Sage Elsesser

Navy Blue
Birth nameSage Gabriel Carlos Atreyu Elsesser
Also known as
  • Navy Blue
  • Ancestors
Born (1997-01-31) January 31, 1997 (age 27)
Los Angeles, California, U.S.[1]
OriginBrooklyn, New York City, New York, U.S.[2]
Genres
Occupations
  • Skateboarder
  • rapper
  • record producer
  • songwriter
  • visual artist
  • model
Years active2014–present
Labels
Sports career
CountryUnited States
SportSkateboarding
EventStreet skateboarding
Turned pro2014 (age 17)

Sage Gabriel Carlos Atreyu Elsesser[3] (born January 31, 1997), also known as Navy Blue, is an American skateboarder, rapper, record producer, visual artist, and model.[4][5][6]

Elsesser has been sponsored by several skater fashion brands including Converse and Supreme, as well as becoming a professional skater in 2014 through skater collective and clothing store Fucking Awesome. Aside from skating and music, he is also a model for various clothing brands and an artist, most notably handling the art direction for Earl Sweatshirt's album I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside in 2015.[7]

Musical career

2015-19

In 2015, Elsesser began releasing several EPs under his Navy Blue stage name, in addition to rapping with and producing for the likes of Earl Sweatshirt, MIKE, Armand Hammer and Wiki, among many others.

2020-2021: Label founding and first three albums

On February 4, 2020, he founded independent record label Freedom Sounds with the release of his debut studio album Àdá Irin. Elsesser later followed-up with two studio albums; Song of Sage: Post Panic! (2020), and Navy's Reprise (2021).

2022: Quadrilogy

In 2022, Elsesser released a Saga of Sage quadrilogy vinyl boxset which consisted of Song of Sage: Post Panic!, Gift of Gabriel: Rain’s Reign!, Crypt of Carlos: Onward! and Arc of Atreyu: Neverending!, with the latter three being set to only exist in their physical form. The album titles all include one of Elsesser's four names.

2023-24: Signing to Def Jam, Ways of Knowing and Memoirs in Armour

In 2023, Elsesser signed with Def Jam Recordings and released his lead single "Chosen" on March 10. On March 23, Elsesser's seventh studio album Ways of Knowing was released under his label Freedom Sounds, under exclusive license to Def Jam Recordings. The album featured guest appearances from Zeroh, J Rocc, Kelly Moonstone, Liv.e and Venna; and was fully produced by Budgie.

A year later, Navy Blue released his eighth album Memoirs in Armour on August 2. The project was recorded within the last two months prior to release, after being dropped from Def Jam.[8]

Discography

Studio albums

  • Àdá Irin (2020)[9]
  • Song of Sage: Post Panic! (2020)[10]
  • Navy's Reprise (2021)
  • Gift of Gabriel: Rain’s Reign! (2022)
  • Crypt of Carlos: Onward! (2022)
  • Arc of Atreyu: Neverending! (2022)
  • Ways of Knowing (2023)
  • Memoirs in Armour (2024)[11]

Extended plays

  • According to the Waterbearer (2015)[12]
  • Lately (2016)[13]
  • April Blue (2017)[14]
  • Soul Golden (2017)[15] (with Black Noi$e)
  • Guilt & Sincerity (2017)[16]
  • Navy in Rage (2017)[17]
  • Yvan Wen (2018)[18]
  • Forest Green (2018)[19]
  • From the Heart... (2018)[20]
  • Gangway for Navy (2019)[21]

Collaborations

  • As Above So Below (2021) (with Ankhlejohn)
  • True Sky (2021) (with Akai Solo)

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles, with year released and album name
Title Year Album
"Higher Self" 2019 Non-album single
"Simultaneously Bleeding" 2020 Àdá Irin
"1491" Song of Sage: Post Panic!
"Chosen" 2023 Ways of Knowing
"Dolla" Non-album single
List of singles, with year released and album name
Title Year Album
"The Mint"[22]
(Earl Sweatshirt featuring Navy Blue) 		2018 Some Rap Songs
"Clout Dracula"
(Mach-Hommy featuring Navy Blue, YoungQueenz & Tvoy) 		2019 Non-album single
"North Bridge"
(Preservation featuring Navy Blue) 		2020 Eastern Medicine, Western Illness
"Can't Do This Alone"
(Wiki featuring Navy Blue) 		2021 Half God
"Nobles"
(The Alchemist featuring Earl Sweatshirt & Navy Blue) 		This Thing of Ours
"Make Me Wanna"
(Babeheaven featuring Navy Blue) 		2022 Sink Into Me
"So Tired You Can't Stop Dreaming"
(Quelle Chris featuring Navy Blue) 		Deathfame

