21 Savage (born Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph on October 22, 1992, in Plaistow, London, England) is a British-American rapper, songwriter, and record producer based in Atlanta, Georgia. He began releasing music in 2013 with a series of independent mixtapes—The Slaughter Tape and Slaughter King—that laid the groundwork for his gritty, autobiographical style. He is affiliated with a local Bloods-aligned street gang in Atlanta, an influence that threads through much of his early work.
Before the Fame
Shéyaa moved with his mother to Atlanta at age seven on an H-4 visa and spent his childhood in the East Atlanta neighborhood known as Zone 6. In seventh grade, he was placed on probation for gun possession and subsequently expelled after a probation violation, leading him through alternative schooling and a juvenile detention program. By age 14, he was selling cannabis on the streets to help support his family; his profits eventually bought his mother a car and a new apartment. Tragedy struck early: his uncle was shot and killed when Shéyaa was eleven, and on his 21st birthday in 2013, he survived being shot six times during a robbery attempt that claimed his friend Johnny’s life. Around this time he also lost his brother Quantivayus to gun violence. These hardships drove him to channel his experiences into music, writing first about the streets before pursuing rap professionally in 2013.
21 Now
Since his debut in 2013, 21 Savage has built a mainstream profile with a string of high-charting releases and critical acclaim:
Breakout Projects
His collaboration with Metro Boomin, the EP Savage Mode (2016), reached number 23 on the Billboard 200; its singles “X” (featuring Future) and “No Heart” both entered the Billboard Hot 100 top 40.
Studio Albums
- Issa Album (2017) debuted at number two on the Billboard 200; its lead single “Bank Account” peaked at number 12 on the Hot 100.
- I Am I Was (2018) became his first number-one on the Billboard 200 and earned him a Grammy for Best Rap Song for “A Lot” (featuring J. Cole).
- Collaborative projects include Without Warning with Metro Boomin & Offset (2017), Savage Mode II with Metro Boomin (2020), and Her Loss with Drake (2022), each debuting atop the Billboard 200.
Awards & Recognition
Guest appearances on hits like Drake’s “Sneakin’” and Post Malone’s “Rockstar” broadened his reach; he’s earned multiple Grammy nominations and won for “A Lot.”
Immigration Advocacy
In February 2019, he was detained by ICE under claims he’d overstayed his visa; his case highlighted immigrant rights and led to legislative support for cancellation of removal.
Philanthropy
In 2018 he launched the 21 Savage Bank Account Campaign to teach financial literacy to underserved youth, donating over $30,000 to schools and partnering with nonprofits Get Schooled and JUMA; he expanded it in 2020 with free online courses during the pandemic.
21 Vs 22 Savage
In 2016, comedian MacArthur “22 Savage” Johnson emerged with a name and style mimicking 21 Savage, prompting the rapper to dismiss him as a “wannabe,” affirming that there can only be one 21 Savage. The brief name-based feud underscored 21’s cultural impact and solidified his brand identity.