It’s evident that Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph chose a fitting name for his moniker: 21 Savage. A combination of the age he was when almost losing his life on his legal-age birthday and the type of brutality needed for survival on the streets of Atlanta’s concrete jungle, Mr. Issa has been through hell and back. Even more astonishing is that he lived to tell about it.
21 recently sat down with Genius’ own Rob Markman at Sword and the Stone in Los Angeles to discuss how he met Sonny Digital, war stories about growing up in the hood and his opinions on what is and is not trap music. All the while, he’s tutored in constructing a knife from raw steel.
“The shit I been through is real shit. The shit I rap about is real shit. This ain’t no gimmick. I done got shot six times,” he reveals. “My best friend died in front of me on my birthday…a lot of people don’t understand me because they don’t come from where I come from.”
One of the most obvious things that a lot of people don’t understand is his thick Atlanta accent. Case in point is the recent online “issa” phenomenon, which derived from Savage’s tattoo of a knife between his eyes being mistaken for a cross.
“At first, I ain’t get it cause I just said ‘it’s a knife.’ We don’t say ‘it’s a…” We say ‘issa.’ Now, everybody is using it. Niggas making songs out of it and everything,” he explains. “I get it. It’s really cool because they’re taking shit that’s really pain for me and they’re making it cool to society. It’s really a good thing.”
Between answering questions, he is seen cutting the metal, putting it into fire, pounding into shape and beating the iron with hammer to forge what will soon be a knife.
“Rapping is just another form of dope. It’s like the dope game now. It’s where the money at,” he says. “Ain’t really no money in dope like that no more. If you give a savage money, you just made him a monster. I’mma apply the same hustle I did in the streets in the rapping.”
With the finished product in hand, he cuts through wood like a ninja and slices a piece of leather like a paper shredder.
“I’m just speaking on my life, what I see, what I go through. My past issues, my current issues…it’s just me,” he explains his music. “I wanted to touch people but I didn’t want to encourage people to do wrong. I wanted to encourage them to take their pain and turn it into art.”
See full video below.
As previously reported in other news, Savage recently partnered with Emoji Fame and created his own set of iMessage emojis.
Featuring images of 21’s favorite things, such as ski masks, knives, and Benjamins, alongside his exaggerated facial expressions, the new emoji set is menacing, yet fun, perfect for inside jokes among friends. Also keep an eye out for 21 Savage easter eggs buried deep within the rolex, blackjack, perc, and money counting emojis.
Gavin Rhodes, co-founder of Emoji Fame, said, “21 Savage is one of the most exciting young rappers out right now and this emoji set reflects his energy and spirit. It’s equal parts hard and mischievous.”
Emoji Fame has also partnered with your favorite musicians, celebrities and brands to create unique emojis, with recent sets created for Cypress Hill, Ziggy Marley and Big Freedia.
21 Savage’s new set of emojis is currently available to purchase here and you can peep some of the emojis below.