one notably soft on hooks [...], Without Warning exudes vitality and menace". Online publication HotNewHipHop stated that Without Warning is "the rap equivalent of a slasher flick: gory, over-the-top, and a lot of fucking fun. Most of the horror vibe comes from Metro, who expertly throws in demented laughing, chainsaws, gunshots, wolf howls, creepy music boxes, and Rosemary's Baby-level haunting backing vocals as backing tracks to his instrumentals. And goddamn, those instrumentals. Big bells, eerie piano, reverby bass, and sci-fi synths set the tone, but the way he deploys them shows the most progress. There are no predictable build-ups, and the way he tailors the ins and outs of his beats to each rappers' flows and emphases is impeccable". Chris Gibbons of XXL said, "Without Warning is more than a Halloween novelty. Offset and 21 Savage turn their differences in delivery into an undeniable chemistry, while Metro Boomin's production gives the project a proper Halloween-inspired sound so their comparisons to classic villains like Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees aren't in vain".

Andrew Matson of Mass Appeal gave the album a favourable review, commenting: "It's a bit weird to joyfully toast an album that's so dark, and contains a lot of murder/guns talk. But what's most apparent here is two artists in love with their art, rapping from gangster/villain points of view. Both are experiencing crazy levels of success they might never have imagined, both are carving their own unique lanes through rap while staying true to their styles. It seems to have worked out naturally that they make music that can be extremely Halloween-ish, and that's the day we get Without Warning. What else can you say about why this project works? Sometimes shit lines up, and that's a beautiful thing."{{cite web|url=https://massappeal.com/21-savage-offset-metro-boomin-without-warning-review/|title=Everything Clicks on the Witchy 'Without Warning'|publisher=Mass Appeal|last=Matson|first=Andrew|date=October 31, 2017|access-date=November 5, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107015037/https://massappeal.com/21-savage-offset-metro-boomin-without-warning-review/|archive-date=November 7, 2017|url-status=dead}} In a mixed review, HipHopDX{{'}}s Trent Clark stated: "Like most projects that get recorded without the guise of a meticulous A&R, Without Warning{{'}}s billing never exceeds the expectations of any artist—rapper or producer—let alone offer a glimpse of what allows these individuals to rank amongst 2017 Hip Hop's most popular figures."

Without Warning debuted at number four on the US Billboard 200 with 53,000 album-equivalent units, 11,000 of which were pure album sales.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8023170/kenny-chesney-live-in-no-shoes-nation-billboard-200-no-1|title=Kenny Chesney's 'Live in No Shoes Nation' Is No. 1 on Billboard 200|magazine=Billboard|last=Caulfield|first=Keith|date=November 5, 2017|access-date=November 6, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171109191656/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8023170/kenny-chesney-live-in-no-shoes-nation-billboard-200-no-1|archive-date=November 9, 2017|url-status=live}} It is 21 Savage's second top 10 album, and Offset (as a solo artist) and Metro Boomin's first top 10 album. Six songs from the album managed to chart on the US Billboard Hot 100, led by "Ric Flair Drip", which peaked at number 13, becoming both Metro Boomin and Offset's highest charting song as lead artists.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/offset/chart-history/hsi/|title=Offset Chart History: Hot 100|magazine=Billboard|access-date=January 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190508004004/https://www.billboard.com/music/Offset/chart-history/hot-100|archive-date=May 8, 2019|url-status=live}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Without Warning track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 33:22

| title1 = Ghostface Killers

| note1 = featuring Travis Scott

| writer1 = {{hlist|Shéyaa Abraham-Joseph|Kiari Cephus|Leland Wayne|Jacques Webster II}}

| extra1 = Metro Boomin

| length1 = 4:28

| title2 = Rap Saved Me

| note2 = featuring Quavo

| writer2 = {{hlist|Abraham-Joseph|Cephus|Wayne|Quavious Marshall}}

| extra2 = Metro Boomin

| length2 = 4:17

| title3 = Ric Flair Drip

| note3 = performed by Offset and Metro Boomin

| writer3 = {{hlist|Cephus|Wayne|Bijan Amirkhani}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|Metro Boomin|Bijan Amir}}

