Source: sam brown / power
21 Savage isn’t exactly known for being the deepest or most “conscious” rapper in the game right now. He comes from a class that the outside world labeled as “mumble rap,” and his music generally covers subject matter that has to do with trapping. Though his background and music definitely deal with problems that the youth face growing up in poverty as he did, many still don’t consider his music to be exceptionally poignant. His new music video for “Nothin New,” however, seems to be a big departure for the rapper.
The song itself deals with just how people misconstrue much of 21 because of his music saying, “They thought I only rapped about murder and pistols/I’m tryna feed my family, I ain’t being political.” The hook is where things do get political, and talks bout how it feels to deal with what oppression looks like: “Another n***a made the news, it ain’t nothin’ new, he done dropped outta school, it ain’t nothin’ new/He done got his first tool, it ain’t nothin’ new, mama on that dog food, it ain’t nothin’ new.”
The video opens with footage of outspoken athletes Colin Kaepernick and LeBron James as they address Donald Trump and racism in general. The end of the video is capped off by a mourning family as we see a cop shoot and kill an unarmed Black child.
21 Savage’s New Music Video For “Nothin New” Tackles Racism Head-On was originally published on globalgrind.com
