Poo Bear Dives into ‘Black Cowboy’ with Randy Savvy Debut

Producer Poo Bear is diving into “street country” with Randy Savvy’s debut album, drawing inspiration from Shaboozey’s Where I’ve Been Isn’t Where I’m Going and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter.

Randy Savvy of the Compton Cowboys is gearing up to release his first studio album with producer Poo Bear, best known for his work with Justin Bieber. On the heels of the release of the first part of his four-part EP, which debuted last month, Savvy is inspired by his own equestrian roots, as well as “Black country” star Shaboozey and Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter.

Working with Randy Savvy marks a bold move for producer Poo Bear—his first foray into “street country,” the genre-bending fusion of country and West Coast hip-hop that has been taking the music world by storm. Poo Bear will also debut new music at Been Country: Black Roots and Rhythm, the National Museum of African American Music’s CMA Fest activation celebrating Black cowboy culture and the rising wave of Black country artists.

“We’re in a place now where the American West, country music, Black culture, popular culture, hip-hop, these things are all starting to converge,” said Savvy. Specifically, he pointed to Shaboozey, who blends hip-hop, country, rock, and Americana sounds in his music, such as the hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy).” Even white contemporary country stars like Morgan Wallen have been known to blend trap beats into their music.

“Both of those worlds starting to converge and create this really interesting middle ground is where I live. This is my stomping ground, this is my home, it’s been my life since the beginning,” Savvy explained.

As a native of Richland Farms in Compton, Savvy grew up “as an equestrian with a thing for cowboy hats, country, and rap music.” He founded Compton Cowboys in 2017, which has allowed him to work with at-risk youth and offer them a positive outlet. He’s also been honing his own unique musical style, a mixture of country and hip-hop that many didn’t think would ever catch on in the mainstream.

The Compton Cowboys hit the Stagecoach country music festival last month, which Savvy called “a highlight of our year every year.” The group also teamed up with Beyoncé for her Christmas halftime show, where she debuted live performances of her Cowboy Carter album ahead of her latest tour.