Guest appearances

List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Artist(s) Album
"Silky"[23] 2016 Younger Thug I Need to Cop a Tesla
"Interviews"[24] Frank Ocean Blonde
"Jeez"[25] 2018 Younger Thug Relax Soundwaves18
"Not Today"[26] King Carter, MIKE, Adé Hakim Prisoner of Mind
"Like My Mama"[27] MIKE War in My Pen
"Truth"[28] 2019 Judah Called By Name
"Stranger" Medhane Own Pace
"Face" 2020 Ovrkast. Try Again
"Soul at War" Sideshow Farley
"TRS" Medhane Cold Water
"The Road Judah Ten West
"Free All Brothers Locked" Koncept Jack$on Thot Rap: Chapter 2
"Ghost"[29] Earl Sweatshirt Feet of Clay (Deluxe Edition)
"Clout Dracula (Remix)" Mach-Hommy, Your Old Droog, Young Queenz Mach's Hard Lemonade
"Always and Forever" demahjiae And, Such Is Life.
"Surrender" Chuck Strangers Too Afraid To Dance
"Portrait"[30] Moor Mother, Billy Woods Brass
"AllRight" 2021 Fly Anakin Anakin & Friends: Episode 1
"No Doubt" AKAI SOLO True Sky
"Pray With An A" Evidence Unlearning, Vol. 1
"no sugar" Medhane Do the Math
"Anchor" 2022 Nicholas Craven Craven N 3
"Give Thanks (For Life) (feat. Navy Blue)" Six Sev Give Thanks
"Skeletons" Domo Genesis Intros, Outros & Interludes
"Portraits" 2023 Alexander Spit VIGNETTES VOL. 2
"Venision" Chuck Strangers The Boys & Girls
"AAU Tournaments" Blockhead, Billy Woods The Aux

Production discography

2017

MIKE -
  • "Melvin"
Tha God Fahim - Dump Gawd[31]
Mach-Hommy - Dump Gawd: Hommy Edition[32]
  • 02. "A Partridge & A Pear Tree" (featuring Tha God Fahim)
  • 08. "Mac Flurries" (featuring Heem Stogied)
  • 11. "Rorshach's" (featuring Tha God Fahim)
MIKE - May God Bless Your Hustle[33]
  • 02. "Hunger" (produced with Austin Williamson)
  • 03. "Armour"
Navy Blue - Navy in Rage
  • 01. "Temple//Tomb"
  • 02. "Angel-Eyes" (featuring Qeedar)
  • 03. "Sundown"
  • 04. "Life----Line"
Mach-Hommy - Fete Des Morts AKA Dia De Los Muertos[34]
  • 03. "Embarrassment of Riches"
Cities Aviv -
  • "If I Could Hold Your Soul Part II"[35]

2018

Navy Blue - Yvan Wen
  • 01 "Head Full of Braids..."
  • 02. "No More..."
  • 03. "Detroit..." (featuring Nyku)
  • 04. "Give Em Hell..."
Navy Blue - Forest Green
  • 01. "Eastbound"
  • 02. "War(mth)"
  • 03. "All We Know!" (featuring Adé Hakim)
Navy Blue - From the Heart...
  • 01. "Machete"
  • 02. "Enchantment" (featuring MIKE)
  • 03. "Never Thought I'd Be One to Cry Like This"
  • 04. "Prayer (Me&You)"
  • 05. "Give Love a Try!"
  • 06. "Loveship (Empathy)"
  • 08. "Green & Brown"
Pink Siifu - Ensley[36]
  • 11. "Stay Sane"
Earl Sweatshirt - Some Rap Songs[37]
  • 08. "The Bends"
  • 10. "Azucar"

2019

Navy Blue - Gangway for Navy
  • 01. "Apprehension"
  • 02. "Deathmask..."
  • 03. "Can't Take Me"
  • 04. "Shine on Me!" (featuring MIKE)
  • 05. "I Love You!"
  • 06. "Slow Down"
  • 07. "Carlos" (featuring MIKE)
  • 08. "Separate Ways!"
MIKE - Tears of Joy[38]
  • 20. "Stargazer Pt. 3"

2020

Camden Malik - Spaceship Symphonies[39]
  • 04. "Give Me a Call" (featuring Shawn May as "juneayth.")
Armand Hammer - Shrines[40]
Moor Mother & Billy Woods - Brass
  • 11. "Guinness"

