| "Ball w/o You" | |
|---|---|
| Song by 21 Savage | |
| from the album I Am Greater than I Was | |
| Released | December 21, 2018 |
| Length | 3:15 |
| Label |
|
| Songwriter(s) |
|
| Producer(s) | TM88 |
| Music video | |
| "Ball w/o You" on YouTube | |
"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, stating he prefers loyalty over love; 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". He raps in a falsetto voice on the song.
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.
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." 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."
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, 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. 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.
Charts
| Chart (2019) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (Billboard) | 1 |
| US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard) | 41 |
Certifications
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil) | Platinum | 40,000 |
| Canada (Music Canada) | 3× Platinum | 240,000 |
| New Zealand (RMNZ) | Platinum | 30,000 |
| Poland (ZPAV) | Gold | 25,000 |
| United Kingdom (BPI) | Gold | 400,000 |
| United States (RIAA) | 4× Platinum | 4,000,000 |
|
Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. | ||
References
- Suarez, Gary. "21 Savage – 'I Am > I Was' review". Crack Magazine. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- Diep, Eric (December 23, 2018). "21 Savage I Am > I Was Album Review". HipHopDX. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- Pementel, Michael (December 25, 2018). "21 Savage – I Am > I Was". Consequence. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ Breihan, Tom (January 2, 2019). "21 Savage Somehow Made A Good Album". Stereogum. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- "21 Savage On Evolving Through Loyalty, Loss, Fatherhood + New Music". YouTube. December 21, 2018. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- Amorosi, A. D. (December 21, 2018). "Album Review: 21 Savage's 'i am > i was'". Variety. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- Juon, Steve "Flash" (January 15, 2019). "21 Savage :: I Am > I Was". RapReviews. Archived from the original on September 17, 2020. Retrieved January 26, 2024.
- ^ Alston, Trey (April 29, 2019). "21 Savage's Heartbreaking 'Ball W/O You' Video Shows The Cost Of Image Vs. Reality". MTV News. Archived from the original on July 29, 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ "Video: 21 Savage - 'ball w/o you'". Rap-Up. April 29, 2019. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ Reed, Ryan (April 29, 2019). "21 Savage Moves on After Breakup in 'Ball w/o You' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ Lamarre, Carl (April 29, 2019). "21 Savage Seeks Loyalty in 'Ball W/O You' Video: Watch". Billboard. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ Williams, Aaron (April 29, 2019). "21 Savage's Melacholy 'Ball W/o You' Video Thrashes Instagram Fakes". Uproxx. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- Hussein, Wandera (April 29, 2019). "Watch 21 Savage's "ball w/o you" music video". The Fader. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- "21 Savage Chart History (Bubbling Under Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- "21 Savage Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- "Brazilian single certifications – 21 Savage – Ball w/o You" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved July 21, 2024.
- "Canadian single certifications – 21 Savage – Ball w/o You". Music Canada. Retrieved December 21, 2024.
- "New Zealand single certifications – 21 Savage – Ball w/o You". Radioscope. Retrieved December 21, 2024. Type Ball w/o You in the "Search:" field.
- "OLiS - oficjalna lista wyróżnień" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved August 28, 2024. Click "TYTUŁ" and enter Ball w/o You in the search box.
- "British single certifications – 21 Savage – Ball W/O You". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved November 8, 2024.
- "American single certifications – 21 Savage – Ball w/o You". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved December 10, 2024.