From the streets of New York City to becoming a cultural force in fashion and music, the story of “Savior” is one of personal transformation and empowerment. Born out of a deep connection to Jae Tips early musical influences, he took the spirit of being his own savior and channeled it into a brand that resonates with individuals seeking to make their own mark. What began as a musical project has grown into a lifestyle brand, blending creativity, streetwear, and a sense of personal pride. In this exclusive interview, we dive into the origins of “Savior,” the challenges faced along the way, and what the future holds for this rising brand.
Can you take us back to the beginning?
I was a really big fan of Stack Bundles, who sadly passed away. He was from New York City and used to call himself “The savior.” In the middle of his music, you’d often hear him say, “I’m the savior.” For me, that early influence stayed with me through my own music. I started calling myself the “Uptown Saviour” in some of my early songs when I was still recording in high school. Throughout my musical journey, it became my nickname, and I would always have a track titled “Saviour” or “Uptown Savior” on some of my projects.
However, around 2017–2018, I started feeling like music and life were pushing me in different directions. I’m a father now, and I’ve gotten into so many other things, like collecting shoes, reselling them, and fashion. I wanted to revisit the “savior” name, so I decided to title my upcoming music project The Savior. I wanted to incorporate elements of my life, my experiences, and where I am now. It felt like a full-circle moment. I started promoting the album by putting the word “Savior” on t-shirts, and it unexpectedly turned into a brand. I was putting “Savior” on hats to promote the music, and before I knew it, it really started to pick up. It began changing my life in ways I never expected.
Has it grown over time? Is there any other the connotations to it or is it really just straight back to the fact that it refers to the music?
To me, I’m still growing with it, but I do believe that the people who wear it and support me genuinely connect with it. I think they see something of themselves in it. The idea of seeing yourself as your own saviour or someone who can achieve what I’ve achieved, that’s what my brand represents. For a lot of people, it shows that it can look effortless. Like how we joked about how busy I am when we got on the call, I think when people see my brand, they think, “If he can do it, I can do it too.” It’s almost like they feel empowered to save the day in their own lives and be their own saviour in their universe. So, in a way, I’ve just become a billboard for people to believe in themselves.
What are some of the key influences that shaped your aesthetic, the design and the philosophies behind Saviour?
Growing up in New York City, I always knew I was different from the other kids. Even as a kid, I could tell that my mind worked in ways that others didn’t. In grade school, certain topics would come up in the classroom or the courtyard, and I always felt like I approached things differently. When I started making music, I felt that same sense of uniqueness, like I was thinking in ways others weren’t. The same went for the way I dressed. I was always finding ways to get new shoes or score rare pieces like Supreme or Stussy. I was doing all of this at a young age, without much outside influence. It was just about curating things differently, while most kids were still into brands like Ralph Lauren and Lacoste, which were pretty mainstream at the time.
I always had a knack for streetwear and for picking out certain colorful pieces when everyone else was wearing black hoodies. While others wanted black, I was looking for purple hoodies, maroon, and burgundy. Over time, my design aesthetic has stayed true to that creative pop. Even in spaces where people see black, white, and grey, I still see pink, purple, green, and blue. I see the world in color, where others might just see neutrals. I’ve been able to take the imagination and all the ideas swirling in my head and turn them into unique products with a different design aesthetic.
I still feel like I’m learning and growing. To be part of the conversation for sneaker of the year and to receive so much praise, and to help brands really do what they’ve been able to do, is incredibly important to me. But even with that recognition, I still feel like I’m figuring it all out, still trying to learn and improve every day.
As someone from Brooklyn, do you see Savior as connected to hip hop, or do you think it pulls from a variety of cultural influences?
I think the brand is its own thing right now. It’s grown into something unique, and I want to see how far I can take it. There’s so much to take from the fact that I’m still just a Bronx kid. I’m still building this brand myself, handling most of the shipping with a small team, but somehow, I can go to Italy, sign autographs, have a pizza party, do Paris Fashion Week, and drop shoes a few times a year, selling out and making waves on blogs. I still walk the streets of the Bronx, see people wearing my hat, recognise them, and get excited. I’m all over the place, but it’s exciting because I think one thing people take away from the brand is that they’ve never seen anything quite like it, done in this way.
