21 Savage Faces Backlash After Claiming Nas Is Irrelevant

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2021 Soul Train Awards - Arrivals
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - NOVEMBER 20: 21 Savage attends The “2021 Soul Train Awards” Presented By BET at The Apollo Theater on November 20, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)
21 Savage sparks debate after his recent appearance on Clubhouse.

Just weeks after Akademiks called OG rappers dusty, 21 Savage has caused an uproar for his comments about Nas. In a recent Clubhouse conversation, The Atlanta rapper sparked serious debate surrounding Nas's relevance in hip-hop.

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 07: 21 Savage attends the Tom Ford AW20 Show at Milk Studios on February 07, 2020 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

At first, the conversation surrounded Nas' contributions to the culture. However, as the rapper and his cohorts discussed relevancy in the culture, the conversation led to controversial commentary on Nas's status in hip-hop. Though he's considered a titan with one of the strongest pen's in the history of the genre, the Her Loss rapper suggested that God's Son wasn't relevant.

"I don't feel like he's relevant," he said over the call. "I just feel like he got a loyal fan base. He still makes good music." The comment then prompted the co-host to ask 21 to define relevance. "Mostly connected or appropriate to what’s being done to be considered," he then said in response.

Though many began pushing back against what 21 was saying, another participant compared the reception to King's Disease III to Jay-Z's verse on "God Did." The Hov verse had the internet in shambles while Nas's King's Disease III didn't necessarily have the same impact. Nonetheless, the latest release from Nasir Jones proves that he's still a master of his craft with plenty of things to say, nearly 30 years after the release of his debut album, Illmatic.

Of course, one could argue that Southern bias is to blame for 21 Savage's comments or the fact that he's coming off of the highest-selling rap album of 2022, Her Loss. His new collaborative effort with Drake shot to the top of the Billboard 200 with 404K units -- an impressive feat for both the Toronto superstar and the Atlanta rapper.

Still, fans believe that 21 Savage might be gassed up due to the recent successes.

Another wrote, "21 Savage said Nas is irrelevant. It's funny because Nas at 49 years old just released 4 better quality albums than his whole discography. But it's even funnier when 21 Savage is being relevant exclusively thanks to Drake in the last year."

In addition to the previous tweets, check out a few more reactions below.

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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