2021

Wiki - Half God[41]
  • 01. "Not Today (Intro)"
  • 02. "Roof"
  • 03. "Remarkably"
  • 04. "Can't Do This Alone" (featuring Navy Blue)
  • 05. "Never Fall Off"
  • 06. "Drug Supplier" (featuring Jesse James Solomon)
  • 07. "Wik tha God"
  • 08. "Ego Death"
  • 09. "The Business"
  • 10. "Home"
  • 11. "All I Need" (featuring Earl Sweatshirt)
  • 12. "Gas Face" (featuring Remy Banks)
  • 13. "The Promised" (featuring MIKE)
  • 14. "New Truths"
  • 15. "Still Here" (featuring duendita)
  • 16. "Grape Soda"

2022

Earl Sweatshirt - Sick!
  • 03. "Sick!" (credited as "Ancestors")
Shane Eagle - Green
  • 03. "Moving Spirit"

References

  1. ^ Sokol, Zach (February 13, 2017). "skipping class with skateboarding wunderkind sage elsesser". I-D. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  2. ^ "Gangway for Navy | Pitchfork". Pitchfork.
  3. ^ "An Interview with Sage Elsesser By Earl Sweatshirt". Quartersnacks. February 10, 2017.
  4. ^ "Sage Elsesser Skateboarder Profile". SPoT Skate Shop at Skatepark of Tampa. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  5. ^ "Meet the Stylish Supreme Model Who Had Nothing to Do with That Frank Ocean Song". GQ. February 22, 2017. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  6. ^ "Introducing Supreme/FA team rider Sage Elsesser". X Games. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
  7. ^ "I Don't Like Shit, I Don't Go Outside - Earl Sweatshirt | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  8. ^ Ihaza, Jeff. "Navy Blue Got Dropped From Def Jam. His Response: A Great Independent Album". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  9. ^ Tom Breihan (February 4, 2020). "Navy Blue Releases Debut Album 'Ada Irin': Stream". Stereogum. Archived from the original on February 4, 2020. Retrieved February 4, 2020.
  10. ^ "Song of Sage: Post Panic! | Pitchfork". Pitchfork.
  11. ^ Strauss, Matthew (July 26, 2024). "Navy Blue Announces Memoirs in Armour, Shares Video for New Song: Watch". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  12. ^ "Navy Blue / According to the Waterbearer".
  13. ^ "Lately".
  14. ^ "April blue".
  15. ^ "Black Noi$e & Navy Blue - Soul Golden, by Black Noi$e".
  16. ^ "Guilt & sincerity".
  17. ^ "Navy in rage".
  18. ^ "Yvan wen".
  19. ^ "Forest green".
  20. ^ "From the heart".
  21. ^ "Gangway for navy".
  22. ^ Ross, Alex Robert (November 20, 2018). "Earl Sweatshirt Drops "The Mint," Confirms New Album 'Some Rap Songs' [Update]". Noisey. Retrieved December 15, 2018.
  23. ^ "Silky Ft Navy Blue".
  24. ^ "Here's the Song by Song Breakdown of Frank Ocean's 'Blonde' Writing Credits". Complex Networks.
  25. ^ "Jeez Ft Navy Blue".
  26. ^ "PRISONER OF MIND, by King Carter".
  27. ^ "War in my Pen, by MIKE".
  28. ^ "Truth ft. Navy Blue".
  29. ^ @earlxsweat (April 28, 2020). "ay man say man Feet of Clay vinyls comin in hot for June 26th in the chinese year of the Rat: 2020. Comes fully loa…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  30. ^ "Portrait feat. Navy Blue, by Moor Mother & billy woods".
  31. ^ "Dump Gawd, by THA GOD FAHIM".
  32. ^ "Mach-Hommy". Archived from the original on July 6, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  33. ^ "MIKE's May God Bless Your Hustle is an Audio-Motion-Picture Capturing Young Adulthood in New York".
  34. ^ "Mach-Hommy". Archived from the original on July 6, 2019. Retrieved July 6, 2019.
  35. ^ "Cities Aviv - IF I COULD HOLD YOUR SOUL Part II (Prod. By navy blue)". YouTube. January 7, 2022.
  36. ^ "Ensley, by Pink Siifu".
  37. ^ Some Rap Songs (booklet). Earl Sweatshirt. Columbia Records. 2018. B07KKFK5H6.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  38. ^ "Tears of Joy | Pitchfork". Pitchfork.
  39. ^ "Spaceship Symphonies". Spotify. February 14, 2020.
  40. ^ "Pre-Order Armand Hammer's SHRINES now & check out ShrapKnel's Flechette".
  41. ^ "Wiki Announces New Album Produced by Navy Blue, Shares Video for New Song". Pitchfork. August 31, 2021.