21 Savage Did Not Diss Kendrick Lamar On Leaked Drake Song, Manager Claims

21 Savage has been accused of dissing Kendrick Lamar on a new Drake song, however, the rapper’s manager says those claims are false and that the verbal jabs were not intended for the Compton artist.

Rumors regarding 21 Savage targeting Lamar first surfaced on Tuesday (Aug. 6) upon the release of “It’s Up,” a song liberated by Drake as a part of his impromptu 100GB dump of unreleased material. 21’s verse on the track contains a few lyrics that listeners felt could be veiled slights against Lamar.

At one point, the Atlanta rep refers to an unidentified person whose confidence has seemingly been inflated due to their recent streak of musical success. “No rap cap come out my mouth/ Made a couple songs, think he hot now,” 21 rhymes on the unearthed collab.

21 Savage
21 Savage is seen at the private screening of ‘Spiral’ for 21 Savage and friends on May 12, 2021 in Los Angeles, California.

He also threatens the target in question in a manner that gives listeners reason to believe that he’s a disciple or complimentary of Tupac Shakur, as is the case with Kendrick, who has spoken glowingly of the rap icon on numerous occasions. “Hit his a*s up, he think he Pac now/ Broad day, like he got shot down.”

According to DJ Akademiks, one of 21 Savage’s reps has reached out to clear the air regarding the lyrics in question, insisting that they’re not directed at the Grammy Award winner. “21 is not dissing Kendrick,” the rapper’s manager, Meezy, directly confirmed to DJ Akademiks in a text message. “That definitely ain’t no shot at Kendrick,” he added.

Kendrick Lamar
Kendrick Lamar accepts the Best Rap Album award for “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” onstage during the 65th GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.

Given 21 Savage’s close relationship with Kendrick Lamar’s arch-rival, Drake, it’s plausible how fans could interpret the rapper’s lyrics as digs about the “Not Like Us” rapper. 21 Savage famously appeared alongside Drake on the 2022 album Her Loss, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and earned a Grammy Award nomination for Best Rap Album.

Despite having collaborated with Kendrick in the past, 21 Savage has made it clear that he’s loyal to Drake, as he refused to take sides in the rift between the Canadian hitmaker and his own longtime collaborator, Metro Boomin.

Drake At Basketball Game
Rapper, songwriter, and icon Drake attends a game between the Houston Rockets and the Cleveland Cavaliers at Toyota Center on March 16, 2024 in Houston, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.

“Metro my brother and Drake my brother,” 21 Savage said earlier this year while addressing the bad blood between the pair. “Them ni**as gonna figure that sh*t out eventually.”

See DJ Akademiks speak about 21 Savage’s alleged Kendrick Lamar diss below.

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