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Meet Yonkers’ own Savthegenius, the triple threat crafting his own sound

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.

Staten Island’s own Lou The Human’s ‘Humaniac’ is retro rap at its finest

I got the chance to see Lou The Human perform live in Syracuse, NY back in 2013 and have known the dude can straight up spit since.

I was already a fan of his early work,  featuring on the rap collective Tribe Gvng’s projects, The 22nd Letter,  V for All, and CVTCH 22. Four short years later, Lou’s debut solo project Humaniac is out and the Staten Island rapper has most certainly been harnessing his skills and sitting on some fire.

Though Lou was considerably nice while mobbing with Tribe, he has unmistakably leveled up and now coming different since focusing on his own sound.

From the lyrical content to the bleach blonde hair, Lou is channeling 1999 era Eminem throughout the project. He constantly shifts between reality and fantasy and raps from the perspective of various voices in his head.

The outrageous depictions of violence, drug use, and mental illness consistent on the project could definitely be considered hardcore. At the same time Lou’s keen perspective and self awareness make for a very entertaining and introspective rap project.

Humaniac plays through almost like a horror film with Lou verbally directing all the metaphorical elements of gore and carnage. His rap style is on the cusp of comical freestyle-storytelling and lyrical brilliance.

Historically, rappers like Slick Rick, MF Doom, Quasimoto, and Ghostface have wielded similar styles.

Despite the Detroit rapper’s strong influence, Humaniac is most definitely a New York rap album. As evident with the avoidance of any catchy hooks or hypebeast seeking features, Lou just raps very well and gives us straight bars. On “Roseanne” he touches on some of his more common and uncommon vices spitting:

“Sometimes life is better when you light the purp or sprite and syrup might just work/I’m harder than the ground is when you bite the curb

And I like to flirt with old women at retirement homes while they was trying to get they Skype to work”

Lou The Hu spits with no shortage of confidence either. On “Fuck Rappers” he continues to freely boast about his skills on the mic while shedding light on his attitude towards his buzz and potential blow up.

“After Pac I’m the greatest and I ain’t afraid to say it/everybody show me fake love and I already fucking hate it

I’m afraid to make it already got fake friends that fuck with sketchy bitches/Best rapper alive still I’m shy and pessimistic”

The production throughout the project, also crafted by Lou himself, is similarly right at home in NY, mostly projecting sinister modern boom-bap sounds and deep head-nodding drum loops. But then we take a drastic, slower, and even darker turn on the second half of “Schizophrenia”. At 3:37 the song morphs into a 808’s and Heartbreak/Yeezus/Travis Scott inspired screeching reveal of emotion.

Lou clearly did his homework and put some time into this project, perfectly finessing his flows throughout the pockets of each of the 10 songs on the EP.

Respectively aware of his classic inspiration, he pays homage and borrows a hook from Slim Shady EP’s “Brain Damage” on track 8 titled “Born”. On the same song he later compares himself to another animated rap legend while fittingly referencing M. Night Shyamalan’s supernatural thriller classic.

“I hate the peace disturb that, Lou is the new Ludacris

Throwing bones literally, the sixth sense little league”

His videos are equally insane, if not more random than his lyrics but the young rapper is undoubtedly wildly talented, but also possibly demented. Check out the visual for the closing track below and see for yourself.

“Who Knows”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vH8I_MTRUE

Even while partially off his rocker, in addition to the crazy Lou does cleverly raps about some real life shit. He challenges the norms of society and schooling as well as police brutality on the first half of “Schizophrenia” saying:

“Shit I’m just not complacent, with a piece of paper telling me I’m smart

I guess I’ll find out when I meet my maker”

On the same track he later questions it all while referencing his deviance and use of drank, confessing:

“What is life but a dream anyway

Always been a standup dude but I lean any way”

And on “Halal” featuring The Voices in My Head, Lou makes it clear the police are just as dangerous as he is.

“Put the phone down, ain’t nobody you can call now

The cops will probably kill you too

Shit, I would’ve thought you knew”

Humaniac is “genius ignorance” and comes together as a seamless, sick, twisted, and grimy tale, deserving the attention of any true hip-hop and rap fan.

There is real sport to this rap shit and this project serves as a wordplay showcase and lyrical clinic. “From the slums of Shaolin,” Lou The Human is out here earning his respect and is another authentic MC to watch out for.

Check out the debut EP below and NY stand up.

Humaniac!

https://soundcloud.com/hughrackman/sets/humaniac

J. Cole’s label Dreamville low key has one of the best rosters in hip-hop

Dreamville’s underclassmen have been making some serious waves lately and dropping consistent heat.

In case you missed it, Dreamville Records, established back in 2007 by J.Cole and Ibrahim Hamad, is now lowkey stacked with serious talent from all over the country.

In addition to founder J. Cole, artists Bas, Cozz, and Omen have been putting in work for some years.

Assuming you need a reminder you can refer back to the label’s 2015 collaborative project Revenge of the Dreamers II. But this year, Dreamville’s more recent additions have been killing it.

J.I.D.

The label announced back in February that they signed Atlanta’s J.I.D. by releasing a short introduction video while also teasing his debut album.

After previewing an intro to where the young rapper comes from we get a preview of his skills as J.Cole literally chauffeurs him into the game in J.I.D.’s hooptie.

The Never Story

J.I.D. dropped the project a fews weeks later and surely came through delivering a very solid album. The East Atlanta Rapper holds his own lyrically and is clearly a student of the game.

