21 Savage on his immigration case: "I'm not leaving without a fight"
By Justin Carissimo
/ CBS News
In a new interview with The New York Times, rapper 21 Savage opened up about his time in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody and how growing up with an uncertain immigration status has shaped him into the man he is today.
The rapper, born She-yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was arrested by ICE agents in Georgia on February 3 and he was held in a detention center until he was released on bond February 13. ICE officials said the British-born rapper entered the U.S. illegally in 2005 and stayed in the country after his nonimmigrant visa expired a year later.
When asked if he remembers arriving in the U.S. as a child, 21 Savage said his family came from the "poor side" of London and immediately fell in love with life in America. He began noticing his immigration status was unresolved when he tried obtaining things like his driver's license or a job. He said settling it "seemed impossible," so he learned to live without it.
"We struggled but we couldn't get food stamps, we couldn't get government assistance. I learned how to live without. You know in school, when you get to a certain age, your clothes make you popular? I learned how to be popular without that. People respected me just for me," he told the Times.
21 Savage admitted that being deported from the U.S. is his "worst nightmare," but he still respects the U.S. immigration system. "Even if you got money, it ain't easy. It ain't no favoritism, and I respect it, I honestly respect it. It would be kind of messed up if they treated rich immigrants better than poor immigrants, I think," he said, adding that he plans to continue fighting a potential deportation.
"It's like, I got three kids, my mama, everything that I know is here in Atlanta. I'm not leaving Atlanta without a fight. We gon' fight all the way till the last day even if that mean I sit in jail for 10 years," he told the Times.
His legal team believes the 26-year-old rapper was targeted by ICE because of his celebrity and over his music. One of his recent singles, "A Lot," takes aim at the family separations at the U.S.-Mexico border: "Been through some things, but I couldn't imagine, my kids stuck at the border."
While he said he has no current plans to rap about his experience, he said feels a certain responsibility to speak out about his fight.
"My situation is important 'cause I represent poor black Americans and I represent poor immigrant Americans. You gotta think about all the millions of people that ain't 21 Savage that's in 21 Savage shoes," he said.
First published on February 18, 2019
© 2019 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Justin Carissimo
Justin is a breaking news editor at CBS News. Reach him at [email protected]
Twitter 
21 Savage on his immigration case: "I'm not leaving without a fight"
The rapper opened up about his time in ICE custody and how his uncertain immigration status shaped him into the man he is today
updated 8M ago 
Woman with autism becomes lawyer
As a child Haley Moss was non-verbal – in 2018 she spoke at her law school graduation
updated 38M ago 
"Sexist" American Airlines video prompts investigation
The union that represents flight attendants at American Airlines calls for an investigation into a "demeaning" video that went viral over the weekend
1H ago 
Misinformation online helps fuel measles outbreak
Tech companies like Facebook and Google are being criticized for the role false medical information may have played in the ongoing measles outbreak in the Pacific Northwest
1H ago 
Amazon wants half of shipments to be carbon neutral by 2030
Ecommerce giant has faced criticism for not doing enough in the fight against climate change
1H ago 
Trump delivers address on Venezuela – live updates
He says all options are on the table when it comes to Venezuela
1H ago 
McCabe: Rosenstein considered asking Comey for advice after firing
Former acting FBI director says after Trump dismissed James Comey, the deputy attorney general was concerned about the future of the Justice Department's Russia investigation
5H ago 
Trump slams "treasonous" McCabe after explosive interview
The president also expressed his disapproval with Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein
5H ago 
Trump policies met with scrutiny and confusion on world stage
The Munich security conference was a backdrop to growing tensions between the U.S. and its Western allies
5H ago 
EU states say taking ISIS recruits back "not as easy" as Trump thinks
Mr. Trump has demanded that EU states take back ISIS recruits for trial, but European nations' reactions have been mixed
6H ago 
Black snow falls from the sky in Siberia, and it's toxic
A pall of eerie black snow covered several towns in the Siberian region of Kuzbass, home to 2.6 million people and one of the world's largest coal fields
2H ago 
Preserving the sounds of rare Stradivarius violins
In Cremona, Italy, the birthplace of Antonio Stradivari, an ambitious recording project aims to immortalize some of the finest musical instruments ever made
3H ago 
Twitter, Snap CEOs to be invited to international "fake news" hearing
