THE ATLANTA RAPPER WHO TURNED STREET STORYTELLING INTO CHART-TOPPING MUSIC
21 Savage
b. 1992 · Male Musician
Early Life
21 Savage was born Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph on October 22, 1992, in the United Kingdom, and moved with his family to Atlanta, Georgia, as a young child, where he was raised.
He grew up in Atlanta's East Side, and his teenage years were marked by hardship, including surviving a shooting in 2013 that killed his close friend, an experience that shaped much of his early music.
Rise to Fame
21 Savage began releasing mixtapes in the mid-2010s, building a following with his distinctive deadpan delivery and vivid street storytelling.
His breakout came with the 2016 mixtape Savage Mode, a collaboration with producer Metro Boomin, which established his signature dark, minimalist sound and drew wide critical attention.
Career Highlights
He achieved mainstream chart success with his debut studio album Issa Album in 2017 and the hit single 'Bank Account,' followed by i am > i was in 2018, which reached number one on the Billboard 200.
21 Savage won a Grammy Award for his feature on Post Malone's 'Rockstar' and later for his work on Kendrick Lamar's 'A Lot,' and continued his acclaimed partnership with Metro Boomin through sequels to Savage Mode.
Personal Life
In 2019, 21 Savage was detained by U.S. immigration authorities over his visa status, revealing publicly for the first time that he had moved to the United States from the United Kingdom as a child; he was later released and continued his career and philanthropic work.
He has been involved in a long-term relationship with rapper Amina Buddafly and has spoken about using his platform to support financial literacy programs for young people in Atlanta.
Net Worth & Legacy
21 Savage's net worth is estimated in the tens of millions of dollars, built through album sales, touring, features, and business ventures including his Bank Account financial literacy foundation.
From surviving a violent shooting as a teenager to becoming a Grammy-winning, chart-topping artist, 21 Savage has built a legacy centered on candid storytelling and giving back to the community that shaped him.