“I hit it first, Ray J or Ron Jeremy/

The bleed like us so them niggas could never scare me”

“Can’t see the floor, elevator where the steps at/

James Bond, nah James Harden with the step back”

Like Jermaine, J.I.D. is noticeably influenced by New York rap and flexes his wordplay and metaphors as often as possible.

In addition to securing his new artist with the opening spot on the 4 Your Eyez Only Tour, Cole blessed with production on two of the twelve songs on The Never Story and J.I.D. also grabbed several features including 6lack and new label mates EarthGang.

Earthgang

Dreamville continued to waste no time this year and announced the signing of rap duo Earthgang on August 31st. The group consists of Johnny Venus and Doctur Dot, also hailing from Atlanta.

Their debut Dreamville project RAGS EP dropped the day after the announcement of their signing and the two definitely had a lot to say even with only 5 songs on the project. The first track on the EP “Meditate” also shares the mic with J.I.D. and was the first to get a visual.

And the gang didn’t stop there. The duo apparently can’t stop working and announced a second EP titled ROBOTS expected October 20th and already dropped the title track for this next journey.

Check it out below.

All three new additions to Dreamville are southern lyricists like J.Cole himself and seem to be similarly grounded and focused on their craft.

Let’s see if Dreamville produces another collaborative project in the next year given the roster expansion but we can surely expect the tracks to keep coming in one way or another.


Ari Lennox

You’ve probably been sleeping on Washington D.C.’s own songstress Ari Lennox as well.

Though you may have recently seen her on the 4YEO Tour with J. Cole, she has been rocking with Dreamville for a couple years. She was also featured on Revenge of The Dreamers II back in 2015 and debut project Pho released just a year ago.

Ari adds whole new elements of talent, soul, and beauty to the Dreamville roster and will hopefully continue to release more dopeness like her recent visual treatment for “Night Vision” which dropped a couple of weeks ago.


Lute

And if that wasn’t enough to hold you over, Dreamville went back to North Carolina and picked up the Charlotte MC Lute.

After officially signing to Dreamville with Ari back in December 2015, Lute just dropped his debut album West 1996 Pt. 2 on September 29th.

Lute’s “Still Slummin” was also featured on Revenge of The Dreamers II but this release marks his first project since 2012. Peep the first visual treatment off the album “Juggin”.

In true grassroots form, typical of Dreamville’s foundation, Lute’s story is one of real life struggles, obstacles, and surrounding circumstances coming from the West Side of Charlotte, NC.

In proper introductory fashion, Dreamville also dropped a short film showing us a candid look into his journey up to this point.

Lute: Still Slummin Documentary

I’m not sure if there is anyone on Dreamville not to be a true fan of. It’s even more exciting to see them work together and continue to push the envelope.

There’s a special level of integrity and realness throughout all of the artists on the label, which makes for a refreshing sound in today’s game.

Who knows, maybe J. Cole is done going double platinum with no features and gearing up to feature the whole squad on the next project. Either way it will be dope to see how Dreamville carries this momentum through next year.

Though J.I.D., Ari Lennox, and Earthgang just wrapped up their European showcase and touring with Cole, keep an eye out for the Never Had Shit Tour beginning next month with J.I.D, EarthGang and special guest Lute as they might be coming to kick it in your area.

12 years later, Three 6 Mafia’s ‘Most Known Unknown’ still bumps

12 years ago today, Three 6 Mafia dropped a crunk classic in Most Known Unknown.

The group formerly known as “Triple 6 Mafia” released their 8th album on September 27th, 2005 and never really looked back.

Southern rap music was getting more love than ever and Three 6 Mafia really put on for Memphis and Tennessee.

This album contained some of the group’s most famous hits with “Stay Fly” and “Poppin My Collar.” At the same time, the album ended up propelling them from an OG underground rap group, to American Rap Icons.

“Stay Fly”

In typical 2000s fashion, the album went gold in a week and with the combined success of the film Hustle & Flow, which came out earlier the same year, it continued to do numbers.

DJ Paul and Juicy J properly laced every track on the album and in addition to Crunchy Black’s raw staple verses, they recruited some prime features of the era including 8Ball & MJG, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, and even Remy Ma on “Pussy Got You Hooked.”


“Pussy Got You Hooked”

It’s almost ironic how the intro of the album, “Most Known Unknown Hits,” starts with DJ Paul explaining the title of the project; how Three 6 were recognized by the streets but not by “the press or the industry.”

Cut to less than a year later, Juicy and Paul (along with Frayser Boy) became the first hip-hop group to win an Oscar for Best Original Song at the 78th Academy Awards and Most Known Unknown was certified Platinum.


Oscar Award Winners

After Crunchy Black split from the group in 2006, the duo continued riding out their new found wave appearing on Justin Timberlake’s album FutureSex/LoveSounds and starring in a reality show on MTV the following year.

After more than 10 years, Juicy has kept his ear to the streets. All while continuing to produce hits. Whether self-released or while working with Wiz Khalifa as a partner and A&R of Taylor Gang, J has consistently put out his sound of music.


Trippyness aside, you can’t knock the hustle.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9Bwxcfl5rs

Needless to say Three 6 Mafia are certified legends in the game and basically opened the door for the mainstream southern gangster rap.

Their hardcore anthems and repetitive style continues to influence the culture and a lot of the new rappers in the game. Most Known Unknown serves as the perfect nostalgic reminder of their breakout era.

Nowadays producers and rappers are sampling and flipping the same double time flows, and drug referencing catchy hooks over hi-hat driven, deep bass beats we loved in ’05.

The A$AP Fergs, Migos, Denzel Currys, and countless other artists have no choice but to pay their proper dues and respect to the OGs that paved the way.


*Pops Collar*