By Ameara Ditsche
Staff Writer
In what seemed to be a glitch in matrix, series of events, Atlanta-based rapper, 21 Savage, (real name, Sheyaa bin Abraham) was revealed to actually be born in the United Kingdom. Abraham was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (also known as, I.C.E.) officers who released a statement that he had been arrested and the goal was to have him deported back to his home country of England. Abraham came here as a young teen and moved to Atlanta, where he got invovled in rapping and claimed to be from the city’s Zone six neighborhood.
Since his detainment, a lot of attention has been focused both in the forms of memes and news coverage. Jay-Z has even come forward saying his plans to hire lawyers on Abraham’s behalf.
While this situation may seem funny at first, due to its absurd circumstances, we need to recognize this is a very real problem in our country right now. 21 Savage is not the first person to be deported and will certainly not be the last.
Abraham has reportedly been put in very harsh conditions, with minimum food/water, and spending 23 hours a day locked inside. He is a prominent man with a net worth of $8 million. He certainly doesn’t need Jay-Z to be funding his litigation.
While it is great that another powerful rapper is taking a political stance, he is doing it where it isn’t needed.
Where was Jay-Z when it was poor people getting sent to countries they have no memory of? Or when families were getting seperated? Children are literally dying at our border. A rich rapper should not be the poster child for the deportation crisis.
If you didn’t care about deportation until 21 Savage, you need to re-evaluate your empathy skills. The biggest issue here is not when 21 Savage’s next album will drop. It is the xenophobia running rampant in our government.
A big concern arising from this situation is a general “no one is safe” feeling. Abraham is rich, powerful, and from a predominantly white country that is both, an ally of the United States and not in an economic or political crisis. He posed no potential threat to safety or American citizen’s progression.
If the government is willing to deport people like him, imagine what they are willing to do to people who came here with criminal records due to an oppressive regime? Or people from countries that they don’t respect? 21 Savage is just the surface, calling attention to an issue that runs much deeper.
21 Savage, like most illegal immigrants came her legally, and overstayed a visa. This brings us back to his money and power. It exemplifies just how difficult the path to citizenship is. If his prominence and net worth that no doubt come with a slew of powerful connections, weren’t able to quicken to process over the past decade, it is right to assume it is even harder for poorer immigrants who fly below the radar at low tier jobs just attempting to survive.
Abraham has spent the American portion of his life in Georgia, a Southern, conservative state. The chapter of I.C.E. serving this region of the country is renowned for being hyperactive and aggressive, presumably due to the conservative and often discriminatory views of the area.
Hopefully, the best will come from this saddening series of events. In a positive light, this had a springboard effect and has the potential to do great things like get youth involved in politics, which is not an easy feat. Maybe, Abraham’s arrest will make it clear just how big of an issue this is and shine light on the hundreds of people this affects every day.
My best wishes to 21 Savage, his friends/family, and everyone who lives in fear of unfair deportation.
