Hip-Hop is still reeling following the murder of Takeoff and Young Thug’s incarceration, but nowhere is feeling the effects more than Atlanta, says 21 Savage, who is unsure the state will ever recover.
The “Rich Flex” hitmaker reflected on how his fellow residents are coping with the absence of Atlanta’s biggest rap stars in the aftermath of Takeoff’s shooting and Young Thug behind bars while awaiting trial in his RICO case.
“You can feel a lot of energy missing from Atlanta right now,” 21 Savage explained during a new interview with Complex. “Atlanta just ain’t the same, honestly. That s### be really driving me crazy. I feel like we took a lot of big ass losses last year. I don’t feel like we’ll ever recover from that s###, if I’m being honest.”
21 Savage says the murder of Takeoff hit “especially” hard in Atlanta with a palpable sense of loss in the air.
“Especially with Takeoff,” he continued. “I feel like we’re just in a dark place right now in Atlanta, as far as our energy. Going outside ain’t the same, clubs ain’t the same, you just feel it.
Takeoff lost his life after he was fatally shot outside a Houston bowling alley in November. He was 28 years old.
21 Savage Says Takeoff Was Irreplaceable
According to 21, the Migos rapper was irreplaceable. He urged fans to “cherish” the music he created before his death.
“I feel like certain people, when you lose them or they’re not physically able to be present, certain people just aren’t replaceable,” he responded when asked what it will take to restore the feeling in Atlanta. “There’s nothing you can do to fill that void. I really don’t think there’s nothing we can do for real, but hold on to what we have left and cherish what we have left.”
Young Thug and 13 co-defendants are currently awaiting trial in the YSL RICO case. The trial is set to begin once jury selection ends and is expected to last six to nine months.