21 Savage Granted Release on Bond Following ICE Detainment

Rapper 21 Savage was granted his release on bond following a closed hearing in the Atlanta Immigration Court Tuesday and will be released from immigration detention Wednesday, according to his attorney (via the AJC).

The Grammy-nominated rapper, whose real name is She’yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was taken into custody by the U.S. Immigration and customs Enforcement (ICE) on Feb. 3. Federal immigration officials claim that Abraham-Joseph is a U.K. citizen who has overstayed his visa. 21 Savage will soon be released from ICE detainment, but still faces the possibility of deportation.

21 Savage’s lawyers released the following statement following their client’s release:

For the past 9 long days, we, on behalf of She’yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, known to the world as 21 Savage, have been speaking with ICE to both clarify his actual legal standing, his eligibility for bond, and provide evidence of his extraordinary contributions to his community and society.

In the last 24 hours, in the wake of the Grammy Awards at which he was scheduled to attend and perform, we received notice that She’yaa was granted an expedited hearing.

Today, 21 Savage was granted a release on bond. He won his freedom.

21 Savage asked us to send a special message to his fans and supporters—he says that while he wasn’t present at the Grammy Awards, he was there in spirit and is grateful for the support from around the world and is more than ever, ready to be with his loved ones and continue making music that brings people together.

He will not forget this ordeal or any of the other fathers, sons, family members, and faceless people, he was locked up with or that remain unjustly incarcerated across the country. And he asks for your hearts and minds to be with them.

Charles Kuck, Dina Laporte, and Alex Spiro.

A petition calling for ICE to halt Abraham-Joseph’s deportation has collected more than 465,000 signatures as of this writing.