21 Savage believes he has a lot of work to do to be considered Drake or J. Cole’s peer.
The Slaughter Gang artist detailed why he’s not on their level yet in an interview with Complex, which declared him the best rapper of 2022. 21 Savage mentioned Lil Baby, Young Thug and Travis Scott as examples of his actual peers.
“There’s just a difference, bro,” 21 Savage said when comparing himself to Drake and J. Cole. “That’s like years of work and a fanbase that is going to be there until they die, that’s different. I feel like I’m working to be on that level that they’re on, but I don’t feel like it’s the same. I feel I could do something corny, and I would lose a lot of what I got. That wouldn’t happen with them.”
He continued, “Drake could do whatever, Cole could do whatever, and their s### not going anywhere. I’m working toward that level for sure, but I don’t I’m there yet. I’m not saying I’m light-years behind. They’re more solidified, and I’m still building on what I got. But I could be wrong … It’s all about how the fans look at it.”
Last year, 21 Savage teamed up with Drake for the collaborative album Her Loss. The project debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
21 Savage enlisted J. Cole for the song “A Lot” on the 2018 album I Am > I Was. The two reconnected for a track titled “m y . l i f e” on J. Cole’s The Off-Season in 2021.