Rae Sremmurd – 'Sr3mm' Review

The first major hits from Rae Sremmurd were seen as flashes in the pan. After “No Flex Zone” and “No Type,” the consensus was that they would never be able to top their breakout hits. Instantly, critics started counting the duo’s fifteen minutes of fame.

But then they cooked up their first album: SremmLife. A year later, they got even louder with “Black Beatles” and SremmLife 2. Meanwhile, the haters got quieter…

Quieter, but not dead silent. The duo was counted out already, so what would be their next hurdle to jump over? How about rumors of a break-up and a push for a Swae Lee solo career?

Instead, they're leaps and bounds above everyone’s expectations. Sr3mm (also called SremmLife 3) is an ambitious triple disc album. With their latest effort, fans and haters can enjoy whomever they prefer, or rejoice in what both members bring to the table.

Sr3mm, Swaecation, and Jxmtro each contain nine songs and executive production from the group’s go-to producer, Mike Will Made It. It boasts features from Zoe Kravitz, Pharrell Williams, The Weeknd, Juicy J, and more.

As a duo, Rae Sremmurd is better than ever. They’re grimey and braggadocious on the album’s intro, “Up In My Cocina.” They yearn for privacy on “Close,” and they can’t resist drippin’ in foreign fabrics on “42.”

Yet on their quest to secure quantity and quality, SremmLife 3 forgets that brevity can be just as effective. “Powerglide” is a banger but at over five minutes long, it quickly becomes daunting to listen to. To their detriment, this fatigue negates Juicy J’s performance. “Buckets” and “Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame” suffer from the same dilemma.

Interestingly enough, Swaecation and Jxmtro are compelling solo ventures. Their solo cuts are slightly more captivating than what they delivered together. Swae Lee doubles down on the catchy pop crooning that made hits like “Unforgettable” so enticing. He’s not a pure singer, but he has a knack for delivering melodic ear-worms. Swaecation is sure to serenade the clubs this summer.

On the other hand, Jxmtro is rowdy and confrontational. Slim Jxmmy is intent on rapping his face off and shunning the haters. Pick your poison — there're more than enough bangers to pull up in traffic to. “Chanel” stands out, but “Anti-Social Smokers Club” is a gritty anthem with a quirky feature from Zoe Kravitz, which deserves nothing but fire emojis.

Still, Slim Jxmmy might receive the short end of the stick either way. Although he’s proven himself, people will continue to insist that Swae Lee has more star power. It’s as if Slim Jxmmy is a sidekick and not an equal.

Essentials

• “Bedtime Stories” ft. The Weeknd
• “Close” ft. Travis Scott
• “T’d Up”
• “42”
• “Offshore” ft. Young Thug
• “Guatemala”
• “Touchscreen Navigation”
• “Hurt To Look”
• “Chanel” ft. Swae Lee & Pharrell
• “Changed Up”
• “Brxnks Truck”
• “Anti-social Smokers Club ft. Zoe Kravitz

The Verdict

If you didn’t get the message before, you will now: Rae Sremmurd is here to party as their competition rots, and to dominate the charts. Years ago they were slated to be “one hit wonders,” but their latest body of work reaps vengeance on the naysayers. Swae Lee wasn’t lying about having “10 unforgettables”; and Slim Jxmmi proves that he isn’t a sidekick, but a full-fledged star who can deliver on his own as well as with his counterpart.

Rae Sremmurd’s ambitious triple-disc effort is their best body of work thus far, and solidifies them as pop-rap juggernauts. Sr3mm is a B+.