How J. White Did It Used HalfTime on Megan Thee Stallion's 'Savage'

After the original version of Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘Savage’ – taken from her 'Suga' EP – went viral on TikTok, the Beyoncé-featuring remix found massive mainstream success on its release in April 2020, apexing the Billboard Hot 100 and racking up over 240 million plays on Spotify within six months. The attachment of Ms Knowles-Carter can only have added buoyancy to the track's uplift, of course, but central to 'Savage' are Megan's unapologetically brash vocal and the incredibly catchy, stripped-back production of the whole thing. And that production is largely the work of Kansas-born producer J. White Did It, also known for his work with Gucci Mane, Cardi B and Iggy Azalea, among others.

'Savage' was put together almost entirely in software, and in Genius.com's candid ‘making of’ interview video, the fast-rising beat-maker reveals the plugins involved – including our very own HalfTime. Used in conjunction with u-he's Diva virtual analogue synth, HalfTime instantly turns a simple pitch-modulated riff into a vibey bass/lead crossover. We think this is a perfect showcase of what HalfTime does best: making your music better with minimal effort, so you can keep your creativity focused and flowing.

But zooming out, the big takeaway from J. White Did It's 'Savage' breakdown is that, in hip-hop and trap, less really is more. His reuse of the same 808 samples in every production will be eye-opening (and reassuring!) to many, and the simplicity of the track's MIDI parts and sound design stands as a masterclass in musical taste and restraint.

GET HALFTIME

Want to try the effect on your own beats? HalfTime is easy to use: put it on melodies, vocals, percs – anything that suits that magical slowed-down atmosphere. Get the HalfTime demo or buy it now for only €10 / $12.