Who is 21 Savage? Exploring his life and career as he continues to live his American dream

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of drugs and murder 

21 Savage, the British-American rapper, announced his upcoming album titled 21 Savage: The American Dream on January 9. In addition to being his third solo album, the album will also serve as a soundtrack for the rapper’s upcoming biopic film. The film reportedly stars Childish Gambino and Caleb McLaughlin in lead roles, who will portray the rapper at different points in time. 

Though fans will have to wait for July 4, 2024, to live 21’s life story on the big screen, his third album, 21 Savage: The American Dream will hit the shelves today (January 12). 

Amid his much anticipated upcoming projects, we are exploring the rapper's turbulent early life and his rise to fame in the following years. 21 Savage’s life is truly meant for the big screen. Read to know why we say so.

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Move from London to Atlanta: the American Dream begins 

21 Savage, whose birth name is Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph was born in London, England in 1992. Shortly after his birth, Shéyaa’s parents separated, leading 21 Savage, his siblings, and his mother to move to Atlanta, USA. The rapper was just 7 years old when his life was uprooted. 21 Savage's childhood and formative years were a far fetch from an ordinary child's life. Unlike a normal kid’s childhood and teenage years, 21 Savage’s early years involved drug dealings, gun possession, theft, juvenile detention centers, and more.

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On his 21st birthday, he was shot six times as a result of his involvement in a gang war. Lucky him that he survived. Young Savage lost his best friend and fellow gang member Johnny in the shootout, which propelled him to rap. 

Illegal Immigrant to Grammy-Winning artist: 21 Savage rose from Rags to Riches 

21 Savage dropped his first single, I Can’t Get Enough in 2013 and never looked back in his career.

The rapper forged a friendship and professional alliance with Metro Boomin the same year, and two years later the rapper-producer duo dropped his first solo album, The Slaughter Tape. The album led to 21 Savage being named as an underground hero in Atlanta by Interview Magazine. In 2019, the rapper found himself on the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, thanks to his collaboration with Post Malone on his smash hit Rockstar. 21 was also nominated for two Grammys, Best Rap/Sung Performance and Record of the Year for his collaboration with Post Malone. The following year he won a Grammy in the Best Rap Song category for his song A Lot. 

A Lot holds a special place in the rapper's heart, as it was two days after the release of this song that he was arrested on charges of illegal immigration. It was then that the world came to know about his British nationality. 

In October 2023, 21 Savage was granted permanent citizenship of the United States and the rapper is now free to legally live his American Dream.

Disclaimer: If you need support or know someone who is struggling with any kind of abuse, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist, NGO or speak to someone about it. There are several helplines available for the same.

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