Atlanta’s Own: 21 Savage 🗡

Historically, Atlanta serves as the hometown to musically inclined superstars. Different backgrounds and styles separate the various artists within the Peach State. Shayaa Joseph, better known as 21 Savage is a rising star from the ninth ward of East Atlanta. With collaboration from the likes of Metro Boomin, 21 Savage created Savage Mode, his most popular project to date. The appeal of this rapper lies within quality beat production, street background and an Atlanta swag that differentiates the artist from fellow rappers. After a near encounter with death and two of his closest friends passing away 21 Savage wanted to try something new. He attributes his transition from the street to the booth to Metro Boomin, Zaytoven and Sonny Corey Uwaezuok, better known as Sonny Digital. 

Savage prides himself on his ability to earn his keep with or without the rap game. Prior to dropping his song, “Keep It 21,000” 21 laid the foundation for a successful run. By creating his own “Slaughter Gang” label, 21 has reaped much more of the benefits of rap stardom. Savage Mode (featuring Future) lets his crowd know from the start that 21 is, “Independent” and “Don’t need no advance.” By only dropping music at seldom, he has managed to keep fans patiently waiting for his next compilation of songs. Viral hit song, ‘Red Opps’ totaled 40 million views on YouTube and granted 21 Savage a spot on the XXL Freshman List. Amongst those chosen by XXL Mag, Savage made a viable claim for the top spot. 

The ‘Parental Advisory’ tour with 21 Savage and budding young artist Lil Uzi vert provided an outlet for each artist to gauge crowd reception and gain confidence toward their developing careers. 21 Savage and Drake joined forces for, ‘Sneakin’ on Drake’s new album, ‘More Life’ set to release later this month. This artist is a great example of how a hustle and grind mentality can pay off in any aspect of life. 21 Savage has came a long way from delivering his first mixtape with only a Macbook and a microphone. The reason why his buzz has skyrocketed is due to the fact that this artist speaks pure and realistically about his life and the diverse encounters he faces on a daily basis. 

Overall, this Atlanta native supplies the people with a genuine story. After being shot six times on his 21st birthday and experiencing the loss of his attacker and his best friend, Savage transformed his lifestyle. The musical efforts of 21 Savage has contributed a fresh perspective on the ‘Dirty South.’ Another major reason people flock to him is because he makes obtaining large sums of money seem effortless and makes his moves with strategic efficiency.