Last Updated on March 5, 2024
Who is 21 Savage?
Born Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph is a world-famous hip-hop superstar born in the United Kingdom and moved to Atlanta, Georgia when he was a young boy. After experiencing a difficult childhood, Savage shot to fame in 2016, where his first E.P. entitled ‘Savage Mode’ broke into the Billboard Top-200.
Since then, he has released a host of E.P.’s and a few successful albums and collaborated with other world-class artists. So let’s look at how he rose to fame and learn a little more about the man behind the superstar rapper.
Quick Facts
Full Name: | Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph |
Popular Name: | 21 Savage |
Gender: | Male |
Birth Date: | 22 October 1992 |
Age: | 30 years |
Parents: | Heather Carmilla Joseph and Kevin Cornelius Emmons |
Siblings: | 6 Sisters and 4 Brothers |
Birth Place: | Plaistow, London, United Kingdom |
Nationality: | British |
Ethnicity: | Dominican |
Education: | Stone Mountain Middle School; South Gwinnett High School |
Marital Status: | Single |
Sexual Orientation: | Straight |
Wife/Spouse: | N/A |
Children: | 3 Children |
Dating: | N/A |
Net Worth: | $15 million |
Source of Wealth: | Rapper, Songwriter and Record Producer |
Height: | 1.82cm |
Weight: | 72kg |
Growing Up
Born in 1992, Shayaa was brought up by his mother and his six siblings. Unfortunately, his early life was difficult and full of challenges. He was around drugs and violence a lot as a child, and tragically lost a sibling after a drug-related shooting.
He was not allowed to go to school in his local Dekalb County school district to possess a gun at one stage, but he did try and attend school in metropolitan Atlanta.
Savage did involve himself with a few gangs; he was even shot several times during a bank robbery, which saw his best friend pass away. Eventually, he was put into a detention centre. However, it can be argued that although he experienced a great deal of heartbreak and loss at an early age, it helped make him the superstar he is.
An Unlikely Role Mode
The death of his friend at the bank robbery on his 21st birthday proved to be a turning point for him because it was from then, after he recovered from being shot, that he decided to start using his talents as a rapper.
From 2014 onwards, Savage turned to music, where he would produce his own mix-tapes. His work was noticed quickly, and by 2016, his first E.P. ‘Savage Mode’ reached the Billboard Top 200.
In the same year, he released his debut studio album ‘Issa Album’, which debuted at number 2 in the billboard charts, and set him up for future success, giving him his first Billboard Top 20 with the song ‘Bank Account’.
In fact, his collaboration on Post Malone’s hit ‘Rockstar’ was one of his best career moves and is what Savage is most famous for. He has also played all-star basketball and football with other celebrities for T.V., proof that if you align yourself with the right people, and take opportunities, anything can happen!
Between 2017 and the end of 2021, Savage had been nominated for 22 awards and had won 3 of them.
What is 21 Savage’s Net Worth?
21 Savage is worth around $15 million as of 2023, but based on his successful projects and collaborations, that is likely to grow as the year progresses! He is paid around $25,000 per performance at the moment but has been lucky to receive a lot more for playing high profile or special events.
What makes Savage so Famous?
21 Savage’s popularity and fan-base is largely attributed to his personality, rap style and lyrics. He raps extremely autobiographically, emphasising murder and theft, and his drawl-like flow discerns him from other rappers. In many ways, he is a relatable figure and a rags-to-riches story, which people can often appreciate.
Similarly, he has close friendships with other rap artists and celebrities like Justin Bieber, Quavo, Drake and Migos, which has only helped to compound his fame.
21 Savage Album List
Since arriving on the scene, 21 savage has released a host of albums, including:
Savage Mode – July 2016
Issa Album – July 2017
Without Warning – November 2017
I Am > I Was – January 2019
Savage Mode 2 – October 2020
Most Famous Quotes
A lot of Savage’s best quotes don’t come from his lyrical work, believe it or not. A lot of his best work has been said outside of the music studio.
“I’m not really focused on the applause, the claps; I’m just doing my music, making my money, keeping my head down. I represent a ni**a comin’ from nothing to somethin’ and adapting and changing his ways for the better.”
“I ain’t tryna die. Or get locked up. Had to change up the way I move. Rapping just gave me something to do versus the streets. I got a crew. I got a lot of real ni**as around me that deserve everything that I deserve. Rapping is one of the tools we can use to make sure all our folks straight.”
Good Deeds
21 Savage is the creator of the 21 Savage Bank Account Campaign, which helps children learn how to manage money for life. He donated $21,000 of his own profits to the cause. He hosts a yearly Back to School Drive in Atlanta’s neighborhood he grew up in. The drive donates free school supplies, uniforms, and haircuts to underserved kids.
He also donated 10,000 to fund an anti-bullying campaign for Atlanta’s Continental Colony Elementary School. It is refreshing to see such a big-named star give back in so many ways. This makes him so well-liked, because he is relatable, and he understands that everybody deserves to feel special and secure, two things that he may not have felt growing up.
Conclusion
Although 21 Savage has had a tough life, he has made the most of his situation and took the chance to change his fortunes for the better. For a long time, he had to struggle and may have been associated with all of the wrong groups, but one bank robbery and near-death experience later, he turned his life around. That epiphany is exactly what led to his career as a rapper, and ultimately, is what has led him to his riches!