21 Savage Says He'd Rather Sit in Jail Than Leave Atlanta

21 Savage isn’t giving up without a fight. The Bank Account rapper sat down with the New York Times on Sunday for an in depth interview following his recent nine-day detention by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. 21, who was born in London to the name She'yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, says that Atlanta is his home and he’s rather sit in a jail cell than leave.

"If you tell me, 'I'll give you 20 million to go stay somewhere you ain't never stayed,' I'd rather be broke," he said. "I'll sit in jail to fight to live where I've been living my whole life."

21 was detained earlier this month on Super Bowl Sunday (February 3rd) for being an "unlawfully present United Kingdom national.”

During an interview with ABC's Good Morning America, he stated, "I don’t even know [what happened]. I was just driving and I just seen guns and blue lights, and then I was in the back of a car and I was gone," he claims. "They didn’t say nothing. They just said, ‘We got Savage.' It was definitely targeted.”

During his detainment, the rapper was due to perform at the recent Grammy Awards alongside Post Malone. In his interview, 21 said that he is not mad at the Grammys for failing to bring light to his current situation and is instead grateful for the multitude of artist having him in their hearts. Post Malone donned a t-shirt in support of 21 to the Grammys, that was not shown during his performance.

"Everybody in that building who's connected to this culture, I was on their mind in some type of way," 21 said after the situation left him to watch the award ceremony from his cell. "That's all that mattered."

Savage, 26, recalls moving to Atlanta at seven years old from the “poor side of London” and being made fun of for his accent. The artist was recently released from ICE custody on a $100,000 bond.

"I couldn't never take driver's ed," 21 said, admitting that he decided to live without a license. The limitations on his family prevented them from finding work, accruing new clothes, or receiving government assistance.

"I couldn't never go get a job."

"I wouldn't write it no other way if I had the choice," 21 said. "I still want to go through this right here 'cause it made me who I am, it made me strong."


Sponsored Content

Sponsored Content