With chart-topping hits and Grammy award-winning tracks, 21 Savage’s rise to fame over the last ten years has been astronomical, earning the artist a significant fanbase and a host of incredible collaborations since his first single in 2014. The London born but Atlanta based rapper’s impressive discography would naturally come with an impressive net worth.
While he’s been a household name for less than a decade, 21 Savage’s net worth proves that he’s made a significant impact on the music industry; read on to find out all about his major money moves!
21 Savage’s Early Life
The story of 21 Savage (born Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph) is more unique than most other famous rappers for several reasons. Firstly, while he proudly reps Atlanta, the 31-year-old was born in Plaistow, London, where he lived with his Dominican mom and Haitian dad until age seven. Around that time, the young boy’s parents, Heather Carmilla Joseph and Kevin Cornelius Emmons, went their separate ways; the latter stayed in the UK with his twin daughters while Savage relocated to Georgia with Heather to start fresh. She remarried and had more children, one of whom was tragically killed in a shooting after a botched drug deal. As an adolescent, Abraham-Joseph was banned from every public high school in the Atlanta area for possessing a gun, leading him to drop out during his freshman year.
Sadly, this didn’t do Savage any favors; rival gang members shot him six times during an attempted robbery on his 21st birthday. This incident resulted in the death of his two best friends and is ultimately what inspired Abraham-Joseph to use music as a creative outlet. Since turning his life around, the lyricist has still had occasional trouble with the law, but tries to keep his focus on his three kids – Kamari, Ashaad and Rhian – and making music that the streets and clubs have grown to love.
Reflecting on the London-Born Rapper’s Career
Early Mixtapes and EPs
Savage’s late best friend’s uncle gifted the artist money for studio time in 2013, a gift that was much needed after enduring the traumatic loss of friends and loved ones. The young creative didn’t squander the opportunity, dropping his debut single, “Picky,” the following year, quickly earning praise for its distinct flow and raw lyrics. As his following grew, Abraham-Joseph had more to share; The Slaughter Tape and The Slaughter King mixtapes arrived in May and December, respectively. Meanwhile, things heated up in July 2015 with the release of his debut EP, Free Guwop.
21 Savage’s Net Worth Grows In The Mid 2010s
By the mid-2010s, Savage was thriving in hip-hop. He was named alongside Kodak Black, Lil Uzi Vert and Lil Yachty in the XXL Freshman 2016 class, blowing fans away with his performance during their cypher. Capitalizing on that success, he and producer Metro Boomin unveiled Savage Mode later that summer, with hits like “X” and “No Heart” blasting nationwide on repeat. Around this time the London native began working with his frequent collaborator, Drake, appearing on “Sneakin’” from the Canadian’s More Life mixtape. These sales would go a long way toward building 21 Savage’s net worth.
Thanks to his tireless efforts and ability to stand out from his contemporaries, Savage inked a unique deal with Sony’s Epic Records in January 2017, months before sharing his debut studio LP, Issa Album. “Bank Account” quickly became a contender for song of the summer that year, and on Halloween, the quick-witted rhymer kept the party going on Without Warning – a collaborative project with Metro and Offset of Migos fame. In his personal life, Abraham-Joseph was dating model Amber Rose at this time, though their headline-making romance came to an end in March 2018.
A breakup didn’t stop Savage from sharing new music – in fact, it may have been a driving force behind the notably more mature themes on his next solo album, I Am > I Was. Boasting collabs with Childish Gambino, Post Malone and J. Cole, the 15-track effort marked the father of three’s first No. 1 debut on the Billboard 200 chart, and it’s certainly not his last. His song “A Lot” in tandem with the Dreamville founder earned Savage a Grammy for Best Rap Song, and in 2019, he landed on Forbes’ annual 30 Under 30 list in the music category.
Despite all the accolades and success, 21 Savage found his net worth in potential peril after being taken into custody by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in February 2019. He and his cousin, Young Nudy, were charged with aggravated assault following a sting operation known as the Georgia Gang Act. Amid the investigation, ICE uncovered that the “Ric Flair Drip” hitmaker had been in America illegally since 2006 when his non-immigration visa expired. Savage’s legal team argued that their client acknowledged his overstay and had been attempting to renew his visa since 2017. He was ultimately released from custody, but it wasn’t until October 2023 that Abraham-Joseph became a lawful permanent resident of the U.S., providing him with the freedom to travel internationally again.
21 Savage Continues to Flourish in the 2020s
While he couldn’t leave America for the first few years of the 2020’s, 21 Savage made the most of his time at home throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. He and Metro continued to make waves in hip-hop with Savage Mode II, tapping Morgan Freeman to narrate the No. 1 album. Seeing as he knows a thing or two about making money moves, the Southern superstar launched the 21 Savage Bank Account Campaign to help youth learn about managing their money for life.
In 2022, he and Drake continued their successful collaborative run with an LP called Her Loss, which sold 404K album-equivalent units in its first week out. Vogue Magazine sued the “Jimmy Cooks” artist for using the publication’s branding to promote their work, but that didn’t stop them from celebrating their album’s success on the It’s All A Blur Tour last year. To celebrate his permanent residency, Savage dropped his American Dream project to start 2024, marking his biggest first-week sales as a solo act.
He joined Doja Cat on stage during her headlining slot at Coachella 2024 to perform their joint track, “n.h.i.e.,” and while nothing’s been officially confirmed, rumor has it he and Atlanta-based femcee Latto are getting cozy. Now that Savage has the freedom to travel internationally again, there’s no telling what’s next for the Grammy Award winner, or how much money he’ll make.
What Is 21 Savage’s Net Worth?
21 Savage’s net worth has jumped from $12M to $16M in the past few years, according to One 37 PM and Celebrity Net Worth. Seeing as he owns all of his masters under his contract with Sony’s Epic Records (an arrangement that’s atypical in the music industry), it’s easy to see how the entertainer’s millions have grown so quickly. Abraham-Joseph also previously confirmed that he’s the main breadwinner in his partnership with the label, splitting profits 70/30 in his favor.
Besides collecting revenue from his past releases, Savage has kept busy with consistent tours since 2016, hitting the road with acts like Lil Uzi Vert, J. Cole, Young Thug, Metro Boomin and Gucci Mane. Brands like Worldstar and Monster Energy have sponsored live shows in the past, and his net worth continues to grow thanks to partnerships with PlayStation and Snipes, among others.
