21 Savage

21 Savage is the professional name of Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, a rapper from Plaistow, United States, born in 1992. He is based in Atlanta, Georgia, and his music is associated with trap, gangsta rap, hip hop, pop rap and southern hip hop.

Early career and breakthrough

He begins his recording career in 2013 and first attracts regional attention with three independent mixtapes. His wider breakthrough comes with the collaborative EP Savage Mode in 2016, recorded with producer Metro Boomin. The release reaches number 23 on the Billboard 200 and includes the singles “X” with Future and “No Heart”, both of which enter the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Later in 2016, he also appears on Drake’s single “Sneakin'”.

Albums and chart success

In January 2017, he signs to Epic Records. His debut studio album, Issa Album, is released in 2017 and peaks at number two on the Billboard 200. Its lead single, “Bank Account”, reaches number 12 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the same year, he releases the collaborative album Without Warning with Metro Boomin and Offset, and he features on Post Malone’s “Rockstar”, which tops the Billboard Hot 100 and receives Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Best Rap/Sung Performance.

His second studio album, I Am > I Was (2018), becomes his first release to debut at number one on the Billboard 200. It includes “A Lot” featuring J. Cole, which wins Best Rap Song at the 62nd Annual Grammy Awards. In 2020, he and Metro Boomin release Savage Mode II, a sequel to their earlier EP, which also debuts at number one on the Billboard 200 and produces the top-ten singles “Runnin” and “Mr. Right Now” featuring Drake.

He later appears on Drake’s 2022 single “Jimmy Cooks”, which debuts at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. That year, he and Drake also release the collaborative album Her Loss, which reaches number one on the Billboard 200. His third studio album, American Dream (2024), becomes his fourth consecutive chart-topping project and includes the top-ten singles “Redrum” and “Née-Nah”.

Legal issues and residency status

In February 2019, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests him and states that he is a British citizen who entered the United States in July 2005 and overstayed a visa that expired in 2006. He is later released on bond while deportation proceedings are pending, and the case is postponed indefinitely. In 2023, he becomes a lawful permanent resident of the United States and is granted a green card.

Selected albums

Studio albums: Issa Album (2017), I Am > I Was (2018), American Dream (2024), What Happened to the Streets? (2025).

Collaborative albums: Without Warning with Offset and Metro Boomin (2017), Savage Mode II with Metro Boomin (2020), Her Loss with Drake (2022).