NEWSFLASH!!! 21 Savage is free…. on bond.
The Atlanta-based rapper, whose real name is She?yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was taken into the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers on Feb. 3 and detained pending deportation (click HERE if you missed that).
21 Savage was released early Wednesday on bond and an expedited hearing will be held in immigration court at a later date.
Details below…
Since the moment of his arrest, his attorneys have claimed that he had no conviction in state or federal court. Abraham-Joseph, they said, arrived to the country in 2005 on a valid visa and ?lost his legal status? through no fault of his own.
In the meantime, the rapper had applied for a U visa ? which provides a pathway to status for individuals who are victims of crime and help law enforcement ? in connection with a 2013 shooting, according to his attorneys. He has three children, who are US citizens.
According to Buzzfeed, US government attorneys dropped the ?aggravated felony? charge as grounds to deport the rapper from the US in immigration court on Tuesday as his attorneys said ICE was incorrect that Abraham-Joseph had a felony conviction on his record.
After securing the rapper?s release, his attorneys shared a message on behalf of the rapper to his fans, thanking them for their support.
He says that while he wasn?t present at the Grammy Awards, he was there in spirit and is grateful for the support from around the world and is more than ever, ready to be with his loved ones and continue making music that brings people together.
TMZ released a photo earlier today of the rapper smiling and holding his mother as they board a private plane back to Atlanta. She looks thrilled that her son is out of detention.