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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Activism

‘Hire Oakland’ Job Fair Draws 2,000, Connecting Residents to Immediate Job Opportunities

Oakland’s Hire Oakland job fair, hosted by Mayor Barbara Lee’s office, connected over 2,000 job seekers with employers, highlighting a strong demand for quality jobs and career pathways in the city.

Published

2 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Left to right: Yawo Tekpa, OPIC Manager, One Stop Operator; Sofia Navarro, Deputy City Administrator; and Ray Lankford, CEO of the Oakland Private Industry Council. Photo by Jonathan Fitness Jones.

By Post Staff

The Office of Mayor Barbara Lee, in partnership with the City of Oakland and regional employers, hosted a successful Hire Oakland job fair this week at Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, bringing together job seekers and employers for a day focused on opportunity, connection, and economic mobility.

With more than 2,000 RSVPs, the event on Wednesday reflected strong demand across Oakland for access to quality jobs and career pathways. Attendees participated in on-site recruitment, application support, and hands-on workshops designed to help job seekers navigate hiring processes and prepare for interviews.

Over the course of the day, employers and community partners engaged directly with residents in a welcoming, high-energy environment centered on opportunity and hope. Participating employers included EBMUD, Samuel Merritt University, the City of Oakland, BART, PG&E, AC Transit, East Bay Regional Parks District, Southwest Airlines, FedEx, and many others offering immediate openings and career pathways across sectors.

Workforce development partners Oakland Private Industry Council (OPIC) and Lao Family Community Development provided connections to résumé support, interview coaching, and individualized job search assistance throughout the event.

The strong turnout underscores a clear reality: Oakland residents are eager for pathways into meaningful work, and sustained investment in youth and workforce programs is essential.

That is why Mayor Lee has prioritized relaunching the Oakland Police Cadet Program and the Mayor’s Youth Employment and Education Program (MYEEP)—ensuring young people have early access to paid work experience, mentorship, and long-term career pathways, according to a City press statement.

“The turnout shows what we already know—Oaklanders are ready to work, ready to grow, and ready to build their futures here at home,” said Lee. “When we connect people directly to employers and invest in young people early, we are not just filling jobs—we are changing lives and strengthening our city’s future.”

The Hire Oakland job fair is part of the City’s broader effort to strengthen workforce pipelines, expand access to good-paying jobs, and ensure Oakland residents are first in line for local opportunity.

About Hire OaklandHire Oakland is a citywide workforce initiative led by the Office of Mayor Barbara Lee in partnership with City departments, workforce development organizations, and regional employers. The program connects Oakland job seekers to real-time hiring opportunities, training resources, and career pathways.

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Activism

Cassie ‘Mama C’ Lopez Honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year

Cassandra “Mama C” Lopez, a dedicated parent, teacher, and activist, was honored as Oakland’s Mother of the Year for her unwavering commitment to community and justice.

Published

2 hours ago

May 15, 2026

Oakland Post

Cassandra Lopez, known as “Mama C,” is surrounded by family, friends, and neighbors at Oakland’s annual Mother of Year celebration at the Morcom Rose Garden, Saturday, May 9. Photo by Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon.

By Ken Epstein

The City of Oakland recognized Cassandra, “Mama C,” Lopez – parent, teacher, community activist, and justice warrior – as Oakland’s Mother of the Year in a celebration at Oakland’s Morcom Rose Garden on Mother’s Day weekend.

Long recognized as a leader in her community, she was nominated by District 3 City Councilmember Carroll Fife to receive the city’s 73rd annual Mother of the Year award.

Speaking at the crowded ceremony on Saturday, May 9, where Mama C received roses and a proclamation from Mayor Barbara Lee, Fife said she felt honored to nominate Lopez, an “amazing woman – a hell-raising humanitarian, for the energy, the passion, but most of all the love for community” that makes her one of those “exceptional women whose lives, exemplify love, sacrifice, leadership, and unwavering commitment to the family and community they serve.”

Cassie Lopez was born in 1945 to Pauline and Calvin Weaver, a family that had left Florida and Jim Crow for the east side of Detroit. From an early age, she was instilled with a sense of Black awareness, love, and the importance of community in the face of hardships, including poverty, freezing winters, low pay, and slum landlords.

Fifty-five years ago, she married Juan Lopez. The couple has three children and has lived for decades in a neighborhood on the edge of downtown Oakland near Mosswood Park.

Said her husband, Juan, “Mama C has been a selfless mother of our own children, and she also became a teacher. Our home became a second home for many young people. For some, it was refuge from difficult home situations, and for others, a safe place to hang out.

“Throughout the years, Mama C was sometimes a foot soldier and other times a leader, immersed in some of the biggest national and citywide struggles of the day,” Juan said. “But less known to many is the role she played day in and day out where the rubber hits the road.

“For 35 years, she has shepherded the Mosswood Park and Recreation Center – through its good and bad times. If the Center exists (and thrives) today, it has to do with Mama C, working alongside neighbors, center directors, community advisory council, and when necessary, community coalitions, city officials, the religious community, and the labor movement.”

Said Mateenah Floyd-Okanlawon, “I am an old friend of my sister here. We met in 1970 in the sugarcane fields of Cuba, where we were helping the Cuban government harvest their sugar. We have been friends ever since. She has always been someone who does not give in to despair.”

David Johnson, an educator in Oakland, was one of the neighborhood children who grew up in the community created by Mama C and her family

“Cassandra Lopez is a beacon of light, full of compassion. She has dedicated her life to quality education to the poor and working class,” serving for 40 years as a Spanish teacher in Oakland schools, he said.

“She has dedicated her life to speak truth to power, justice to the silent, and as a member of the community, she advocates for programs and resources,” he said.

In her remarks, Mama C recognized the influence and power of all mothers. “Together, we all stand on the backs of our mothers. Mothers play a special role in society. We give when we have almost nothing left to give. We hurt when some people don’t see the hurt and the pain that our families endure. But we keep on moving forward.”

Looking at what African Americans, other people of color and working people face in the country today, she said, “We are deserving of the very best because our hands, our bodies produce the wealth of world, and yet we get the least. We see our country wholesale being stolen away from us, and we are told to grin and bear it. We’re not bearing it; we’re fighting against it.”

Continuing, she said, “There’s enough wealth in this world that there should be no hunger in the world. There should be nobody without a decent place to live. Nobody should be sleeping on the street. Teachers should get the freedom to be creative and tell the stories that exist in this nation that make us strong and great.

“We have a lot to do. We cannot despair. We cannot run. People are learning, and together, collectively, we can do it.”