Photo: E! Online
The Super Bowl game seemed to bore the masses on social media, but breaking news about rapper 21 Savage being detained by ICE did not. The “A Lot” rapper was arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Atlanta Sunday, Feb. 3. It’s been reported that he is from the United Kingdom and overstayed his visa.
In a statement to the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, ICE spokesman Brian Cox said that 21 Savage born Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph was arrested during a targeted operation.
“U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested unlawfully present United Kingdom national Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph AKA ’21 Savage’ during a targeted operation with federal and local law enforcement partners early Sunday in metro Atlanta.”
“Mr. Abraham-Joseph was taken into ICE custody as he is unlawfully present in the U.S. and also a convicted felon,” Cox adds.
Attorney’s for the MC stated that the rapper “never hid his immigration status” and applied for his U-Visa two years ago. Attorney Charles Kuck released a full statement about the 26-year-old rapper’s arrest.
Check it out below:
“ICE detained She’yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, the well-known Atlanta based recording artist and songwriter also known as “21 Savage”. Based upon incorrect information about prior criminal charges and now refusing to release him on bond of any amount, despite the fact that he has a pending U-Visa application (as the victim of crime) with USCIS, and that he has relief from removal available to him. Mr. Abraham-Joseph has never hid his immigration status from the US government. The Department of Homeland Security has known his address and his history since his filing for the U Visa in 2017, yet they took no action against him until this past weekend. ICE can only continue to detain individuals who are a threat the community or a flight risk to not show up at their hearings. Obviously, our client is not a flight risk, as he is widely recognizable, and a prominent member of the music industry. Likewise, Mr. Abraham-Joseph’s is clearly not a danger to the community, and in fact, his contributions to local communities and schools that he grew up in are examples of the type of immigrant we want in America.
ICE has not charged Mr. Abraham-Joseph with any crime. As a minor, his family overstayed their work visas, and he, like almost two million other children, was left without legal status through no fault of his own. This is a civil law violation, and the continued detention of Mr. Abraham-Joseph serves no other purpose than to unnecessarily punish him and try to intimidate him into giving up his right to fight to remain in the United States. He rose above the difficult circumstances of his youth to achieve success and make contributions to our society that rival any of those by a natural born citizen. Mr. Abraham-Joseph has US citizen children that he supports and is eligible for relief from deportation. We and he will fight for his release, for his family, and his right to remain in our country. No one would expect less from him.”
21 Savage’s arrest was not a Super Bowl-related ICE operation. Allegedly, the MC who claims Atlanta as his home was in a car with another hip-hop artist named Young Nudy when local police arrested the cousins. They received separate charges after guns and drugs were discovered in the vehicle.
According to 21 Savage’s defense lawyer, Jacoby Hudson, the MC continuously pours into his community.
“He takes care of his community, he gives back, he pays taxes,” Hudson said. While the MC does give back to the Atlanta community, his birth certificate proves that he was born in England.
The word spread fast of 21 Savage being from the UK and possibly being deported. Many memes were created mostly on Twitter, and I must admit, they made me chuckle. While many spoke on 21 Savage’s memes spreading like wildfire, Black Twitter didn’t seem to take it too kindly when singer Demi Lovato decided to chime in on the jokes.
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Oop! Both #DemiLovato and #Wale stepped into #TheShadeRoom about their issue ???
Lovato found humor in some of the memes about 21 Savage and Wale decided to respond to the singer, who has battled several years with drug addiction. While Wale politely claps back at Lovato, Black Twitter didn’t. I mean people were tearing her apart to the point Lovato deactivated her Twitter account.
Demi Lovato: “Let me join in guys”
*Black twitter* pic.twitter.com/ExuYI12ssN
— 24/7 HipHop News (@BenjaminEnfield) February 4, 2019
Demi Lovato: The memes y’all made about 21 have been more entertaining than this game.
Twitter: pic.twitter.com/oDyBi0uA8Y
— ⚡️ (@nutsonstandby) February 4, 2019
Demi Lovato really got hit with the “hold on why you laughing?” in the joaning session lmaooo
— ? (@suttondef) February 4, 2019
#DemiLovato: I too would like to enjoy these 21 savage jokes #BlackTwitter: pic.twitter.com/lZpX7E4aGk
— Big Girl Slay ? (@Biggirlslay) February 4, 2019
#21savage #demilovato
*black twitter laughs at 21 savage**demi lovato laughs along*
black twitter: pic.twitter.com/HneBMGCeHN
— ?Evelin? (@Elllxx1) February 4, 2019
Twitter: *whole tl laughing at 21 savage*
Demi Lovato: *laughs like everyone else*
Twitter:#demilavato #21Savage pic.twitter.com/pkPgqPLrrE
— Christian D. Harris (@chrxstianh__) February 4, 2019
Demi Lovato : “deletes her twitter”
Twitter: pic.twitter.com/TYWf066UYa
— TURBO?? (@Moncrief_Quinn) February 4, 2019
Demi lovato tryna get in on the 21 savage memes but black twitter wont allow pic.twitter.com/dAtX9wNzkU
— Kami guru (@sheloves8am) February 4, 2019
21 savage: *gets deported*
Black Twitter: LMAOOOODemi Lovato: LMAOOOOO
Black Twitter: LMAOOOOO???!! pic.twitter.com/V6VfNhO1GH
— bianca_m (@bianca_m4) February 4, 2019
Black twitter: *jokes about 21 savage*
Black twitter: LMFAOOOO
Demi Lovato: LMFAOOOO
Black Twitter: pic.twitter.com/IdiY7B3MFo
— Kylan (@AwwHELLToTheNaw) February 4, 2019
Lovato took to her IG story to state that she wasn’t laughing at 21 Savage’s possible deportation, she was laughing at a meme about the rapper writing with a feather pen.
Demi Lovato has spoken out following backlash over her 21 Savage tweet. https://t.co/KzDQd7AvlQ pic.twitter.com/RKAyEX2Ts0
— E! News (@enews) February 4, 2019
Despite Lovato receiving backlash for her tweet, 21 Savage received tons of support from those in the hip-hop community including Offset from Migos, Future, Rich The Kid, and Lil Yachty.
ALL THE MEMES AND SHIT AINT FUNNY WHEN SOMEBODY GOING THROUGH SOME
PRAYING FOR MY DAWG
AINT SHIT FUNNY HIS FANILY
DEPENDING ON HIM— OFFSET (@OffsetYRN) February 4, 2019
21,Keep your head up king.??
— FUTURE/FREEBANDZ (@1future) February 5, 2019
FREE 21 SAVAGE ?
— RICH THE KID (@richthekid) February 4, 2019
FREE @21SAVAGE BITCH
— underdog (@lilyachty) February 4, 2019
A #Free21 Savage petition has been started by Black Lives Matter activist Patrisse Khan-Cullors the day after 21 was arrested on Sunday. It’s intended goal of 200,000 signatures has now received 128, 753 signatures and counting. Kei Henderson, a manager for 21, promoted the petition on her Instagram account.
Sources: WSB-TV
XXLmag.com
TheSource.com
Variety.com
