21 Savage has worked with both Drake and J. Cole but he doesn't feel like he's on their level yet.

“There’s just a difference, bro,” he told Complex. “That’s like years of work and a fanbase that is going to be there until they die, that’s different. I feel like I’m working to be on that level that they’re on, but I don’t feel like it’s the same. I feel I could do something corny, and I would lose a lot of what I got. That wouldn’t happen with them.”
 
“Drake could do whatever, Cole could do whatever, and their sh*t not going anywhere," added Savage. "I’m working toward that level for sure, but I don’t [think] I’m there yet. I’m not saying I’m light-years behind. They’re more solidified, and I’m still building on what I got. But I could be wrong … It’s all about how the fans look at it.”

Savage's interview with Complex comes after the publication named him the best rapper of 2022, which sparked plenty of debate.