Slaughter Gang's head honcho just announced an upcoming movie on his life titled American Dream: The 21 Savage Story on Sunday (January 7). Given its reveal -- a vague post from his and Donald Glover's (also known as Childish Gambino's) Instagram accounts -- many fans didn't know how to interpret this. Fortunately, we know a little bit more about this production at press time, so we compiled a breakdown of what you need to know about the film. American Dream: The 21 Savage Story aims to cover his arduous, complicated, but triumphant path of the American Dream which he hinted at during a Rolling Stone interview: from childhood poverty and street dangers to becoming one of the biggest rappers in the world.
First, some background. Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph was born in the UK, but moved to Atlanta at a young age. As such, he was raised in the U.S., facing hardened conditions rife with trouble before eventually climbing up the rap echelon. However, even as 21 climbed the ranks, he found himself in the middle of a high-profile case in which U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested him in 2019 for an alleged expired visa.
The "Brand New Draco" MC and his legal team fought for his right to stay, expressed anger at the unjust and punitive system, and brought national attention to this issue. Last year, they finally made him a permanent U.S. citizen and allowed him to leave the States, returning to his native country for a show. With that in mind, let's dive into American Dream: The 21 Savage Story. If this is all just fake for an album rollout... well played, Savage.
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American Dream: The 21 Savage Story: Cast & Crew
All the information in this section appears in the film's trailer's description on YouTube, and it's unclear whether these credits are just for the sneak peek or for the full-length product. Nevertheless, the upcoming movie stars the aforementioned Childish Gambino as 21 Savage, and Stranger Things star Caleb McLaughlin as his younger self. Savage's connection to Donald Glover is well-documented through collaborative cuts like "monster," "This Is America," and "12.38." In addition, the movie's trailer (released on Monday, January 8) showcased a host of other actors, including Jabari Banks as (presumably) Metro Boomin. Other "special appearances" from actors include Gail Bean (presumably as his mother), Druski, Chad Lindberg, Victoria Pedretti, Young Mazino, and Natasha Lyonne.
Furthermore, four directors helmed this, including Gambino's younger brother Stephen Glover, who previously wrote for his older sibling's series Atlanta. Jamal Olori, Fam Udeorji, and Luis Perez also have directing credits. Stephen Glover and Olori wrote American Dream: The 21 Savage Story, whereas Udeorji and Tara Razavi are listed as producers and executive producers. Happy Place and Gilga are behind the film's production, as well as Lionsgate, according to the trailer. The veracity of these interpretations is still up in the air.
New Music From 21 Savage
In addition to this film, 21 Savage will also release a soundtrack of music the movie inspired. It's available to pre-save on streaming platforms right now via American Dream's website. Given reports that he's already working on a new album, this is very exciting news. Fans hope that this isn't what the 31-year-old meant when he teased new material and that this is just a supplemental project drop until his full-length solo follow-up to i am > i was.
Still, given what we heard in the film's trailer, it looks like 21 Savage is undergoing another career level-up. The trailer actually doubles as a music video for an unreleased, soulful trap track that tackles his trials and tribulations, as well as showcases his talent and triumph. Not only that, but in the performance parts of the visual, the London-born artist raps to Glover and McLaughlin's versions of himself. As such, die-hards expect this to be a pretty reflective and cathartic experience.
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When Do The Movie & Soundtrack Come Out?
American Dream: The 21 Savage Story will release on Independence Day this year (July 4, 2024), according to the trailer's final frames. But we're not yet 100% sure if it will only be a theatrical release. After all, it's very possible that it could appear on a particular streaming service, as that's the model of choice for a lot of visual projects out there these days. Perhaps the near future will confirm this for fans.
Meanwhile, 21 Savage's accompanying soundtrack for this biopic will reportedly drop this week on Friday, January 12, according to Billboard. It's quite far away from the film's release, which might be a bizarre choice for some listeners and viewers. It certainly contributed to immediate interest in American Dream, and will likely fuel that train until we get it on-screen. What's more is that this could also be a teaser of what he will offer on his next studio album.
What Do We Expect?
Already, many fans are talking about American Dream: The 21 Savage Story with a lot of skepticism but also anticipation. This is very understandable: Drake's Her Loss partner has a pretty spotless catalog when it comes to projects, and Donald Glover is almost a decade older than him. He's earned Grammy nominations and became a commercially dominant giant. Moreover, he's undoubtedly culturally impactful and artistically influential. As such, a lot is riding on this product to do him and his journey justice.
For our money, we'd love for these releases (whether it's a film or just an LP rollout) to encapsulate the emotional heft and nuanced perspective of Mr. Right Now. Maturity, perseverance, and perception are big themes of the trailer and his career, ones that continue to evolve and prove themselves both on and off wax. Finally, this film's most important mission is to show the world why the low-toned spitter is such an important representative of hip-hop right now, and what makes his story resonate beyond cultural, ethnic, and class lines. Beyond the violence and hedonism lies a crucial narrative of balance, accountability, and community that this movie should champion above the celebrity spectacle. For all these reasons and more, we can't wait for whatever American Dream: The 21 Savage Story is. Let us know what you think about this rollout in the comments section below.
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