G rammy-nominated rapper 21 Savage has been arrested and is in federal immigration custody in Georgia, US authorities said. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesman Bryan Cox said the artist, whose real name is Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph, had overstayed his visa which expired in 2006. Hours after news of his arrest emerged, a copy of the rapper's birth certificate was obtained by the MailOnline, revealing that he was born in the borough of Newham, east London. The birth certificate shows that he was born on October 22, 1992 at Newham Hospital. 21 Savage, who also has a felony conviction, was arrested in a targeted operation in Atlanta on Sunday. The rapper is nominated for two awards at next week's Grammys, including record of the year for "Rockstar" alongside Post Malone. His second solo album "I Am I Was," released in December, debuted at No 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. "We are working diligently to get Mr Abraham-Joseph out of detention while we work with the authorities to clear up any misunderstandings," his lawyer Dina LaPolt said. 21 Savage entered the US legally in July 2005, but has been present in the country illegally since his visa expired in July 2006, Mr Cox said. 21 Savage has been arrested by US Immigration officials after overstaying his visa / Getty Images He was convicted on felony drug charges in October 2014 in Fulton County, the statement added.<doc-sep>Advertisement This is the birth certificate that proves rapper 21 Savage was born to British parents in London where he lived for 12 years until being taken to Atlanta by his mother who still speaks with a strong English accent, MailOnline can reveal today. The musician also has twin sisters in the capital, dance choreographers Kyra and Jayda, who have called his arrest 'fishy' but deleted childhood photos of the star growing up in the UK with one saying: 'I don't want him to get deported'. The star was held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers last night - he is being held in a federal immigration custody in Georgia and could be deported back to the UK. Police claim the musician has been is in the country 'unlawfully' since 2006 - but in those 13 years he has made $8million from his hit rap songs, toured the world and was even prosecuted for a drugs offence in 2014 before his immigration status came to light. An ICE spokesman said: 'His whole public persona is false. He actually came to the US from the UK as a teen and overstayed his visa'. His fans are in shock because they believed that he was born and raised in Atlanta - because he has a thick Georgian accent and has never denied claims he was born and bred in the city, where he has three young children. MailOnline can reveal his UK birth certificate shows he was born Sheyaa bin Abraham on October 22, 1992 at Newham Hospital, in east London, and his parents Heather Joseph and Kevin Emmons are also British. It appears he moved to Atlanta with his mother when the couple separated and he is now one of America's rising rap stars with a string of hits including collaborations with megastar Drake, who recently bought him a Ferrari. Last year his mother was interviewed at an event in the city where her son was handing out free books, shoes and clothes to poorer families at a 'back to school' event. In a strong British accent she says: 'It's every mother's dream to see their son grow up to be such a thoughtful, loving boy. It's great that he is helping so many people because we were there once ourselves'. 21 Savage with his mother Heather, who was also born in Britain and is understood to have taken him to Atlanta when he was 12 The rapper's birth certificate shows he was born in London on October 22, 1992 at Newham Hospital, to British parents 21 Savage brags on social media over his lavish lifestyle which sees him rubbing shoulders with US stars. He posed with a golden gun and multiple Ferraris on his Instagram page 21 Savage has twin sisters, Kyra and Jayda (left), who believe his arrest is 'fishy' while his mother Heather (right) has lived with him in Atlanta since he was 12 and has a strong British accent His sister Jayda has deleted all tweets about her older brother and said the situation is 'mad' and 'fishy' because he has lived in the US so long The rap star's father Kevin Emmons boasted about his son's success on Facebook despite him overstaying his visa But ICE officials have accused him of living a 'false' life in the US and say aged 12 he came legally to America in July 2005 - but his visa expired a year later and has lived there illegally ever since and said he was guilty of felony drug charges in October 2014. UK authorities have said they are in contact with a lawyer for Atlanta-based rapper 21 Savage, who is in federal immigration custody in the US as he is allegedly there illegally. 