21 Savage is using the release of his new album, “What Happened to the Streets,” to talk about the city that shaped him. During his sit-down on “Perspektives with Bank,” he spoke openly about how early the streets pull kids in and how Atlanta teaches a lifestyle long before kids understand what they are walking into.

He did not sugarcoat a thing. Around the eighteen-minute mark, he said, “This is how I really feel… Atlanta is really goddamn what’s the word? Atlanta really a pedophile”. The room laughed, but he kept pushing his point. He followed with “'Cause Atlanta really groomed us, bro, since we was kids”. He then took a breath and added, “Maybe pedophile the worst word. Maybe pedophile the wrong word. Atlanta is a grooming ass city. Atlanta groomed us ni**as since we was ten or 11, 12 on club life bro.”

Savage painted a picture of his childhood. He remembered running around as a kid, doing whatever he could to make a few dollars. He said, “When I was a lamb ni**a on my mama, I was taking out trash for 2 dollars in apartments. Just to goddamn get some Chucks and some Dickies”. He also talked about a venue that handed out pitchers of soda to kids, which reminded him of how alcohol sits on club tables. He followed that story with “So your ass is getting groomed for the club you goddamn in middle school. So now when you 30 ni**a I been going to the club since I was 11, 12 years old. Bro f**k the club. Atlanta groomed a ni**a bro. And ni**as banging out at these clubs”.

He also spoke on survival and how his immigration status limited his options. He stated, “'Cause I couldn’t do nothing else, I ain’t got no green card. I can’t get no job. So how the hell else was I gonna survive? I don’t feel like I jumped in the street, I feel like I was kind of forced”.

The rapper said money was tight at home, so he hustled any way he knew how. He sold weed. He sold candy at school. He did small jobs around his neighborhood because he felt he had no choice.

“What Happened to the Streets” dropped on Dec 12, featuring appearances by Drake, Metro Boomin, Lil Baby, and Latto.