21 Savage did a good job of avoiding a fight between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. He has ties to both Drizzy and Metro Boomin, but he manages to maintain both. A large part of 21’s success may stem from the fact that he didn’t record any diss. Or so we think. Drake spammed the Internet on August 6, dumping 100 gigabytes of unreleased material. One of the famous songs, “It’s Up”, featured 21 Savage taking a shot at an unknown rapper. Fans speculated that 21 was going after Kendrick Lamar, but the rapper’s manager quickly shut down the theory.
DJ Akademiks was the one who broke the news. It’s connected to Drake, so you know it has to go through Ak at some point. The streamer claimed that he was in contact with 21 Savage’s manager, who made it clear that the rapper did not despise K. Dot. “21 is not a disparagement to Kendrick,” the academicians asserted. The DJ even brought up the problematic lyrics to set the record straight. At first glance, it’s easy to see why fans believe 21 Savage is Lamar’s target. It mentions a rapper identifying as Tupac, something Lamar’s critics have cited in the past. The book also talks about a rapper who felt bigger than himself after getting a few hits. Lamar just had two No. 1 singles with “Like That” and “Not Like Us,” featuring Drake’s comments.
21 Savage Targets Rapper Who ‘Now Thinks He’s Pac’
“I don’t have a rap hat in my mouth. Did a few songs and think he’s hot right now,” 21 Savage raps. “Spank his ass, he thinks he’s a Parker now. In broad daylight, like he got shot down.” DJ Akademiks continued with the lyrics before sharing a text message from 21 manager Meezy. According to Meezy, these bars are for other people. “This was definitely not directed at Kendrick,” the manager reportedly texted. Ak later chimed in and pointed out that the diss didn’t make sense because Lamar had multiple hits.
21 Savage and Kendrick Lamar have worked together in the past, but the former has made it clear that he’s a good fit with Drake. 21 and Drizzy have had several hit songs and released a joint album together. The fact that “21 Savage” is one of Drake’s few new songs speaks volumes about how close they are. 21 even expressed hope that Drizzy and Metro Boomin would resolve their differences in the future. “Metro is my brother, Drake is my brother,” he said in May. “They’re going to figure it out eventually.”
About the author
Elias is the music writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined the site in 2024 and covers a wide range of topics including pop culture, movies, sports, and, of course, hip-hop. You can find him publishing for HNHH from Monday to Friday, especially coverage of new albums and singles. His favorite artists are Andre 3000, MF Doom, pre-808 Kanye West and Tyler, The Creator. He likes L.A. hip-hop, but not L.A. sports teams. The first album he bought was Will Smith’s “Big Willie Style,” which he thinks still sounds great.
…
