Issa Grocery List: Every Reference to Food on 21 Savage's Issa Album

21 Savage is a man of few words, even fewer topics. Like most mainstream rappers in 2017, his songs tend to revolve around the modern day rapper’s delight: money, drugs, jewelry, and women. Of course, the only way to talk about these subjects with any sort of uniqueness is to discuss them in in a Tamarian-like language of punchlines and similes.  

On his latest release Issa Album 21 Savage uses food as a common reference point for many of these tropes. For a guy that makes “murder music,” he seems to have an affinity for common grocery store items to the point where it’s almost jarring. Issa a fantastically-produced album that’s full of bangers and exciting to listen to, but these lines stuck out like a sore thumb on first listen. I’ve compiled every food reference on the album here for your enjoyment.

#1

For those unaware, “cookie” refers to marijuana. A quality play on words and subversion of expectations by 21 here.

#2

Despite some criticism that Pringles aren’t produced or sold individually, this line acts as more of a reference to this common “dad joke” rhyme.

#3

An aggressive allusion to the fact that 21 Savage will unflinchingly shoot you in the head. Either that, or he’s a cartoonish high school bully dumping the nerd’s sodium-laden lunch in the cafeteria.

#4

A crass reference to fellatio. While I imagine “gumbo” is meant to be a clever reference to meat, I would personally find a comparison between my genitalia and the southern comfort food less than flattering.

#5

21 Savage is known for being a true street rapper with a troubled past. In contrast to many of his peers in the genre, his personality stems from experience while others tend to merely put up a facade of savagery.

#6

In one of the more braggadocious food-related similes on the record, 21 compares his style and essence to the freshest garnish in the kitchen: mint.

#7

A surprisingly-veiled and localized lyric referencing an Atlanta-based prison where 21 (presumably) consumed a great number of meals consisting of soup.

#8

I’m not even sure what this one means.

#9

A shoutout to this bakeware brand whose glassware is commonly used in cooking crack cocaine (or wrapping up leftovers.)

Thanks for reading

Shame, Shame, Shame

I’m going to pretend for a moment that I have dedicated readers or a following of any sort on here and say that I’m sorry. While I adored my last Taylor Swift-related post I didn’t mean for it to be my last. I never meant to take a month-long break, but it just sort of happened.

I’ve been working on a bunch of cool projects (which are all in various stages of completion) and working a freelance gig while I search for a job (all while still working my old retail gig on the weekends.) It’s a lot, to say the least, and I feel bad that this blog has fallen by the wayside.

I’ve got about 20 half-written articles and posts that I’m really stoked on, but I just haven’t found the time to carry them across the finish line. Some of them are now horribly outdated (song of the summer anyone?) but I’m still going to make an effort to post here more regularly, especially with the holidays upon us and all the traditions that brings.

So if you care, sorry. I’m still here cooking up cool stuff and writing a lot, but just not as much on this blog. I will have some stuff soon, but at this point, it’s more about time than anything else.

Love ya

Tims v Lays

I may not have many skills in life, but one thing I have honed over my 23 years of existence is a delicate palate for PB&J sandwiches. They’re one of the only things I know inside and out. One of the few things I truly understand. By proxy, I’ve also become dangerously knowledgeable about potato chips. I know the history, I know the facts, I can guess the nutritional information in a serving size down to 20 kcals. As a result, I can say with 100% certainty that Tim’s Cascade Style Potato Chips are objectively the pinnacle of the potato chip art form, and I will fight anyone that says otherwise. Reasons why they are good:

1. They salty as fuck

2. They crunchy as hell

3. They’re thick as shit

4. They taste really really good

You could put a bowl of Tim’s out at a motherfucking barbecue on the fourth of July and no one would bat an eye, that’s how good they are. And I know what you’re thinking in your whiny little voice “but Taylor, what about Kettle Brand Potato Chips?” To that, I say SHUT THE FUCK UP. Kettle Chips fell the fuck off. Aside from Sea Salt and Salt & Pepper they are the chip embodiment of trying too hard. Maple and Bacon? Gimmie a fucking break. They tried too hard to diversify and diluted their entire brand in the process. You know how many SKU’s Tims has? Fucking FOUR: Original, Sea Salt, Sour Cream, and Jalapeño. Stick with what you know guys, don’t try to put bacon in my potato chip.

As a quick aside, you may have noticed that I’m not talking about anything besides kettle chips, and that’s because I’m a chip racist. Everything besides kettle chips are less than. Lays are cheap, Pringles are a joke, and Cheetos are for children. So in case you’re wondering when I’ll bring up your “favorite chip” I won’t and you’re wrong.

Now onto the main event: within the last five years, big dog Lays had swung their weight around and elbowed their way into the Kettle game providing a much-needed shake-up to the industry. Since 2011 they’ve been doing surprisingly serviceable work, walking a fine line between just enough flavor variations and just the right quality. As a mega-corporation they obviously fall prey to many of the same pitfalls as Kettle, trying to diversify and even encouraging fans to think of wacky flavors but luckily their Kettle line has remained relatively pure. In 2014 Lays released a lattice cut variety within their Kettle Chip line and betrayed any bit of faith I had in them up until that point.

These chips are awful. There’s so much wasted potential: the lattice cut represents an ideal delivery system, allowing for salt and flavoring to sneak between the cracks and into the holes of the chip. It could have been perfect, but instead, we got an overly-crunchy and under-salted piece of absolute fuckshit. These chips are like eating sandpaper. Stiff sandpaper. It’s like having your mouth crammed full of tree bark and being told it’s birthday cake. They shred the inside of your mouth and don’t even reward you for your food-inflicted mutilation. It would almost be worth it if (after bearing through the horrific chewing experience) you were hit with a wave of salty goodness…or even flavor, but there is none to speak of. And sure, Tims are crunchy, but at least they don’t hurt to eat. These Lays commit the worst sin by being unpleasant to eat and unsatisfying to taste.

Lattice cut Lays are an abomination. They have slandered the good name of the kettle chip category and don’t even deserve to be called a snack food. These chips aren’t worth the recycled plastic they’re packaged in. They have no respect for the potato chip game. If Lays think that they can just waltz into this category and shit out whatever their team comes up with, THINK AGAIN. I won’t stand for this, and I won’t go down without a fight. Kettle chips are America’s pastime, and I won’t let you slander their good name. This is about more than chips, this is about freedom. About purity. Tim’s is fighting for wholesomeness, they stand for something. Stand for something, Lays. Make the world a better place. Don’t take the easy way out.