ATLANTA, GA – 21 Savage wasn’t the only rapper arrested on Sunday morning (February 3). According to CBS Atlanta, law enforcement officers were actually targeting Young Nudy (real name Quantavious Thomas) and two other men for “reasons unrelated to immigration arrest.”
VICE contributor Donovan Farley tweeted that he talked to an ICE spokesperson who confirmed Nudy’s arrest.
“Just got off w/ ICE spox,” he wrote. “21 was in a car w Young Nudy and 2 others last night when APD [Atlanta Police Department] pulled them over & arrested Nudy * others. 21 got dinged in the system & turned over to ICE. Spox said ICE wasn’t aware of 21’s ’14 arrest or they’d popped him then.”
Just go off w ICE spox. 21 was in a car w Young Nudy and 2 others last night when APD pulled them over & arrested Nudy & others. 21 got dinged in the system & turned over to ICE. Spox said ICE wasn't aware of 21's '14 arrest or they'd have popped him then. #free21savage #free21
— Donovan "Abolish Guac Costing Extra" 🥑 🌯 Farley (@DonovanFarley) 3 февраля 2019 г.
News of 21 Savage’s ICE arrest came Sunday afternoon. CNN reporter Nick Valencia tweeted the same ICE spokesperson said the I Am > I Was artist’s “whole persona is false. He actually came to the U.S. from the U.K. as a teen and overstayed his visa.”
BREAKING- @ICEgov spokesman tells me @21savage was taken into custody by ICE. “His whole public persona is false. He actually came to the U.S. from the U.K. as a teen and overstayed his visa.” MORE COMING
— Nick Valencia (@CNNValencia) 3 февраля 2019 г.
However, Farley tweeted the ICE spokesperson denied any slander regarding the 26-year-old rapper (real name Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph).
“ICE spokesman also unequivocally denied saying anything slanderous about 21 Savage being fake or what have you,” Farley wrote. “Said that’s 100% people twisting his words and seemed surprised when I quoted the quotes we’ve all been reading. Take that as you will.”
Just go off w ICE spox. 21 was in a car w Young Nudy and 2 others last night when APD pulled them over & arrested Nudy & others. 21 got dinged in the system & turned over to ICE. Spox said ICE wasn't aware of 21's '14 arrest or they'd have popped him then. #free21savage #free21
— Donovan "Abolish Guac Costing Extra" 🥑 🌯 Farley (@DonovanFarley) 3 февраля 2019 г.
21 Savage’s attorney, Dina LaPolt, issued a statement explaining his legal team is trying to “clear up any misunderstandings.”
“We are working diligently to get Mr. Abraham-Joseph out of detention while we work with authorities to clear up any misunderstanding,” LaPolt said. “Mr. Abraham-Joseph is a role model to the young people in this country, especially in Atlanta, Georgia, and is actively working in the community -leading programs to help underprivileged youths in financial literacy.”
21 Savage is currently “removal proceedings before the federal immigration courts.”
