In terms of lyricism, 21 Savage ranks himself as the top wordsmith currently rapping out of Atlanta.
During an appearance on the DeepCut podcast, in which guests are interviewed while getting a haircut, the rapper was asked to list his top five Hip-Hop artists out of Atlanta.
Not lacking in confidence, the 32-year-old placed himself at the top of the board, while placing Dreamville rapper JID in the runner-up spot.
21 Savage attends the 2024 Time100 Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 25, 2024 in New York City.
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From there, he ranked Young Thug as the third best rapper out of the A, while rounding out the fourth and fifth spots with Lil Baby and Future respectively.
However, while 21 Savage deemed himself as Atlanta’s top spitter, bar-for-bar, “just off of lyrics,” he admitted that when it comes to overall artistry and creating hit records, he falls short of Future, who he feels is the best in that regard.
21 Savage is seen at the private screening of ‘Spiral’ for 21 Savage and friends on May 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.
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“Now, if it’s off of song-making, Pluto [Future] would be No. 1,” he said, qualifying his statement. “But just off of lyrics, yeah… I’m No. 1 off of lyrics.”
While 21 Savage’s assertion that he’s the best lyricist in Atlanta is a debatable topic, he’s certainly been one of the most improved rappers in all of Hip-Hop, as his skills as an emcee have blossomed in recent years.
British rapper 21 Savage performs on Palco Mundo as part of the Rock In Rio Festival at Cidade do Rock on September 13, 2024 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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His performance on Her Loss, his collaborative album with Drake, and his most recent solo release, American Dream, which dropped in January and debuted atop the Billboard 200 chart, have solidified the GRAMMY Award winner as one of the most respect rappers in his hometown.
Watch 21 Savage’s interview on the DeepCut podcast below.
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