Commentary

COMMENTARY: Black Millennials Embrace the Struggle and Message of Rapper 21 Savage

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Although 21 Savage has lived in the U.S. for the past 14 years, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is attempting to expedite his deportation back to the United Kingdom. Savage was detained but was able to post bail from ICE last week.

Published

7 years ago

February 18, 2019

Oakland Post

By Black Millennial Voices: Malika Elmengad and Franklin Chavis

Becoming a well-known hip-hop rapper involves displaying creative genius and talent on the stage and in recording studios. Unfortunately, for some young aspiring hip-hop artists, unjust confrontations with law enforcement appear to be inevitable. This is currently the case with the Grammy-nominated rapper professionally known as 21 Savage.

Based now in Atlanta, Georgia, 21 Savage was born in London in the United Kingdom on October 22, 1992. The 26-year-old talented rapper’s name at birth was Sheyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph. He immigrated legally to the United States as a minor back in 2005 with his family.

Although 21 Savage has lived in the U.S. for the past 14 years, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is attempting to expedite his deportation back to the United Kingdom. Savage was detained but was able to post bail from ICE last week.

Yet, in the aftermath of being released from ICE detention and appearing in a taped television show interview on ABC’s Good Morning America, police officials in Southern Georgia’s Liberty County re-arrested 21 Savage and charged him with “felony theft” because he did not perform at a paid gig in Georgia 3 years ago.

The fact of the matter is that 21 Savage actually turned himself into the Liberty County Sherriff’s office and was immediately released on another bail posting. According to one of his attorneys, Abby Taylor, “This is really a civil contract dispute. We are optimistic that it will be resolved to the satisfaction of all of the parties and dismissed.”

From the perspective of millions of Black American millennials across the nation, the unjust ordeals that 21 Savage is facing are all symptomatic and representative of racism in the U.S. immigration system combined with long-standing cultural and racial profiling of hip-hop artists by the so-called criminal justice system.

The constant run-ins that Tupac Shakur and DMX and many other hip-hop artists have had with the police are on point and relevant to what 21 Savage is now enduring. Some news reports have revealed that ICE officials were trying to intimidate and force 21 Savage to give up his fight to remain in the U.S. Immigration procedures could possibly lead to both his unjust deportation and a 10-year ban from reentering the country.

But it is good to witness that 21 Savage is keeping his faith strong, hiring good experienced defense lawyers, and that there is a growing vocal and visible support for him now coming from hip-hop icons like Jay Z, Diddy and Meek Mills.

Attorney Charles Kuck, one of the other lawyers representing 21 Savage, stated, “[21 Savage] never hid his immigration status.” Attorney Kuck also said that he has a pending U visa application that could permit him to remain in the U.S. 21 Savage also has two U.S. born children whom he supports, which could make him eligible to stay here and to continue his growing career as a gifted artist and musician.

Attorney Kuck concluded, “In fact, his contributions to local communities and schools that he grew up in are the examples of the type of immigrant we want in America.”

When the New York Times recently asked 21 Savage if he felt a responsibility to speak up about his circumstances. He responded in a classic 21 Savage manner spitting truth to power: “Yeah, I feel a responsibility. 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.”

Thus, 21 Savage speaks for all of us across the nation who are young and fed up with the mass incarcerations, intimidations, and racial oppression. His voice is our voice. Hip-hop is not going anywhere. We embrace the courage and the creative genius of 21 Savage today and into the future.

Malika Elmengad and Franklin Chavis are Co-Founders of Black Millennial Voices, a national and global advocacy group of millennials who are now writing and reporting for the NNPA: The Black Press of America. They can be reached at www.BlackMillennialVoices.com

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Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 18 – 24, 2026

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1 week ago

March 22, 2026

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Advice

Financial Wellness and Mental Health: Managing Money Stress in College 

While everyone’s financial situation is unique, several common sources of stress have the potential to strain your financial health. These include financial and economic uncertainty, existing debts, unexpected expenses, and mental or physical health changes. Financial stress may differ from situation to situation, but understanding the factors contributing to yours may help you begin to craft a plan for your unique circumstances.

Published

2 weeks ago

March 17, 2026

Oakland Post

Sponsored by JPMorganChase

As a college student, managing financial responsibilities can be stressful.

If you’ve found yourself staying up late thinking about your finances or just feeling anxious overall about your financial future, you’re not alone. In one survey, 78% of college students who reported financial stress had negative impacts on their mental health, and 59% considered dropping out. While finances can impact overall stress, taking steps to manage your finances can support your mental, emotional and physical well-being.

When it comes to money, the sources of stress may look different for each student, but identifying the underlying causes and setting goals accordingly may help you feel more confident about your financial future.

Consider these strategies to help improve your financial wellness and reduce stress.

Understand what causes financial stress

2. Determine your financial priorities

Start by reflecting on your financial priorities. For students this often includes paying for school or paying off student loans, studying abroad, saving for spring break, building an emergency fund, paying down credit card debt or buying a car. Name the milestones that are most important to you, and plan accordingly.

3. Create a plan and stick to it

While setting actionable goals starts you on the journey to better financial health, it’s essential to craft a plan to follow through. Identifying and committing to a savings plan may give you a greater sense of control over your finances, which may help reduce your stress. Creating and sticking to a budget allows you to better track where your money is going so you may spend less and save more.

4. Pay down debt

Many students have some form of debt and want to make progress toward reducing their debt obligations. One option is the debt avalanche method, which focuses on paying off your debt with the highest interest rate first, then moving on to the debt with the next-highest interest rate. Another is the debt snowball method, which builds momentum by paying off your smallest debt balance, and then working your way up to the largest amounts.

5. Build your financial resilience

Some financial stress may be inevitable, but building financial resilience may allow you to overcome obstacles more easily. The more you learn about managing your money, for instance, the more prepared you’ll feel if the unexpected happens. Growing your emergency savings also may increase resilience since you’ll be more financially prepared to cover unexpected expenses or pay your living expenses.

6. Seek help and support

Many colleges have resources to help students experiencing financial stress, like financial literacy courses or funds that provide some assistance for students in need. Talk to your admissions counselor or advisor about your concerns, and they can direct you to sources of support. Your school’s counseling center can also be a great resource for mental health assistance if you’re struggling with financial stress.

The bottom line

Financial stress can affect college students’ health and wellbeing, but it doesn’t have to derail your dreams. Setting smart financial goals and developing simple plans to achieve them may help ease your stress. Revisit and adjust your plan as needed to ensure it continues to work for you, and seek additional support on campus as needed to help keep you on track.

 JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC