21 Savage might scare you and that’s OK

“I think the fuck shit I’m on should be a movement,” 21 Savage spits on the track “Million Dollar Liq.” To the uninitiated, the line is a blunt but honest intro of sorts to the man currently leading Atlanta’s answer to Chicago’s drill music.

One look at the tall, lanky man from the eastside with a dagger (maybe a sword) tattooed on his forehead, and it’s understandable he scares the fuck out of some people. He’s a Blood, so naturally, he’s often seen wearing red. Oh, and he’s been shot more than a few times. His musical content, like his style, is menacing, raw, and downright frightening. Take the lyrics to his single “Red Opps” for instance, with a chorus that showcases the gritty street appeal that’s drawn sold-out shows in both Atlanta and New York.

“I just bought a pistol, it got 30 rounds in it/Pull up at your momma’s house and put some rounds in it/Wet a nigga block and watch them niggas drown in it/100-round drum, gun a nigga down with it.”

Other singles such as “Skrrt Skrrt,” “Dip Dip,” and “Air It Out” dive further into 21 Savage’s world, where the street life that left with him scars from being shot six times is something he more or less can’t escape. But thanks to 21 Savage’s breakout mixtapes The Slaughter Tape and Slaughter King, the rapper’s experiencing successes.

This summer, 21 Savage is hitting the road as one of the featured artists on the Parental Advisory Tour, along with headliners Lil Uzi Vert and Kodak Black. He’s also dropping his highly anticipated collaboration project with Metro Boomin titled Savage Mode.