Columbus, Ohio has been quietly building one of the most underrated rap scenes in the Midwest, and Go Savage is one of the artists making sure the rest of the country finally pays attention. Born Deonte Butler, the Columbus native has spent more than a decade sharpening a sound that sits right at the intersection of trap and drill, and his newest single, “Skrilla,” is the clearest statement yet of exactly who he is and where he comes from.
Twelve years in the music industry is a long time for any artist, and Go Savage has used every one of them to build something real. Everything he has accomplished so far has been done independently, without a major machine behind him, and the numbers speak for themselves. His two mixtapes, available on all platforms, have pulled in more than 2.5 million streams, a milestone that most independent rappers never reach and one that Go Savage earned purely through consistency, word of mouth, and a fan base that shows up for him every single time.
That independent grind recently opened a new door. Go Savage signed a distribution deal with Change the Game Music, a label based out of Little Rock, Arkansas, giving him the infrastructure to take his music further than ever before while keeping the raw, self made identity that got him here. It is the kind of move that signals an artist stepping into a new chapter rather than starting over, and the timing could not be better.
The proof is in the road work. Thanks to Kentay Cowboy, who saw the potential early and put him in the right rooms, Go Savage was placed on two tours alongside fellow Columbus artists Doobie and DJ Hylyte. He has also sold out two headlining shows of his own, which is no small feat for an unsigned rapper coming out of a city that is still fighting for its spot on the national map. Fans who have seen him live know the energy he brings on stage matches the intensity of his records, and that connection is a big part of why his streaming numbers keep climbing.
“Skrilla” captures all of that in one track. The record leans fully into the gritty, high energy trap rap and drill blend that has become his signature, with the kind of bounce and aggression that translates just as well through headphones as it does in a packed venue. The accompanying music video was shot right in his own neighborhood in Columbus, a deliberate choice that keeps the visuals honest and grounded. There are no rented sets or borrowed backdrops here, just the streets that raised him and the people who have been with him since day one.
And there is a lot more on the way. Go Savage has a new mixtape ready to drop, and it features two heavyweight names in Southern rap, Sauce Walka and T Rell. Landing features of that caliber is a major co sign for an artist on the rise, and it puts Go Savage in the same conversation as some of the most respected voices in the trap scene. If “Skrilla” is the warm up, the mixtape is shaping up to be the moment that pushes him from regional standout to national name.
What makes Go Savage worth watching is not just the music, though the music is more than strong enough on its own. It is the story behind it. This is an artist who spent twelve years grinding out of Columbus, Ohio, stacked millions of streams on his own, sold out his own shows, and is now walking into a distribution deal and a mixtape stacked with major features without ever compromising the sound that got him noticed. He is looking to make his mark and show the world how talented he really is, and based on everything he has already done, that mark is coming sooner rather than later.
Stream “Skrilla” now and watch the official music video on YouTube. You can also find Go Savage and both of his mixtapes on Spotify, Apple Music, and all major streaming platforms. Keep an eye out for the new mixtape featuring Sauce Walka and T Rell, because the next chapter for Go Savage is about to begin.
