Who Is 21 Savage? 6 Things You Didn’t Know About The ‘No Heart’ Rapper

Rapper 21 Savage, real name Shayaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, has only been rapping since 2013 but he is already one of hip-hop’s hottest names. From collaborations with Drake and Metro Boomin to a growing feud with Tyga and Kylie Jenner, the Atlanta rapper is on his way to becoming mainstream. Here are a few things to know about him:

1. He Was Named To XXL Freshman Class Of 2016

The list that has featured the likes of J. Cole, Wale, Schoolboy Q, Kendrick Lamar and Chance The Rapper, 21 Savage was recognized by XXL as one of hip-hop’s best newcomers in 2016.

2. He’s Been Trolling Kylie Jenner And Tyga

In late-November, 21 Savage took to Twitter to post a photo of rapper Tyga’s girlfriend, Kylie Jenner, with the heart eyes emoji. A few days later, when asked about his feelings for Jenner, the rapper said, “I’ll tear that.” This led to Jenner leaking a clip of Tyga’s “No Heart” diss to 21 Savage and their feud has been going on ever since.

3. He Was Kicked Out Of School In Seventh Grade

During his middle school years, 21 Savage found himself expelled from school after he was caught with a gun. During an interview with Power 105’s The Breakfast Club, the rapper said he brought the gun to school after a group of kids threatened to fight him. Savage eventually went back to school but started getting involved in illegal activities. “Next thing you know, it was weed, weed, weed. Crack and robberies,” he told The Fader.

4. His Face Tattoo Is Inspired By His Brother

Aside from his ad-libs, 21 Savage is perhaps most famous for the tattoo right between his eyes: a dagger. He and his younger brother Quantivayus originally wanted to get matching “Scarface” tattoos between their thumb and index finger, but according to 21 Savage, Quantivayus did his own thing and got the dagger on his face. The rapper’s brother was eventually shot and killed and Savage honored him by getting the same ink.

5. His Rap Name Came From An Instagram Name

The “21” in the rapper’s name comes from the name of his gang growing up, 21. As for the “savage” part, the artist says it came to him while trying to come up with an Instagram username. 21 Savage says he just threw “savage” after “21” and the moniker stuck.

6. He Is Scared Of Flying

21 Savage may seem like a scary figure but there is one thing the rapper is afraid of himself: flying. Although he has flown before, 21 Savage says he is scared to fly and has a fear of the airplane being hijacked.