Today we’d like to introduce you to Sage Wilson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started my music journey making beats back in January of 2017. From then on, I began working on a special project for high school students sponsored by Spotify down in San Francisco. After that, I began selling beats online and learning how to engineer music. In 2018 I engineered and produced for my big cousin Justin aka Therealjfrank and we began to grow within our city, my name became more associated with music thanks to my best friend Cj who created my tag “Bi*** I’m Sage Wilson!” I did that for another year, then after that I decided to make my own music. Everything done by myself, the music, the lyrics, and the mixing and mastering. This is when I began using the stage name Freetime because I had so much free time to learn and make music! Making music on my own was alright but not as fun as making it with others. In 2023, my cousin Lorenzo, aka Zo or IMBZO, hit me up to record some music. At this time, he was enrolled in school at Fullerton and invited me down to meet all of his friends and make music. This is also how I met Shane Sato! My cousin Zo was eager to use my beats and make songs with me, he would tell everyone about me which is how my name became known around the Orange County area. We’ve been on this music journey together ever since and have now began to grow tremendously, but still, this is only the beginning for us. At the age of 2 I was diagnosed with Sickle cell anemia which is a hereditary blood disease. Throughout my whole life, I have struggled with the complications of Sickle Cell Anemia, which mostly consists of severe/unbearable pain! For a short amount of time, I lived with my cousin Lorenzo, and he got to see my experiences up close. I am one year older than zo, so he looks up to me as his big cousin, he loves and embraces me, which is what makes this journey so special!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Like I said, my battle with sickle cell has been my biggest struggle/challenge. Sickle cell crisis are unpredictable and can happen out of nowhere! Since the 5th grade, I have missed months and months of school due to being sick. During those months, I would be hospitalized or simply bed written. Since the age of ten, I have had to take heavy medication such as Percocet, oxycodone, and morphine. As you can imagine this caused huge setbacks in my life. Due to missing so much school, I ended up behind on my credits and attending continuation school. I was able to walk my graduation stage but still had to catch up on credits that summer. Pain is an everyday struggle for me, but I continue to push through and follow my dreams! Something that Lorenzo and I have in common is not knowing our biological fathers but still growing up with plenty of love!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Music has always been something I’ve loved to listen to. I never thought too much about making it until I stopped playing basketball back in high school my sophomore year. I needed to find something easier on my body but still fun that I could do, and music was my choice after coming across a video of Zaytoven making beats on YouTube! After that, I knew music was what I wanted to do. I’ve always been a quiet but yet confident person, I believe I can do anything I put my mind to as long as my body allows it. The first thing people tell me after seeing me perform or hear my music is that I am smooth. This is what I’ve heard all my life, even before music. I believe myself to be somewhat of a ladies’ man, so my smooth nature is catered to them, but it is also just my way of life. I like peace and calm; I like to feel relaxed. I try to create this feeling within my music.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc.?
Producergrind podcast on YouTube was big for me at one point. I was able to hear/learn from successful music producers talk about the life I wanted to live.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://music.apple.com/us/album/its-yo-world/1731362015?i=1731362019
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freetimetv__/
- Youtube: https://youtu.be/fVnzBrDQn7A?si=JpIGbEBlC6YA8I-H
Image Credits
IMBZO
Jeremiahdream
Mazae
Endigo
