S.A.V. Talks About Balancing Life, His Go-To Producers, & Leaves Great Advice
Intro:
S.A.V. is a very gifted PA artist that has been at the craft for years sharpening his pen. Recently, he’s dropped his new project Serenity which is getting amazing reception. S.A.V. is a rapper that is always locked in & working hard in the recording studio. There’s a lot that was learned about him in this interview for you all. We did this interview a few weeks leading up to the album release date, so expect some nice insight down below.
Summary:
Me: Since you’ve been creating for a long time, what first got you into rapping?
I first got into music at a very young age. Even before rap, my dad had a large CD collection and I was listening to mostly metal and rock at the time. I fell in love with rap at around 12 years old and just dove deeper into the genre from there.
How would you describe your style? And how has it evolved throughout the years?
When I first started rapping I was all about the 90s era sound. Crafting the best punchlines and metaphors and burying someone with bars. As I got older I started exploring niche sub-genres of rap and started combining them together. For instance, you might hear me do a melodic trap song but the lyrics will still be filled with 90s style bars and punchlines. I like to be a chameleon and keep my ear to the street. Doing just one thing well is boring to me.
What made you want to get into music production? And will you be self-producing a lot of your music in the future?
I do produce on my own time and I got into it just by loving the instrumentals I was hearing nowadays. Everyone is getting so creative and that inspired me. However, I've been working with Nate Kobain and a new producer named Quentin Tyler for this project and they'll continue to be my go-to producers for the time being.
Can you share anything at all about your upcoming project?
The project is called Serenity and ends the trilogy started by my last two projects Trying My Best and Catharsis. It's really a full-circle moment where I'm celebrating finally being comfortable in my own skin and just having a good time all around. It's something to turn up to for sure.
What steps do you take to improve your lyricism & songwriting with every new release?
I try and write as many songs/throwaway verses as I can when writing a project just to sharpen my pen. Even if I know the verse isn't going to make it I finish it. This helps me stack ammo so to speak and get better at the craft along the way. It's important to me not to let my skill diminish in favor of a quick banger.
Does your family support your music journey? How do they influence your career?
It took a minute but over time my family has come to support my journey and even help out by streaming the songs themselves. My mom's favorite song as of now is my song move! Hopefully after the project her opinion will change. As far as my career I'm pretty much in control and apart from helping me manage my money they just support and wish me well.
Who are some artists you would like to work with around your area?
I really enjoy Moddon's recent single “Chemist”. I've been playing it on repeat lately and I'd love to do a song with him. I also think the Brokeboy's latest album was incredible and I'd love to make a song or even a whole project with them.
How would you describe your relationship with CozyClyde?
That dude is my brother, mentor, executive producer, collaborator, and more. I'm blessed to have a friend like that in my life. One who motivates me to never settle and keeps me centered when things get to be too much. We've been friends for a few years now and that's a relationship that's gonna continue for years to come.
How hard is it to manage school & music career?
Honestly, it's easier now, but it took some time to figure out. Everything needs balance. Of course, I'd love to do music all day long, but I need to graduate to fund any future musical endeavor, so school is important to me. Now that I've got a balance the thing that causes the most issue is money for the studio but that will come in time.
With that said, is there any advice you would give to someone that is thinking about getting into music?
Don't give up. The first few songs you make aren't gonna be the ones that blow you up. I recorded for years in basements, bedrooms, and closets. I release 5 unmixed/unmastered mixtapes before my first one of decent quality. Focus on perfecting your art, become masterful and then worry about getting the music in front of the right eyes.
What are some of your favorite songs & artists?
I'ma throw a bit of everything in there. As far as artists, I'd say Biggie, Juice Wrld, N.W.A., 21 Savage, Big Pun, and Bigbabygucci just to name a few. There are so many it's hard to list them all I'm really addicted to music. As far as songs go, Shells by Sxum is incredible as well as Been Himma by Dom Vallie, Go Hard by Juice Wrld, and Chiraq by Montana of 300.
Future Plans?
Continue to work on my craft, branch into Tik Tok for promotional purposes, and release a lot of singles in 2022. I'm coming. They can only sleep for so long.
