21 Savage has boldly stated that he would beat anyone from his 2016 XXL Freshman Class in a Verzuz battle. Specifically in a recent conversation on the social media platform Clubhouse, the Atlanta rapper responded to a few specific names form that bunch. He's probably feeling himself due to the widespread success of his recently released Drake collab album, Her Loss.
"That Freshman cover, nobody can beat me, nobody," the "a lot" rapper claimed.
To refresh readers' memories, the 2016 XXL Freshman Class might be one of the greatest in the magazine's history. 21 Savage, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, Kodak Black, Denzel Curry, Anderson .Paak, Lil Dicky, Desiigner, G Herbo, and Dave East were a dream team in 2016.
Moreover, people in the Clubhouse call started listing off names and realized how stacked it was. "Kodak the only one that could really be competition," one caller said.
"And they plaaaaayin' catch-up," 21 responded.
"So you could beat Lil Uzi?" 21 was asked, to which he responded with, "Hell yeah."
A Verzuz battle, for those unfamiliar, pits ten hits from a rapper against another rapper's ten biggest songs. Thus, viewers and artists debate over who has the better discography and who's making the better tracks. However, given 21's slew of hits and standout guest appearances, he's got a shot for sure.
Although that's true, pretty much that entire 2016 class is still making great music. Some, like Uzi and Yak, have become just as huge stars as 21, in many respects. Looking at the landscape of hip-hop today, the incredible influence this XXL class has had is undeniable. Denzel Curry is still one of the most revered lyricists of the modern age, and Anderson .Paak is a global superstar.
That being said, not all these rappers have as strong of a Drake cosign as a collab project. Her Loss is expected to push between 335,000 and 350,000 copies in its first week. The album garnered approximately 150 million first-day streams in the U.S. alone and is expected to gain up to 450 million streams by the end of the week.
In addition to the album pushing huge numbers, 21 and Drake promoted the album quite creatively. They did fake promotional material for Vogue, an SNL appearance, an interview with Howard Stern, and a few other trolls. There are also the various disses, shots, and subliminals that Drake threw on the album. He allegedly targeted Megan Thee Stallion, Ye f.k.a. Kanye West, Serena Williams' husband, and more.
21, on the other hand, hasn't added much to that drama cycle. Instead, many are praising his consistent and sharp contributions to the album, such as his solo track "3AM on Glenwood."
Do you think 21 Savage could beat any 2018 XXL Freshman in a Verzuz battle? Who is your favorite from that class? Let us know what you think in the comments below and stay tuned to HotNewHipHop to see if the battle goes down.