Ball w/o You explained
"Ball w/o You" (pronounced "ball without you") is a song by British-American rapper 21 Savage from his second studio album I Am Greater than I Was (2018). It was produced by TM88.
Background and composition
"Ball w/o You" finds 21 Savage expressing his heartbreak from relationships,[1] stating he prefers loyalty over love;[2] in the first verse, he says, "I'd rather have loyalty than love / 'Cause love really don't mean jack / See love is just a feeling / You can love somebody and still stab them in the back".[3] He raps in a falsetto voice on the song.[4]
The song was speculated to be referencing model Amber Rose, the ex-girlfriend of 21 Savage, but Savage confirmed in an interview with The Breakfast Club that it was not about her.[5]
Critical reception
A.D. Amorosi of Variety regarded the song to be "soulfully inventive" and a moment in which I Am > I Was is "at its best and most dynamic."[6] Tom Breihan of Stereogum described 21 Savage's vocals as "a gloriously unlistenable sound even when it's smothered in Auto-Tune." Steve "Flash" Juon of RapReviews wrote, "It would need to be cleaned up for the radio a bit but TM88's work on 'Ball w/o You' is a sure fire hit."[7]
Music video
An official music video was released on April 29, 2019. Directed by Walu, it opens at a nightclub where 21 Savage's fictional ex-girlfriend drinking and taking selfies with her friends,[8] [9] [10] [11] [12] before drunkenly stumbling into the bathroom, where she passes out in a stall while trying to take pictures of herself and is kicking and screaming as security drags her out. Meanwhile, 21 Savage sits from the balcony of his lavish home with a new girlfriend by his side as he gazes into the skyline of Los Angeles.[13] His ex is next seen taking photos of herself in front of a large, lavish home and clear sky. The camera zooms out to show her on the curb with her packed bags.
Notes and References
- Web site: 21 Savage – 'I Am > I Was' review. Crack Magazine. Suarez. Gary. January 26, 2024. September 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917221028/https://crackmagazine.net/article/album-reviews/21-savage-i-am-i-was/. live.
- Web site: 21 Savage I Am > I Was Album Review. HipHopDX. Diep. Eric. December 23, 2018. January 26, 2024. September 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917221053/https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.3339/title.review-21-savage-shows-tremendous-growth-on-i-am-i-was. live.
- Web site: 21 Savage – I Am > I Was. Consequence. Pementel. Michael. December 25, 2018. January 26, 2024. September 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917221012/https://consequenceofsound.net/2018/12/album-review-21-savage-i-am-greater-than-i-was/. live.
- Web site: Breihan . Tom . 21 Savage Somehow Made A Good Album . . 26 January 2024 . January 2, 2019.
- Web site: 21 Savage On Evolving Through Loyalty, Loss, Fatherhood + New Music . . 26 January 2024 . December 21, 2018.
- Web site: Album Review: 21 Savage's 'i am > i was'. Variety. Amorosi. A. D.. December 21, 2018. January 26, 2024. September 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917221059/https://variety.com/2018/music/reviews/album-review-21-savages-i-am-i-was-1203095087/. live.
- Web site: 21 Savage :: I Am > I Was. RapReviews. Juon. Steve "Flash". January 15, 2019. January 26, 2024. September 17, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200917221105/http://www.rapreviews.com/2019/01/21-savage-i-am-i-was/. live.
- Web site: Alston . Trey . 21 Savage's Heartbreaking 'Ball W/O You' Video Shows The Cost Of Image Vs. Reality . https://web.archive.org/web/20220729172721/https://www.mtv.com/news/k18i91/21-savage-ball-without-you-video . dead . July 29, 2022 . . 27 January 2024 . April 29, 2019.
- Web site: Video: 21 Savage - 'ball w/o you' . . 27 January 2024 . April 29, 2019.
- Web site: Reed . Ryan . 21 Savage Moves on After Breakup in ‘Ball w/o You’ Video . . 27 January 2024 . April 29, 2019.
- Web site: Lamarre . Carl . 21 Savage Seeks Loyalty in ‘Ball W/O You’ Video: Watch . . 27 January 2024 . April 29, 2019.
- Web site: Williams . Aaron . 21 Savage’s Melacholy ‘Ball W/o You’ Video Thrashes Instagram Fakes . . 27 January 2024 . April 29, 2019.
- Web site: Hussein . Wandera . Watch 21 Savage’s “ball w/o you” music video . . 27 January 2024 . April 29, 2019.