21 Savage has 'told everyone back home not to talk,' after he was detained by immigration officers in the US. Speaking in London his cousin said today the rapper managed to get word back to Britain to friends and family to keep quiet. His relative, named by friends as 'Tahir', arrived with three other men at a maisonette in Brixton, south London, believed to be home to the rap star's paternal family. The cousin said: 'I am not saying anything. He told everybody at home not to talk. 'He has already sent the message round to everybody.' 'Tahir' was seen telling friends not to 'give away anything.' One group member, who referred to himself as Cameron, said: 'He has been told not to say anything and it's not his business to tell. 'He is his cousin but it's not his place to say anything.' They made reference to his dad 'Kevin'. A spokesman for the British Foreign Office confirmed he is British and said: 'Our staff are in contact with the lawyer of a British man following his detention in the US.' Critics, including his family in Britain, have claimed his past was not a secret. The rapper has got word back to relatives in the UK not to speak with officials if questioned over his life in Britain, MailOnline was told by family members 21 Savage is pictured as a young boy. His birth certificate reveals he was born in London, as were both of his parents and his family have said that his British background was not a secret His sister Jayda tweeted today: 'Shaayaa moved to America when he was mad young, so he basically is American, he grew up there. I'm bare confused as to how they're trying to deport him though... He's been comfortable this whole time. This smells fishy'. Fans also urged her to delete childhood photos of the star in London in case it hurt his case. She said: 'I feel to delete my old tweets about him you know. I don't want him to get deported'. His father Kevin, a council worker, was not at home today but a woman answered the intercom of his Surrey home and said: 'No sorry, we have no comment on that. Thank you, goodbye'. His grandmother in Brixton also declined to comment and a cousin, Tahir, told MailOnline: 'He told everybody at home not to talk. He has already sent the message round to everybody'. The rapper was only held as an illegal immigrant when Atlanta Police arrested his friend and fellow rapper Young Nudy, 21, after stopping the car they were travelling in together on Sunday night. Officers held Nudy but also ran 21 Savage's date of birth through their system and he was then turned over to ICE who put him in custody pending an immigration hearing before a judge. It appears he moved to the US legally with his British-born mother in July 2005 at the age of 12 while his father Kevin, from Brixton, stayed in the UK and has two daughters. Last night ICE spokesman Bryan Cox says the rapper overstayed his US visa, which expired a year later in July 2006. According to CNN he said: 'His whole public persona is false. He actually came to the US from the UK as a teen and overstayed his visa'. He added: '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'. 21 Savage, who previously dated model Amber Rose, was arrested Sunday morning in the Atlanta area. Mr Cox said the hip hop star is currently in ICE custody in Georgia and 'has been placed into removal proceedings before the federal immigration courts.' An immigration judge will determine future actions. He has made millions after a string of number one albums and famously collaborated on the hit Sneakin' with his friend Drake, who recently bought him a Ferrari to say thanks. Abraham-Joseph took the name 21 Savage after getting shot six times on his 21st birthday and has had various run-ins with police before his arrest for immigration offences. He last performed in Atlanta on Thursday January 31 at the Super Bowl Music Fest at the State Farm Arena alongside Ludacris. The rapper has three children in Atlanta and is frequently pictured at celebrity events with some of the biggest names in music in the USA<doc-sep>Celeb obsessed? Get a daily dose of showbiz gossip direct to your inbox Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice The Atlanta rapper 21 Savage has a FAKE persona that he's been using for years as he built up his music career. That's what American immigration services have claimed after the 26-year-old was arrested on Sunday morning in what quickly unfurled as a targeted operation in Atlanta, Georgia. Savage - who goes by the name Sha Yaa Bin Abraham-Joseph - has been held as part of a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) sting since yesterday morning. And a spokesman for the service claimed Sha Yaa's whole persona is fake - because he originally comes from London. (Image: Supplied by WENN.com) Bryan Cox told American media that the rapper is actually a British citizen who came to the USA on a legal visa in July 2005 at the age of 12 and overstayed for the next 14 years. His visa had expired in July 2006, but the rapper hadn't reported his oversight to officials. Those found to have stayed longer than their permitted period can be deported and barred from going back to the States for up to 10 years. "ICE will now await the outcome of his case before a federal