Bryan Savage, aka @savthegenius, is a 26-year-old producer, audio engineer, and rapper from Yonkers, NY who has been writing, recording, and producing his own music from his home studio since he was 12 years old.
While focusing on production and engineering for the past couple of years Sav has earned credits producing for Future, Juelz Santana, the late Chinx Drugz, and various others while putting in the work and continuing to flex his creative talents.
The young triple threat is only getting started as he recently started putting his pen to work as well and is now dropping his own music.
We caught up with Savthegenius and chopped it up about his creative process, some of his inspiration as an artist, and his upcoming music in the works.
It’s dope to see young artists who have a hustle and work ethic as big as their passion for the art. Sav is still super young but definitely already a hustler.
Whether good or bad, sometimes it takes the feedback of the people around you to ignite that fire under your ass.
When reflecting on how he got into expressing himself through music Sav noted that the people around him definitely played a role in his process.
“I realized I was meant to be a creative when I started actually sharing my music with people and they let me know they liked it. From that point forward I knew music was something I could see myself doing long term. There were other creative ventures I tried through the years but music has found a way into the forefront no matter what.”
Sav has been taking his time working on his crafts and continues to progress since his 2014 instrumental project.
His early production was impressive and very clean so it will be interesting to see how his sound continues to develop as a producer and an artist.
Check out his first visual treatment below.
“LITTY”
Growing up in New York, there are so many different sounds, flows, and genres that have been birthed from the surrounding cultures. Even more specifically, Yonkers on its own has spawned some true legends in the game.
Naturally, as a young student of music, Sav touched on some of his local inspiration coming up.
“You know some of the legends that came out of Yonkers. The Lox, DMX, Mary J. Blige, they all inspire me. They show me that it doesn’t matter where you’re from; when you’re gifted and put in the work, good things will come together.”
When referencing his most influential artists or inspirations to his style and attitude, Sav added,
“Kanye, T.I., and Nas those aren’t my top three rappers per se but they definitely inspired me early on with fashion, demeanor, and creativity. No matter what, they never changed their attitude and expressed themselves the best way they knew how. Kanye’s production always made me want to go harder as a producer. T.I. never shifted who he was and found success. Nas demonstrated that no matter what age you are the artistry is what’s most important.”
The Genius
Sav had been producing and engineering for others artists for a few years now but more recently started rapping and dropping music himself. Working with other artists and watching their methods pay off, or not in some cases, gave him a better perspective and a more humble outlook on the process.
When discussing his transition as an artist, Sav made it clear how his collaborative efforts were really the catalyst for that shift and how working with other artists provided clarity towards his vision moving forward.
“Seeing the grind and eventually the rewards that follow; it gave me that push to get back to recording. I was always behind the scenes on the production and engineering side. Doing it all now professionally and wholeheartedly just confirms that this is the journey I was destined to be on.”
It seems most true artists tend to express themselves via more than one artistic outlet. It’s always exceptionally fulfilling to see when they are able to effectively harness that energy and focus multiple talents into one cohesive product.
From producing, engineering, and now rapping and singing Sav seems to do it all. When asked about his favorite part of the process, Sav noted his stoic patience.
“Honestly, my favorite part is the production. That’s the most important part that sometimes gets overlooked. I enjoy sitting with a record I just recorded and taking time to figure out ways to make it sound even better.”
Sav’s #WasteNoTime EP is reportedly in the works with more visuals on the way from he and his team.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BVrvHPrn1EV/?taken-by=savthegenius
Whether putting in work in his home studio or being comfortable linking and connecting with others artists, a producer’s versatility may be an overlooked characteristic.
We asked if there was a specific artist that he worked with that he vibed with most or who dropped the most game.
“I really have to big up @AntMixedit because it always felt natural working in the studio with him. Ant always told me to be myself and not to worry about what other creatives are doing, as long as I’m doing me I’ll prosper.”
He added,
“Connecting and building can be a battle. Ego can get in the way but when you put that aside, the energy in the room creates the masterpiece.”
For young producers in the game it can sometimes be somewhat of a challenge deciding what equipment to invest in, what software to focus on, and how to properly get started crafting your sound. We picked Sav’s brain for his advice for any kids looking to get into production or artists looking to channel their art for consumption.
“For producers I recommend focusing on artist development more than trying to get around big industry names. Work on creating your own projects rather that forcing yourself to be on one. It’s better to make a mark connecting with an artist to help bring a new sound. For artists; be a blank canvas. Create your own, make your own journey. Some essentials are Protools, FL studio for production, and KRK speakers, any condenser mic will do. And with those tools you’ll for sure be on your way.”
Savthegenius seems to be super comfortable wearing multiple hats and has a certain drive behind him that should keep his sonic progression steady as the young artist moves forward.
Listen to his newest record “You” off the upcoming EP below and be on the lookout for more vibes to come.