We used to get albums like this all the time. Maybe we took them for granted. Rap’s entrenched A-list has really been struggling lately, putting out underwhelming connect-the-dots records and failing to make hits as the pop charts seemingly turn in other directions. There are lots of reasons for that gradual shift, and one of them is that those A-listers just aren’t making satisfying big-budget mainstream street-rap albums anymore. But 21 Savage has surprisingly become one of the most consistent stars of his rap generation, and he’s back to show us how to do this shit.
Earlier this week, 21 Savage announced plans to follow his 2024 album american dream with a new one called What Happened To The Streets? (Unfortunately, that title has nothing to do with Savage’s fellow UK rap legend Mike Skinner.) Savage didn’t release any advance singles or reveal the tracklist or the guests ahead of time. That abbreviated rollout, combined with the provocative title and cover art, seemed to imply that Savage was going to try to make some big artistic statement with this one. That’s not really what this is, though. Instead, Savage just made a good rap album.
On What Happened To The Streets, 21 Savage mostly just does 21 Savage things, and he does them very well. He picks a bunch of huge, eerie, rumbling beats, and he calmly tells you that he’s cooler and scarier than you. I’d advise you to proceed directly to track two, which is called “Ha” but which has nothing to do with Juvenile. I had that playing in my headphones when I walked my dogs this morning, and I just about levitated.
As you might expect, a bunch of famous people are along for the ride on the new LP. On “Mr Recoup,” Savage outshines Drake for the umpteenth time. Other guests include Latto, Lil Baby, Savage’s cousin Young Nudy, and an on-fire GloRilla. The production credits include usual suspects like Metro Boomin, Zaytoven, Wheezy. Southside, D.A. Got That Dope, and SadPony. Savage says some wild shit on this one: “My opps too poor, we shootin’ at the bus,” “she’s so fine I got her pregnant off my pre-cum.”
The record isn’t too long, but it’s still front-loaded. On the last few songs, Savage turns toward soul-sampling introspection, and he’s not very good at that. Closing track “I Wish” is built on a sample of the R. Kelly song of the same title, and that’s a terrible decision on pretty much every level. Avoid that track like it’s radioactive. But the first nine or so songs on this one are golden. Hear the record below.
What Happened To The Streets? is out now on Slaughter Gang/Epic/Sony. In other 21 Savage news, the rapper just did a three-hour video interview with Big Bank. As Complex notes, there’s a point where Savage talks about his friend Drake’s feud with Kendrick Lamar and says that he tried to tell Drake to stay out of it: “I told that n***a not to even do that shit anyway. I told that n***a to leave that shit alone. But goddamn, he felt like he was being challenged lyrically, so he wanted to respond.”
21 Savage says he told Drake not to respond to Kendrick Lamar ?
“I told that n**** leave that sh*t alone… he felt like he was being challenged lyrically so he wanted to respond.” pic.twitter.com/6TsD4ABxKv
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) December 12, 2025
Later on, Savage says that the feud put Drake in a no-win situation: “They wanna tear the top n***as down! So how can you win a battle when n***as want you to lose it? Even if you win, you lose!… It’s rigged, man. Even if Drake won, he would’ve been the bad guy for winning.” He basically also says that Drake can’t rap like Kendrick.
21 Savage shares his thoughts on the Drake & Kendrick Lamar beef ?
“Even if Drake won, he would’ve still been the bad guy for winning.”
(Via Perspektives With Bank) pic.twitter.com/I4lTGsmvp3
— HotNewHipHop (@HotNewHipHop) December 12, 2025
Here’s the full interview:
Anyway, fuck all that, back to What Happened To The Streets?: I didn’t mention one important guest on the record: G Herbo, whose Lil Herb made our list of the year’s best rap albums and who does strong work on “Code Of Honor.” As it happens, Herbo is on another big rap record out today: You Can’t Kill God With Bullets, the latest from Conway The Machine. That’s some impressive dexterity! On Conway’s “Nu Devils,” Herbo says, “On my strip, we militant/ Post up like Darko Miličić.” That’s easily the second-best Darko Miličić lyrical reference in a 2025 rap song.
You Can’t Kill God With Bullets is out now on Drumwork.
