Universal Republic Records New Zealand Hip hop sensation Savage has reached the 500,000 milestone in digital single sales (550,000 digital singles and climbing) for his multi-platform hit “Swing,” the first single from his upcoming U.S. debut album, Savage Island – scheduled to land in stores and the digital domain on December 23. The prolific artist has soared past the quarter million mark in the mobile realm in the US, with 280,000 in sales, as the bombastic “Swing” swaggers toward the coveted million milestone in combined digital/mobile overall sales.
Recognised as New Zealand/Australia’s #1 selling Hip Hop artist, he launched his US assault with Universal Republic Records only four months ago and has been embraced by American audiences with unprecedented fervour, thanks to a grassroots/word-of-mouth digital groundswell that has rocked both hip hop and mainstream audiences. The charismatic MC turned heads even prior to his U.S. radio debut, leaping from #77 to #17 in one day on the influential iTunes Hip Hop chart. Savage currently owns the #7 spot on the iTunes hip hop and #14 with a bullet on the taste making Rhythm Crossover radio chart.
Fan-generated videos for the contagious hit have also swept YouTube and other video and social networking communities, with more than 400 user-made clips populating the online phenomenon YouTube, alone. Often viewed in tandem with the artist’s own popular vid, (directed by Mr. Fly Kai who also helmed Savage’s previous international hit “Moonshine”), Savage has reigned these past few months as the most watched new music artist on YouTube.
Savage Island will feature appearances by platinum US artists and producers Akon, Soulja Boy, Baby Bash, Rock City, Pitbull, Sean Paul and Boo Yaa Tribe.
Savage is currently #40 on the Billboard 100, the industry standard for worldwide hits, and has a total of 5 chart placements across the Billboard charts; 2 X top 40 and 3 X top 20, Billboard 100, Pop 100, Rhythmic 100, Rap 100, Hot Digital 100.
The Samoan star, who hails from South Auckland, (the largest Polynesian city in the world) began to garner cult-hit status as “Swing” gained traction with music and movie fans thanks to its placement in the pivotal bar scene in the hit 2007 movie ‘Knocked Up.’ Championed by New Zealand’s #1 urban label, Dawn Raid Music, which licensed the smash hit to the movie comedy, Dawn Raid and Savage entered into a deal for Universal Republic to helm the project worldwide this past May.
Manning an explosive MySpace site that has also soared well beyond the three million views milestone, Savage has been cited by critics as one of the few hip hop exports (catchy ‘Samoan down south hip hop’ quipped one blogger) whose trademark booming delivery and wily sense of humor rings loud and clear with U.S. hip hop audiences hungering for something lively and new.