What are some of the biggest challenges you faced when launching Savior, and how did you navigate them?
I think the biggest challenges come from the growing pains. A lot of brands experience this, sometimes success can be a double-edged sword. Hiring the right people, knowing when to let people go, figuring out the right time to expand, when to order more products, when to keep stock, or when to scale back, those decisions have definitely been some of the biggest hurdles. For me, though, my favorite part of running the brand was when I had limited resources. Back then, it was overwhelming to ship products and sell them, but there was something special about that. People would still drive to my house, trying to buy 10 hats, 10 shirts, and 10 hoodies. I’d be sorting everything out of bins, stepping over kid’s toys, just doing everything by hand. Even though it was chaotic, that was still my favorite part.
As you grow, things change. It’s not just about how you get to a certain point, it’s about how you stay there. The challenge is keeping things exciting and evolving with your customer. People’s tastes change over time, and you want to grow with them, elevate with them, and remain part of the conversation. You don’t want to just be something people remember from the past. So, for me, the hardest part has been staying in the game and keeping it going.
Are there any collaborations or partnerships you are particularly proud of?
The New Era and Billionaire Boys Club collaborations were definitely major milestones for me. My first shoe with the Saucony Grid Azura was huge, but also being able to go on tour and create merch with each shop was incredibly important. To make a “Leaders of Chicago” shirt, a “Wish ATL” shirt, and others, it meant a lot to me. These were stores I used to fill out raffles for every day, just hoping to win some of their releases. So to be able to see my own merch in those same places was something special. I don’t take that for granted. It was a surreal experience, and it was hard to get used to seeing everything moving as well as it was.
How do you engage with such a thriving community?
I think the hardest part is still dealing with customer service and product requests. It breaks your heart when things don’t go right, especially when people treat it like an indictment of your character. They might think you don’t care, which can be tough to handle when you care so much. To be honest, it’s also my favourite part. Being involved in everything, designing, illustrating, and making sure everything stays on schedule, it’s fulfilling. Even now, as I’m talking to you, I’m making sure things are on track for projects leading into next year. It’s still the best part, but when things don’t go as planned, it’s tough. I heard a quote once: “bad people don’t feel bad.” So as long as I still feel bad about certain things, I know my heart is in it.
It’s important to me to stay relatable and continue creating products that people see themselves in, products they want to wear and are willing to spend their hard-earned money on. Seeing people take pride in wearing my stuff means the world to me. At the last ComplexCon, it was amazing to see so many people wearing my shoes or my gear, whether it was a hat or socks. People would just walk past me and show me they’re wearing something I created, it’s surreal. I worked so hard just to be able to afford entry into these spaces, and now people are wearing my designs.
I can’t blame anyone who saw my shoe and was intrigued by it, even if they didn’t think they’d wear it. That’s part of the journey. Working with Soy, they’ve made it clear that they want me to create something not just for the sake of amazement, but something people really want to wear. So, we make sure we’re designing things that feel right, that people can actually relate to. And while I still play with colour, some of my other releases aren’t as wild with patterns or prints like animal prints, because I know that for some, that’s not something they’d want to wear.
Do you know what’s coming out over the next couple of years? Is there any exciting opportunity you in discussion with and what can we expect from Save You?
Right now, I like to talk a little into the future. You never know when people will come back to read this article, even though it hasn’t been released yet. So, at the moment, I have two more releases with Saucony, and we’re figuring out what the future looks like. Is the future realistic for their business and for everything we’re trying to build? It’s about my family and looking after them, so we’re working through it all. What I’ve been able to do in the hat and headwear space has been a blessing. I’d love to explore bigger partnerships and opportunities, but it all takes time.
I’m the kind of person who believes if I keep doing my job, showing up on time, putting in the work, and releasing good products, then blessings will keep coming my way. Right now, I’m really focusing on working hard, giving everything my all, and continuing to create cool things. And who knows, we might talk again in the future, and you’ll look back and think, “Wow, look how far you’ve come.” I’m just staying consistent and putting out quality work. With my hat and sneaker projects, I always feel like each one is my best yet. I’m genuinely excited for the Jazz Nine to drop, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store for next year’s releases too.
