The first and final main rap albums of 2025 each got here from Atlanta superstars. Lil Baby kicked off the 12 months with WHAM. Now, 21 Savage closes it along with his fourth studio album, What Happened to the Streets?
Unlike his 2024 standout American Dreamin’which carried a political undercurrent, 21’s new album feels decrease stakes. In some ways, it’s a standard 21 Savage document—pushed by his dead-serious supply over goth and trap-influenced, horror-movie-style manufacturing. Guest appearances are all the collaborators you come to count on: Young Nudy, Drake, Latto, and Metro Boomin.
But look nearer, and deeper concepts emerge. If there’s a central theme, it’s reflecting on the aftermath of the YSL trial. It’s not at all times specific, however 21 is clearly grappling with a metropolis and hip-hop scene that has fractured in recent times, with bickering amongst Young Thug, Gunna, Lil Baby, and others.
For the album’s cowl, 21 labored with UK-based Nigerian artist Slawn. The paintings references Kerry James Marshall’s A Portrait of the Artist as a Shadow of His Former Selfa title that doubles as commentary on Atlanta itself.
So what was 21 attempting to accomplish with this album? Does it maintain a candle to his final? Here are some preliminary takeaways from 21 Savage’s What Happened to the Streets?
“WHERE YOU FROM” Continues 21’s Streak of Great Opening Songs
“a lot.” “runnin.” “all of me.” 21 Savage’s opening tracks normally bang, and on What Happened to the Streets? he retains that custom alive with “WHERE YOU FROM,” one in all the strongest songs on the album.
Southside and Wheezy provide a sinister, ominous beat for Savage to speak his shit. Most of the observe is basic 21: he raps about rising up in Atlanta’s Zone 6, how a lot cash it could take for him to retire from rap—a cool $1 billion— and even threatens to break chronically-online rappers’ iPhones and MacBooks.
He additionally finds methods to contact on present occasions. He addresses the pressure between Metro Boomin and Drake, who each seem on the album. The feud naturally locations 21 in the center, however he stays impartial, rapping, “Pussy don’t ask me ’bout Metro or Drake / Play with it or get shot in the face.” —Antonio Johri
“CUP FULL” Most Clearly Exemplifies the Album’s Thematic Focus
Several tracks on the album open with monologues from fellow Atlanta artists. On “CUP FULL,” Young Thug takes middle stage, getting surprisingly introspective about the lack of emotional maturity he has at the moment. Thug says:
“I think the way we grew up, our childhood, our parents worried about way stronger things than those types of feelings. Those types of emotions, we don’t know how to cope with agony. We cope with bad things by doing drugs, sippin’ syrup, smoking weed, poppin’ Percs, doin’ ecstasy.”
In the verses, 21 Savage doesn’t comply with Thug’s introspective lead, sticking as an alternative to his typical themes, spitting traces like “Stick hit his ass in the arm, now that nigga got a cast on.”
But the refrain sees him wrestling extra thoughtfully and vividly, rapping “Back seat of the Phantom with a sawed-off / Pourin’ up syrup till I nod off.”
Beneath the braggadocio, 21 Savage highlights a way of life pushed to extremes, mirroring the dangerous coping mechanisms Thug described. —Antonio Johri
Drake and 21 Savage Connect Again…and it’s Not Their Best
Drake and 21 have grow to be surprising kindred spirits after a run of options and their 2022 joint album, Her Loss. “MR RECOUP” is perhaps their strangest collaboration but. The beat is the actual star: skeletal, with snapping drums, a sluggish, plodding Dr. Dre–model piano, and a twisted synth line.
The off-kilter beat dominates, and Drake and 21 don’t fairly discover the proper pocket, regardless of some first rate traces. Drizzy primarily focuses on name-dropping his upcoming mission, Icemanand calling himself “Mr. Recoup,” presumably referencing how he constantly recoups his label offers.
The observe isn’t dangerous, but it surely doesn’t attain the heights of songs on Her Loss. —Antonio Johri
Lil Baby and 21 Savage Both Went Crazy on “ATLANTA TEARS”
It’s no secret that Lil Baby and 21 Savage have had bad blood in the past. However, that seems to be mostly behind them. They’ve collaborated twice so far this year. Earlier, 21 appeared on Lil Baby’s WHAM standout, “Outfit”and their latest collaboration, “ATLANTA TEARS”is even better.
Both songs follow a similar structure, consisting mainly of two extended verses. The biggest difference is that the rapping and production on “ATLANTA TEARS” are more introspective. On this track, both artists deliver verse-of-the-year-worthy performances. Regardless of what Akademiks might sayit’s hard to call who has the better verse. 21 captures the album’s essence with lines like:
“If it wasn’t all my accolades and niggas makin’ rats cool/Lil’ boy, you know I would drench you/Internet nerds tryna tell us how the street feel.” —Dimas Sanfiorenzo
“I WISH” is Both Touching and Terrible at the Same Time
What are the rules on sampling an R. Kelly song? 21 Savage borrows heavily from “I Wish,” Kelly’s early-2000s tribute to his mother, using the beat and a version of the hook.
The song sounds a bit too schmaltzy to be fully effective, even though there are moments of strong rapping from 21. What’s interesting is that he doesn’t try to alter his style or force emotion into the track; the power comes from his straightforward, unemotional delivery and the vividness of his verses, where he reflects on alternative outcomes for some of his friends. At one point, he raps:
“PnB, we love you, wish you got that chicken to go
Can’t believe I seen Rich Homie Quan on a shirt
I wish Juice Wrld never even took that Perc.”
The Album is a Slight Step Down From ‘American Dream‘
At this level, you realize what you’re getting with a 21 Savage album: the supply, the manufacturing. There is consolation in staying in a groove and attacking, however we’re at the level the place 21 ought to begin exhibiting extra wrinkles.
What Happened to the Streets? seems like a step down from American Dreamwhich featured related 21 Savage prospers however with a better stage of sophistication. The first half of the album is particularly uneven. Tracks like “HA” and “POP IT,” a by-the-numbers duet with Latto, really feel too stale to stand out. (To be truthful, “DOG SHIT” with Glorilla demonstrates a lot stronger chemistry between the two.)
The second half of the album is the place issues decide up. There are fewer makes an attempt at industrial anthems, and most songs lean on soulful manufacturing, with highlights together with “ATLANTA TEARS,” (*21*) and “CODE OF HONOR.”
Even with these highs, that is finally, for higher or worse, a 21 Savage album. —Dimas Sanfiorenzo