UPDATE: Is Sage Elsesser About to Blow Up as a Rapper?

You are likely familiar with Sage Elsesser’s skateboarding. But the FA and Converse pro is currently poised to blow up in the music world. He’s already had a credit on Frank Ocean’s Blonde album, and more recently was featured on Earl Sweatshirt‘s latest project. Sage’s latest batch of music under his Navy Blue moniker dropped a few days ago; and Pitchfork just shouted out one of the tracks on its best new rap songs of the week list. It will be interesting to see where this goes. When you’re on Pitchfork’s radar, you’re clearly doing something right.

UPDATE 04.01.19: Earl Sweatshirt’s tour rolled into New York’s Irving Plaza over the weekend. Given that he and Na-Kel were both performing, it’s not surprising that Sage came out during Earl’s set. Take a glimpse at the performance below.

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UPDATE 02.12.19: Pitchfork just dropped a review of Gangway for Navy that praises Navy Blue’s lyrical content and production, and even goes so far as to compare him to Earl Sweatshirt. All signs are currently pointing towards Sage launching a successful career in music.

The man behind the Navy Blue moniker, Sage Elsesser, is a pro skater who models for Supreme, has his own Converse sneaker and can be heard at the end of Frank Ocean’s Blonde boasting of his ability to play the theremin. But on Gangway for Navy, a compelling and hazy collection of songs posted to Soundcloud this month, Elsesser is far away from the starry social circles he sometimes inhabits. Instead, he’s nestled deep in his own consciousness, rapping in a loose delivery over tightly wound samples about the friends and family that molded his heart. It sounds a lot like his longtime friend and one-time roommate Earl Sweatshirt’s 2018 album Some Rap Songs and achieves a similar effect.

Listen to Gangway for Navy below.

gangway for navy by navy blue

Images Via GQ & Brooklyn Vegan