Back to the Future

Everything that’s old is new again eventually, and we are at the point where this 2000-2010s Atlanta vibe feels nostalgic, which is crazy. But that’s what Metro Boomin pulled together here in 2025. It may not be perfect or fully to my taste 100% of the time, but there are some songs to enjoy, and I can appreciate the vibe Metro Boomin successfully created!

As I mentioned, this brings us back to a specific sound era of popular Southern hip-hop from the 2000s to early 2010s. It has a fun, almost bubblegum sound that I didn’t personally love at the time, but I found moments to enjoy even as a hip-hop “purist” when I was younger. Now that I’m older and more open-minded about music and the genre, I can enjoy some of it even more. While it’s still not really my style, I appreciate the fun energy and vibes and always welcome a bit of that.

There’s a lot here that I think is fine, but I probably won’t come back to it. That said, there’s a solid handful of songs I do like and can see myself adding to my 2025 playlist. “Take Me Thru Dere,” “Clap,” “Slide,” “Make It Make Sense,” and “U Deserve” are all pretty good tracks. Young Dro is the standout, but that shouldn’t be a surprise if you’ve even heard “10 Piece Hot” from earlier this year. For me, this project feels a bit too long at 24 songs and 1 hour and 18 minutes; I think some condensing would have been beneficial.

This one’s tricky because it achieves the sound it’s going for, which is worth noting and deserving of some accolades. However, it’s a sound that kind of faded for a reason; it had its time, and I didn’t need a throwback to this era specifically. Personally, it doesn’t resonate with me much or have much staying power. Those who enjoyed this era and sound will probably appreciate it more, so keep that in mind. But there will be a chunk of people like me—or worse—who weren’t into this wave back then and probably won’t like it now either.

Standout Tracks: “Clap,” “Slide,” “U Deserve,” “Make It Make Sense”

Album Rating: 👑👑👑👑👑👑 (6/10)