21 Savage is finally a ‘lawful permanent resident’ of the U.S.

21 Savage has been declared a ‘lawful permanent resident’ of the U.S. and can finally visit his birth nation of England.

A four-year legal battle was sparked in 2019 when the rapper (real name: Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph) was arrested for immigrating to the U.S. and overstaying his visa. According to his legal team, 21 Savage was originally born in London, immigrating to the US as a 7-year-old. He then left the country to attend his uncle’s funeral in 2005, aged 12, without the knowledge that his visa would expire a year later. The rapper then tried to renew his visa in 2017.

Although legal complications delayed the immigration case, 21 Savage can now say he is a ‘lawful permanent resident’ of the U.S. In an Instagram reel, the rapper shared footage of his childhood in London and the massive crowds he’s since amassed, ending the video with the words: “London, I’m comin home…”

For years, 21 Savage has been unable to tour outside of the U.S., including the Canadian leg of Drake‘s ‘It’s All A Blur’ tour. Now, the Atlanta-based musician seems to be making up for lost time by hinting at a London hometown show.

It is also speculated that Drake may appear as well: in the comments section, he corrected 21 Savage: “*we’re”.

Despite his initial arrest, 21 Savage has been able to make music. In 2020, he teamed up with Metro Boomin to release the “near-perfect” ‘Savage Mode II‘. In NME‘s five-star review, the album “is confirmation of two young artists at the top of their game, watching the landscape unfold from the throne they earned themselves four years ago.”

In 2022, 21 Savage and Drake teamed up to release ‘Her Loss‘, which NME found less successful: “The whining misogyny laced throughout the record is a symptom of a wider issue: this album is essentially the sonic imprint of a massively bloated ego.”