They're on a list that includes a dozen of the world's most powerful tech leaders, including Apple's Tim Cook, and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg
3H ago 
Poland accuses Israeli official of "racist" remarks, bails on summit
Jerusalem summit collapses after acting foreign minister says Poles "collaborated" with Nazis, "sucked anti-Semitism with their mothers' milk"
4H ago
Trump policies met with scrutiny and confusion on world stage
The Munich security conference was a backdrop to growing tensions between the U.S. and its Western allies
5H ago
21 Savage on his immigration case: "I'm not leaving without a fight"
The rapper opened up about his time in ICE custody and how his uncertain immigration status shaped him into the man he is today
updated 8M ago
Preserving the sounds of rare Stradivarius violins
In Cremona, Italy, the birthplace of Antonio Stradivari, an ambitious recording project aims to immortalize some of the finest musical instruments ever made
3H ago 
Jussie Smollett: Timeline of alleged hate crime on "Empire" actor
The alleged attack of "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett has sprawled into a three-week saga of confusing reports and contradictions
12H ago 
NYPD investigating commander accused of telling officers to shoot 50 Cent
"The matter is under internal review," the NYPD spokesperson told CBS News
23H ago 
The colorful history of pink
Originally a symbol of the aristocracy, the color's later association with gender stereotypes would leave some seeing red; yet pink has become embraced by activists as representing power that cannot be ignored
Feb 17 
Misinformation online helps fuel measles outbreak
Tech companies like Facebook and Google are being criticized for the role false medical information may have played in the ongoing measles outbreak in the Pacific Northwest
1H ago
Amazon wants half of shipments to be carbon neutral by 2030
Ecommerce giant has faced criticism for not doing enough in the fight against climate change
1H ago
Black snow falls from the sky in Siberia, and it's toxic
A pall of eerie black snow covered several towns in the Siberian region of Kuzbass, home to 2.6 million people and one of the world's largest coal fields
2H ago
Twitter, Snap CEOs to be invited to international "fake news" hearing
They're on a list that includes a dozen of the world's most powerful tech leaders, including Apple's Tim Cook, and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg
3H ago 
Facebook "misled" Parliament on data misuse, U.K. committee says
CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously said the company learned of the breach from journalists, but a new report questions that
9H ago
Misinformation online helps fuel measles outbreak
Tech companies like Facebook and Google are being criticized for the role false medical information may have played in the ongoing measles outbreak in the Pacific Northwest
1H ago 
More sickened from salmonella linked to turkey
Since the outbreak began, more than 100 people have been hospitalized
2H ago 
FDA approves device to treat heart defect in tiniest babies
Smaller than a pea, the device from Abbott can be implanted in premature babies weighing as little as 2 pounds
Feb 15 
Depression may speed brain aging, research suggests
Researchers say they've found clues that depression may worsen cognitive decline
Feb 15 
How effective is this year's flu shot?
New data from the CDC estimates the effectiveness of this year's flu vaccine
Feb 14 
Amazon wants half of shipments to be carbon neutral by 2030
Ecommerce giant has faced criticism for not doing enough in the fight against climate change
1H ago 
Carmakers warn tariffs would drive up vehicle prices
Auto industry groups up in arms over a confidential Commerce Department report to President Trump
updated 52M ago
Twitter, Snap CEOs to be invited to international "fake news" hearing
They're on a list that includes a dozen of the world's most powerful tech leaders, including Apple's Tim Cook, and Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg
3H ago 
Employer-paid student loan repayment help could be coming
A bipartisan bill would let companies contribute up to $5,250 tax-free annually toward workers' student loan debt
5H ago 
U.S. could face new trade battle over car tariffs
Commerce Department set to rule on whether foreign auto imports threaten national security
6H ago 
Widow shares text message her husband sent during shooting
Josh Pinkard among five victims killed in mass shooting at manufacturing warehouse outside Chicago
4H ago 
Police searching for man seen on video assaulting gay man
Video shows suspect asking victim if he's gay and when told he is, hitting him outside Salt Lake City bar
8H ago 
Chicago police want to speak to Jussie Smollett again
"Empire" actor claims he was victim of racially charged, anti-gay assault but sources say he paid accomplices to stage the assault
7H ago 
Synagogue vandalized in NYC as people inside observed the Sabbath
About 15 people, including children, were at the synagogue during the early Saturday incident in East Williamsburg
10H ago 
Suspect charged in triple murder at California bowling alley
Reginald Leander Wallace faces three counts of murder, four counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon
15H ago Original Article
