It appears that Drake‘s boast on “8am in Charlotte” that “Savage got a green card straight out of the consulate” may be more than a slick line.
Billboard is reporting that 21 Savage has indeed gotten a green card, and fixed immigration issues stemming from his 2019 near-deportation. The magazine’s sources say that Savage is currently planning an international tour.
21 Savage has been performing with Drake on the latter’s It’s All a Blur Tour, but he notably did not appear on any Canadian dates — though whether that had anything to do with immigration issues is unconfirmed.
Savage was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in February 2019. The agency claimed at the time:
“[Savage] initially entered the U.S. legally in July 2005, but subsequently failed to depart under the terms of his nonimmigrant visa and he became unlawfully present in the U.S. when his visa expired in July 2006.
“In addition to being in violation of federal immigration law, Mr. Abraham-Joseph was convicted on felony drug charges in October 2014 in Fulton County, Georgia.”
A resolution of those immigration charges was delayed, Savage’s team said, because of a criminal case related to the original ICE stop, involving controlled substance and weapons charges. But DeKalb County, Ga. authorities told Billboard that those charges had been dropped, which seems to have cleared the way for the immigration issue to be settled.
“While there was probable cause to make an arrest, after further investigation was completed and information was provided by the defense, the state did not believe it could prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt,” a representative for the DeKalb County District Attorney’s office told the outlet.
In addition to being rhymed about, Savage is also featured on Drake’s new album For All The Dogs. He appears on the song “Calling For You,” which is co-produced by noted Drake pal Lil Yachty.