immigration judge to determine future actions," Mr Cox added. (Image: Getty Images for NYFW: The Shows) He also said the rapper had been convicted on felony drugs charges in October 2014. According to reports, 21 Savage's birth was registered in the east London borough of Newham in 1992. The rapper's lawyers are now using all their resources to free their client. "We are working diligently to get Mr Abraham-Joseph out of detention while we work with authorities to clear up any misunderstanding," his attorney Dina LaPolt told TMZ. (Image: Getty Images) "Mr Abraham-Joseph is a role model to the young people in the country - especially in Atlanta, Georgia and is actively working in the community leading programs to help underprivileged youths in financial literacy." The rapper has collaborated with Drake, Post Malone and Cardi B in the recent past and has hits including Bartier Cardi, Rockstar and Bank Account. Mirror Online has contacted Sha Yaa's reps for comment.<doc-sep>
Rapper 21 Savage was born in Britain to British parents before being taken to Atlanta by his mother as immigration officials accused him of living a 'false' life in the US, MailOnline can reveal today. The musician, 26, was held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers and is in federal immigration custody in Georgia and could be deported back to the UK. Until last night fans believed that he was born and raised in Atlanta - because he has a thick Georgian accent and the city and his tough upbringing there is the inspiration for his music. Today it emerged he was only held as an illegal immigrant when Atlanta Police arrested his friend and fellow rapper Young Nudy, 21, after stopping the car they were travelling in together on Sunday night. Officers held Nudy but also ran 21 Savage's date of birth through their system and he was then turned over to ICE who put him in custody pending an immigration hearing before a judge. The authorities today accused him of lying about his past and MailOnline can confirm his birth certificate shows he was born on October 22, 1992 at Newham Hospital, in east London. 21 Savage, who is worth around $8million, was born Sheyaa bin Abraham to British-born parents Heather Joseph and Kevin Emmons. 21 Savage with his mother Heather, who was also born in Britain and is understood to have taken him to Atlanta when he was 12 The rapper's birth certificate shows he was born in London on October 22, 1992 at Newham Hospital, to British parents The rapper's arrest came as a shock to his fans who believed 21 Savage, who previously dated Amber Rose (pictured together in 2017), was an Atlanta native born-and-bred It appears he moved to the US legally with his British-born mother in July 2005 at the age of 12 while his father Kevin, from Brixton, stayed in the UK and has two daughters. Last night ICE spokesman Bryan Cox says the rapper overstayed his US visa, which expired a year later in July 2006. According to CNN he said: 'His whole public persona is false. He actually came to the US from the UK as a teen and overstayed his visa'. He added: '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'. 21 Savage, who previously dated model Amber Rose, was arrested Sunday morning in the Atlanta area. Mr Cox said the hip hop star is currently in ICE custody in Georgia and 'has been placed into removal proceedings before the federal immigration courts.' An immigration judge will determine future actions. He has made millions after a string of number one albums and famously collaborated on the hit Sneakin' with his friend Drake, who recently bought him a Ferrari to say thanks. Abraham-Joseph took the name 21 Savage after getting shot six times on his 21st birthday and has had various run-ins with police before his arrest for immigration offences. He last performed in Atlanta on Thursday January 31 at the Super Bowl Music Fest at the State Farm Arena alongside Ludacris. ICE spokesman said the rapper is a British citizen who entered the US legally in July 2005 at the age of 12 but overstayed his visa which expired in 2006 21 Savage (left of picture) with CIara and Ludacris at the Super Bowl Music Fest held in Georgia five days ago The news will come as a shock to his fans, who considered the rapper an Atlanta local and born and brought up in DeKalb County, which covers the eastern suburbs of the city. His birth was registered in the London borough of Newham in 1992. The rapper and model was only arrested when his friend and rapper Young Nudy was stopped by police Cox says Abraham-Joseph has been placed in deportation proceedings in federal immigration court and revealed Abraham-Joseph was convicted on felony drug charges in Georgia in October 2014. 'ICE will now await the outcome of his case before a federal immigration judge to determine future actions,' Cox said. His attorney, Dina LaPolt, said she's working to get him out of custody. LaPolt told TMZ: 'We are working diligently to get Mr. Abraham-Joseph out of detention while we work with authorities to clear up any misunderstanding. 'Mr.