21 Savage ‘just a London softie’ who ‘faked’ gun-toting gangster rap life in America, pals reveal
Rap star 21 Savage, who was arrested in Atlanta, Georgia, yesterday, was actually born in Newham - and moved to the US when his parents split
GRAMMY nominated rapper 21 Savage is secretly a "softie" from London who faked his gun-toting gangster life in America, pals told The Sun Online.
The hip hop star, who has forged a hugely successful career claiming he was born in Atlanta, Georgia, is actually from Newham - and moved to the US when his parents split.
The 26-year-old was nicked by cops after they discovered that he had moved to the US from Britain in 2005 under his real name Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph.
He arrived in the States legally, but could now be deported after it emerged that his visa expired back in July 2006 and was never renewed.
It is believed he travelled to America with his mum, Heather Joseph, after she and his dad Kevin Emmons split up around that time.
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Sources today told The Sun Online his father Kevin remains living in London, working for Westminster Council, while his grandma lives in Brixton.
And his gran even flew out to the US to help bail him out of jail when he was facing drug charges in 2014.
A 'SOFTIE FROM LONDON'
The source said: "Part of me was pretty shocked but I can understand why he's done it. To have the gangster rapper image you have to portray that image. But really he's a softie from London.
"There's a story on Wikipedia stating he saw a gun when he was eight.
"I can tell you that is not true at all. If you know his dad, you would know his dad is nothing like that at all.
"He's done stuff about his dad being a drug dealer and that sort of thing.
"His dad is a hard-working man. That is so not his dad. His dad gets up to go to work six days a week."
BRIT GRAN 'BAILED HIM FROM JAIL'
The source added: "When he first got arrested in America, his grandmother from Brixton was the one to fly out and bail him out.
"The grandmother, she's one of the most hardworking people you'll meet and never took a day off work."
The rapper was believed to have been born and raised in Atlanta - with the city the inspiration for his music and hard-hitting lyrics about guns and crime.
In an interview with Fader magazine in 2016, he painted a grim picture of a crime-ridden upbringing on the streets of Georgia.
The article referenced him being brought up in “beat up apartments” in Atlanta and being shown his first gun at the age of eight by his uncle.
He also brags about being the youngest pupil ever to take a gun to Stone Mountain Middle School in DeKalb County, Georgia, when he was 11 or 12.
The star claims to have been sent to a youth detention centre in Georgia, before dropping out of school and joining a street gang linked the LA-based Bloods crime family.
RAPPER COULD BE DEPORTED
He was allegedly involved in robbery, grand theft auto and drug dealing.
Aged 19 he lost his best friend and right-hand man Larry in a shootout.
On his 21st birthday he was shot six times himself in a failed assassination attempt, resulting in him taking the name 21 Savage.
In another interview he said the ‘21’ in his name is a reference to a street gang in the city and his songs often refer to his past in East Atlanta’s Zone 6.
But records are said to show that the rapper, one of 11 children born to his Dominican mother Heather, was born in Newham, London.
His sister Jayda tweeted today: "Shaayaa moved to America when he was mad young, so he basically is American, he grew up there.
"I'm bare confused as to how they're trying to deport him though..he's been comfortable this whole time. This smells fishy".
HIP HOP STAR WAS ARRESTED ON SUNDAY
Fans also urged her to delete childhood photos of the star in London in case it hurt his case.
She said: "I feel to delete my old tweets about him you know. I don't want him to get deported".
21 Savage, who previously dated model Amber Rose, was arrested on Sunday morning in the Atlanta area.
A spokesman for US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said: "His whole public persona is false.
"He actually came to the US from the UK as a teen and overstayed his visa."
ICE spokesman Bryan Cox said the hip hop star is currently in ICE custody in Georgia and "has been placed into removal proceedings before the federal immigration courts".
An immigration judge will determine future actions.
The UK Foreign Office said: "Our staff are in contact with the lawyer of a British man following his detention in the USA."
The rapper's lawyer, Dina LaPolt, said: "We are working diligently to get Mr Abraham-Joseph out of detention while we work with authorities to clear up any misunderstanding."
She said he was a "role model" due to his work on financial literacy programs with underprivileged youth.
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21 Savage, a dad-of-three, has been nominated for two awards at the 2019 Grammys, including record of the year for Rockstar with Post Malone – the track reached No 1 in the US and UK singles charts.
In December his second album, I Am > I Was, debuted at No 1 on the US Billboard 200.
He last performed in Atlanta last Thursday at the Super Bowl Music Fest at the State Farm Arena.
Stars from the world of hip hop have shared their shock at 21 Savage's detainment, with US rappers including Lil Yachty and Meek Mill calling for him to be freed from custody.
Some spread memes around social media which poked fun at his British heritage.
One picture, featuring a quill, said: “21 Savage writing his lyrics.”
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