| length3 = 2:52

| title4 = My Choppa Hate Niggas

| note4 = performed by 21 Savage and Metro Boomin

| writer4 = {{hlist|Abraham-Joseph|Wayne|Kevin Gomringer|Tim Gomringer}}

| extra4 = {{hlist|Metro Boomin|Cubeatz}}

| length4 = 2:28

| title5 = Nightmare

| note5 = performed by Offset and Metro Boomin

| writer5 = {{hlist|Cephus|Wayne}}

| extra5 = Metro Boomin

| length5 = 2:27

| title6 = Mad Stalkers

| writer6 = {{hlist|Abraham-Joseph|Cephus|Wayne|Andre Proctor}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|Metro Boomin|Dre Moon}}

| length6 = 3:22

| title7 = Disrespectful

| writer7 = {{hlist|Abraham-Joseph|Cephus|Wayne}}

| extra7 = Metro Boomin

| length7 = 2:40

| title8 = Run Up the Racks

| note8 = performed by 21 Savage and Metro Boomin

| writer8 = {{hlist|Abraham-Joseph|Wayne|Joshua Luellen}}

| extra8 = {{hlist|Metro Boomin|Southside}}

| length8 = 3:09

| title9 = Still Serving

| writer9 = {{hlist|Abraham-Joseph|Cephus|Wayne|K. Gomringer|T. Gomringer}}

| extra9 = {{hlist|Metro Boomin|Cubeatz}}

| length9 = 3:51

| title10 = Darth Vader

| writer10 = {{hlist|Abraham-Joseph|Cephus|Wayne}}

| extra10 = Metro Boomin

| length10 = 3:48

}}

Credits were adapted from Tidal.{{cite web|url=https://listen.tidal.com/album/80611906/credits|title=Credits / Without Warning / 21 Savage|publisher=Tidal|access-date=October 17, 2020}}

{{col-begin}}

{{col-2}}

Performers

• 21 Savage – primary artist (tracks 1, 2, 4, 6–10)
• Offset – primary artist (tracks 1–3, 5–7, 9, 10)
• Travis Scott – featured artist (track 1)
• Quavo – featured artist (track 2)

Technical

• Ethan Stevans – mixing engineer (all tracks)
• Joe LaPorta – mastering engineer (all tracks)

{{col-2}}

Production

• Metro Boomin – producer (all tracks), primary artist (all tracks)
• Bijan Amir – producer (track 3)
• Cubeatz – producer (tracks 4, 9)
• Dre Moon – producer (track 6)
• Southside – producer (track 8)

{{col-end}}

{{col-start}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-2}}

{{col-end}}

{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Without Warning}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Denmark|artist=21 Savage, Offset & Metro Boomin|title=Without Warning|award=Platinum|type=album|relyear=2017|certyear=2022|id=11547|access-date=August 10, 2022}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=21 Savage, Offset and Metro Boomin|title=Without Warning|award=Platinum|type=album|relyear=2017|certyear=2023|source=radioscope|access-date=December 21, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|artist=21 Savage, Offset & Metro Boomin|title=Without Warning|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2017|certyear=2024|access-date=April 17, 2024}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=21 Savage/Offse/Metro Boomin|title=Without Warning|award=Silver|type=album|relyear=2017|certyear=2025|access-date=February 4, 2025|id=20746-6128-2}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|noshipments=true|nosales=true|streaming=true}}

{{reflist|30em}}

{{21 Savage}}

{{Offset (rapper)}}

{{Metro Boomin}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2017 collaborative albums

Category:Metro Boomin albums

Category:Offset (rapper) albums

Category:Epic Records albums

Category:Motown albums

Category:Capitol Records albums

Category:Republic Records albums

Category:21 Savage albums

Category:Quality Control Music albums

Category:Albums produced by Metro Boomin

Category:Albums produced by Southside (record producer)

Category:Albums produced by Cubeatz

Category:Boominati Worldwide albums