21 Savage Says He Won't Leave Atlanta Without A Fight Amid Deportation Threats

BYAron A.9.0K Views
Link Copied to Clipboard!
Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
21 Savage attends the the Versace fall 2019 fashion show at the American Stock Exchange Building in lower Manhattan on December 02, 2018 in New York City.
21 Savage speaks with New York Times on being an undocumented immigrant, the memes and more.

21 Savage is fresh off his release from ICE's custody after being locked up in their detention center for nine days. The rapper's arrest sparked a nationwide conversation surrounding undocumented immigrants and the harsh immigration policies put in place under the Trump administration. In an interview with New York Times, the rapper spoke about growing up as an undocumented immigrant, the memes, and his fight to stay in Atlanta.

21 Savage spoke candidly about his status as an undocumented immigrant. The rapper's been in America for 20 years at this point but he explained how the process of getting his citizenship was difficult and ultimately led him to give up on the process. 

"It felt impossible," he said. "It got to the point where I just learned to live without it. ’Cause I still ain’t got it, I’m 26, and I’m rich. So, just learned to live without it."

Despite his celebrity status, the rapper explained that money didn't change the way he was treated. In the grand scheme of things, he respects it.

"It ain’t no favoritism, and I respect it, I honestly respect it. It would be kind of messed up if they treated rich immigrants better than poor immigrants, I think," he said.

However, he does understand the importance of his case. 

“My situation is important ’cause I represent poor black Americans and I represent poor immigrant Americans. You gotta think about all the millions of people that ain’t 21 Savage that’s in 21 Savage shoes,” he said. 

While many called for the rapper's freedom, being locked up wasn't his biggest concern. The rapper said that he was haunted by the possibility of leaving Atlanta.

"All that just going through your head, like, 'Damn, I love my house, I ain’t gonna be able to go in my house no more? I ain’t gonna be able to go to my favorite restaurant that I been going to for 20 years straight?' That’s the most important thing," he said.

Adding, "I’m not leaving Atlanta without a fight. We gon’ fight all the way till the last day even if that mean I sit in jail for 10 years."

The rapper also spoke on the memes that emerged following his arrest. Despite the humorous take on the serious subject, the rapper said that he still appreciates the love that he got.

"All the big artists was vocal about the situation, so I was appreciative. Even the memes," he said. "Some of them was funny — I ain’t gonna lie."

 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
...