FADER PREMIERE
Here's the video for "Swerve," the latest from rising Bay area star Sage the Gemini. The song, taken from his Gas Pedal EP, was produced, recorded and mixed by Sage. It's more subdued than "Gas Pedal," the Sage hit that took over the Bay, or "Red Nose," the one that made him known nationwide, but no less club-ready. Directed by Suj, the video co-stars fellow members of the HBK gang, Iamsu!, Jay Ant, and P-Lo. Watch above, then read our short chat with Sage about "Red Nose," the yiking dance craze and his upcoming debut LP.
What's the meaning of shake it like a red nose? It comes from playing tug of war with a dog, and they're shake their head like a booty. Thus, shake it like a red nose pit bull.
When and how did the yiking dance trend start? "Gas Pedal" popularized it, but was it around before that? It started with a guy named Chonkie, from the dance crew out of Oakland called The Turfienz. He made up the dance yiking. And "Gas Pedal" just became the song to yike to.
What's the difference, if any, between the current LA and Bay area scenes? Both have ties to the ratchet sound, but it seems like the Bay does that sound a little differently. I feel the "Bay sound" is the HBK sound and that comes from the hyphy era of the early to mid 2000s. In LA, I think it comes from the hyphy-influenced sounds of the jerk movement. But it's just a lot of great young producers out of California from League of Starz and DJ Mustard to HBK—myself, Iamsu! Jay Ant and P-Lo.
Do you have an official tape, or album, in the works? My debut album, Remember Me, coming in January. It is absolutely incredible, if I say so myself.
Why the name Sage the Gemini? My eyes turn a sage hue and I am a gemini.
