ESPN Highly Questionable 21 Savage Screen grab: ‘american dream: the 21 savage story’
By Ben Axelrod on

Following a 10-year run, ESPN’s Highly Questionable aired its final show on Sept. 10, 2021.

But while the show’s legacy lives on in the form of the many now-high-profile talents it provided a platform for, it appears that it will also be depicted in an upcoming feature film.

Kind of.

On Monday, rapper 21 Savage released a music video/movie trailer for a biopic titled American Dream: The 21 Savage Story. At one point in the trailer, the rapper — played by Donald Glover — can be seen appearing on a thinly veiled version of Highly Questionable, with actors portraying hosts Dan Le Batard, Gonzalo “Papi” Le Batard and Bomani Jones.

You can see the full video below. The Highly Questionable scene occurs at the 2:47 mark.

Warning: Some language in the video is not appropriate.

In 2017, 21 Savage went viral for his interview on Highly Questionable after many likened his appearance to that of a supervillain. The England native would go on to become one of the biggest rappers in the world, with his 2019 arrest by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement receiving national attention and apparently serving as the inspiration for the upcoming film.

It’s unclear whether American Dream: The 21 Savage Story will be an actual movie or if this is merely a music video spoofing a movie trailer. Prior to Monday, there had been no previous announcement regarding such a film, and it’s hard to imagine that an actor as big as Glover would have filmed scenes for a starring role before it had actually been announced.

(It’s also worth noting that the Dan Le Batard-inspired character appears to be rapping along with the song, which doesn’t make much sense if this is a scene from the actual movie).

Either way, Jones and his social media followers have been having fun with the Highly Questionable cameo in the video that was released on Monday.

Here’s to hoping that this is an actual movie and not just a music video. While the portrayal of Bomani Jones might leave something to be desired, playing Papi could be the role of a lifetime.

[21 Savage]

About Ben Axelrod

Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.

View all posts by Ben Axelrod