It’s been three years since Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) authorities memorably arrested 21 Savage.
The British-born rapper, whose government name is Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, was accused of being “unlawfully present” in the United States, as his visa expired in 2006.
21 Savage arrested and exposed as being British 3 years ago today 🇬🇧🤣 pic.twitter.com/9ARdLtpaLc
— Daily Loud (@DailyLoud) February 3, 2022
While many rappers swiftly decried his detainment, 21 Savage recently spoke on how JAY-Z and Meek Mill actively helped him get out of ICE custody.
During his appearance on Math Hoffa’s My Expert Opinion podcast, 21 Savage revealed that he made a phone call to Meek Mill once he was detained. Immediately after that, Meek Mill got in touch with JAY-Z, who had the means to help 21 Savage with legal representation.
“I called Meek while I was in jail and told Meek, ‘Bro, I just got locked up.’ He called JAY-Z, and JAY-Z put a lawyer on my case. He played a role in getting me out,” he recalled.
21 Savage went on to address how honored he was to be getting meaningful help from the Brooklyn-born rap legend.
“He ain’t just doing that s**t for anybody just cuz your rap. You gotta be from a certain cloth… I don’t feel like he’s just doing that for anybody. I ain’t Roc Nation or none of that s**t.”
While speaking on JAY-Z, 21 Savage later went on to reveal what the mogul prioritizes when it comes to his financial spendings.
“He just told me his top three things that he spent his money on,” 21 Savage said in the interview. “We ain’t really have no financial conversation. He just was like, ‘Chef’; I went and got a chef. ‘A doctor’; I went and got a doctor. And he said a lawyer; I already had a lawyer at the time.”
While this list may leave some puzzled, JAY-Z himself shed further clarity on his list in a text message, which 21 Savage shared on his Instagram Story.
“Top 3 things… They asked you ‘Why a doctor,'” JAY-Z began, explaining that he prioritizes having a doctor on call because someone “can’t make no money/or spend money without your health!”
He went on to further explain his rationale by cryptically writing, “Freedom/lawyer/deals/lawyer. Doctor/health. Chef/quality of life!”
.@21savage shares JAY-Z’s reaction to this clip that has since gone viral https://t.co/HQeqrIZQbY pic.twitter.com/nlOBnFDMY1
— JAY-Z Daily (@JAY_Z_Daily) June 10, 2022
Judging from these interactions, it’s safe to say that JAY-Z has taken a genuine liking to 21 Savage, recognizing him as a major force within the rap game.