22 Savage has emerged as the latest sensation in Baton Rouge -- and for obvious reasons. Though 22 could easily pass for 21's younger brother, there is zero relation between the two rappers, and 22 Savage seems to have chosen his name solely as a means to get himself noticed and involved in a controversial imitation game that should pay viral dividends. So far, so good. Released a week ago, his first music video, "Jumpin," is approaching 1 million views. His upcoming project will be called Savage Mode, the same title as 21's joint album with Metro Boomin, and 22's next video will be for "No Heart," also the title of a notable track on 21's Savage Mode.
There was initially some speculation on whether 22 was serious about his rapping persona, as it was soon discovered that he had formerly earned himself a following as an Instagram comedian. "I'm a street n*gga trying to make it out any way I can," 22 said of his intentions, and the "Jumpin" video was a compelling case of him being about that savage life. Plus, if you can get past the obvious swag-jacking, the song goes pretty damn hard.
In a new interview with Cheese TV, 22 reaffirms that he's dead serious about his rap career, which means he's no longer a comedian. He stands firmly behind his skills as a rapper and even goes as far to say, "I'm way better than 21 Savage." It's unclear if 21 feels the same way, though he did address the bizarre controversy in a relatively cryptic tweet.
When asked about how he decided upon 22 Savage, instead of 20 or 23, he responded, "I don't know. That's just the question, I just don't know. I just said it one day." He was also asked about being compared to Young Thug -- for Thugger ruffling Weezy's feathers by naming his breakout solo tape Barter 6 -- as well as Desiigner, whom many have accused of being an impersonator of Future. 22's response: "All them n*ggas made money, right?"