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21 Savage Responds to Backlash Over Nas Collaboration
21 Savage and Nas are burying their “irrelevant” beef.
On Wednesday, the two dropped their surprise collaboration “One Mic, One Gun,” showing that there’s no bad blood between them despite 21’s controversial comments.
But the song was not well received by everyone, with some asking why Nas would collaborate with 21 after he questioned his relevancy.
“He’s not relevant,” 21 said in a clip that circulated online. “He just has a loyal ass fanbase. He just has a loyal fanbase and he still makes good ass music.”
So the new way to get a feature from a legend is saying they're not relevant. 21 got lucky with Nas. Hov is not doing it
— Renaissance Man (@Billsfandiehard) December 1, 2022
Can we just be happy that Nas and 21 collaborated? Y'all be reaching damn. Shyt is tired.
— Glow Frazier God Khalil🇵🇦 (@khalilibn7) December 1, 2022
In the wake of the criticism, 21 took to Clubhouse to explain that Nas didn’t receive his comments in a disrespectful manner and that they were already in talks about collaborating prior to the controversy.
“Me and Nas been talking about making music, on my kids. Way before all that other sh*t happened,” he said, according to The Shade Room. “We been like, figuring out how we was gonna do a song before this, on my momma. I been had his number. He been telling me he was a fan of my sh*t, I been telling him the same thing before all this sh*t happened bro. That’s why he didn’t take what I said in no disrespectful way ’cause he knew what I was trynna say.”
Before the song dropped, Nas explained why he decided to link with 21. “Only way we moving is with love, respect and unity,” he wrote on Instagram. “The foundational principles of hip hop. Excited to collaborate with my young brother and I hope more artist use turbulent moments and turn them into a time to make new art. That’s what it’s about.”
Amid the controversy, Boosie Badazz weighed in on the topic by calling JAY-Z irrelevant. “I don’t think JAY-Z’s relevant these days,” he told VladTV. “If you gon’ say JAY-Z relevant and Nas ain’t relevant, no.”
Boosie calls Jay Z’s music is ‘irrelevant’ pic.twitter.com/ajQ1LYMB00
— No Jumper (@nojumper) November 30, 2022