Every painting has a story.

Behind The Art is where I share the inspiration, people, experiences, and moments that shaped some of my most meaningful pieces. These stories are about more than paint on canvas. They're about family, Hip-Hop, culture, perseverance, imagination, and the journey that continues to inspire my work today.

— SAVO

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BIGGIE

Every journey has a beginning.

For me, this painting was the beginning of something much bigger than I could have imagined.

Biggie was the very first painting I created while streaming on Twitch. In many ways, Biggie wasn't just the first painting of Tha Block—he was the beginning of Tha Block itself. To this day, it remains one of my favorites and one of my best-selling pieces.

The story actually starts a few days before September 14, 2015, the day I officially launched Tha Block on Twitch.

One day, someone left a stack of old canvases outside my front door. Mixed in with the pile was a large, worn Ikea painting. Most people would have looked at it and seen something ready for the trash. I saw a blank canvas and an opportunity.

At the time, I wasn't much of a Twitch fan. I thought it was just a platform for gamers. But while searching for a new game one day, I noticed Twitch had added Music and Art categories. Out of curiosity, I started exploring.

What I found changed everything.

I spent weeks studying other artists, learning what worked, what didn't, what I liked, and what I thought I could do differently. With the help of what I call "YouTube University," I figured out how to stream, bought a Snowball microphone, created a name for the channel, and prepared to take a chance on something completely new.

Looking back, the setup was about as humble as it gets.

My first easel was a chair.

My first streaming computer was an older MacBook with a built-in camera.

There was no studio. No fancy equipment. No roadmap.

Just a willingness to learn, create, and figure things out one day at a time.

Now I needed a painting.

I chose Biggie.

Why?

Because Biggie wasn't just a rapper.

He was one of the greatest storytellers Hip-Hop has ever produced.

He had a unique ability to paint pictures with words. Every verse felt like a movie scene. Every story was so vivid you could see it unfolding in your mind as he rapped. As a visual artist, that's something I deeply connected with. He used words the way I use paint.

There was another connection too.

Biggie was a big guy.

I'm a big guy.

And there was something relatable about seeing someone embrace exactly who they were and turn it into a strength rather than a limitation.

What makes Biggie's story both inspiring and heartbreaking is how much he accomplished in such a short amount of time. Like Tupac, he was taken from the world far too young. Both were just getting started. It's impossible not to wonder what they might have created had they been given more time.

To me, Biggie represents what can happen when extraordinary talent meets belief, opportunity, and the right team. His success wasn't built on image alone. It was built on raw ability, relentless creativity, and people who recognized greatness and helped cultivate it.

That combination transformed him into one of the most recognizable and influential storytellers Hip-Hop has ever known.

The painting itself became more than a portrait.

It became the first chapter of Tha Block.

What started as a discarded canvas, an old MacBook, a chair for an easel, a new streaming platform, and a lot of determination became a creative journey that continues to this day.

More than a portrait, this piece is a tribute to storytelling, taking chances, and the unexpected moments that can change the course of your life forever.

Biggie taught the world that stories matter. This painting reminds me that sometimes your own story is just getting started.

— SAVO

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2PAC

Tupac represents one of the most important voices Hip-Hop has ever produced.

To me, he embodies the lovable anarchist, the revolutionary spirit, and the fearless storyteller who wasn't afraid to speak on the struggles, mistakes, dreams, and realities so many people could relate to.

He talked about being poor.

Getting into trouble.

Making mistakes.

Chasing success.

And he turned those experiences into stories that resonated across the world.

At the same time, he represented something else.

Youth.

Freedom.

Fun.

Passion.

The joy of being alive.

One thing that always stood out to me about Tupac was his work ethic.

Industry stories consistently talk about how hard he worked in the studio, even after he had already achieved fame and wealth.

The work never stops when you love what you do.

This painting was inspired by one of the most famous black-and-white photographs ever taken of Tupac.

I didn't want the black-and-white version.

I wanted the color version.

I wanted to bring the energy, emotion, and spirit I saw in the image to life.

The painting wasn't even finished before it sold.

A doctor purchased it and took it to Mexico, where it now hangs in a mansion.

Honestly, that sounds like a pretty great place for Pac to be hanging.

To me, the colors reveal another side of Tupac.

They bring out his strength, intensity, and power while still preserving the humility and humanity that made people connect with him in the first place.

More than a portrait, this piece is a tribute to passion, work ethic, and the relentless pursuit of purpose.

— SAVO

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SNOOP

West Coast culture. Music. Legacy.

Those are the things most people see when they look at this painting.

But for me, the story starts years before the paint ever touched the canvas, back when I was working in radio and watching artists like Snoop Dogg reshape not only Hip-Hop, but popular culture itself.

Snoop is my biggest-selling piece.

Ironically, the original painting was stolen from a restaurant in Little Italy where it was displayed alongside several other works. It has never been recovered.

The painting itself was originally created live on Twitch more than a decade ago as part of my ongoing Hip-Hop Legends collection. From the beginning, the goal was to celebrate artists who helped shape culture and influence generations.

Few people embody that more than Snoop Dogg.

To me, Snoop represents everything great about the West Coast. He's a Hip-Hop icon, a cultural ambassador, a businessman, an entertainer, and one of the few artists who successfully evolved from rap legend into a worldwide household name.

That's something I deeply respect.

The colors in this piece reflect my approach to painting. I love using colors people don't immediately notice. Colors that shouldn't work together but somehow do. It's part of what makes a piece feel like a SAVO painting.

Snoop has seen this artwork.

I even gave him a copy.

Now I'm still working on getting him to sign mine.

For me, this painting represents longevity, reinvention, and staying true to who you are no matter how big the stage becomes.

More than a portrait, this piece is a tribute to West Coast culture, Hip-Hop history, and the power of building a legacy that lasts far beyond music.

— SAVO

SNOOP

West Coast culture. Music. Legacy.

Those are the things most people see when they look at this painting.

But for me, the story starts years before the paint ever touched the canvas, back when I was working in radio and watching artists like Snoop Dogg reshape not only Hip-Hop, but popular culture itself.

Snoop is my biggest-selling piece.

Ironically, the original painting was stolen from a restaurant in Little Italy where it was displayed alongside several other works. It has never been recovered.

The painting itself was originally created live on Twitch more than a decade ago as part of my ongoing Hip-Hop Legends collection. From the beginning, the goal was to celebrate artists who helped shape culture and influence generations.

Few people embody that more than Snoop Dogg.

To me, Snoop represents everything great about the West Coast. He's a Hip-Hop icon, a cultural ambassador, a businessman, an entertainer, and one of the few artists who successfully evolved from rap legend into a worldwide household name.

That's something I deeply respect.

The colors in this piece reflect my approach to painting. I love using colors people don't immediately notice. Colors that shouldn't work together but somehow do. It's part of what makes a piece feel like a SAVO painting.

Snoop has seen this artwork.

I even gave him a copy.

Now I'm still working on getting him to sign mine.

For me, this painting represents longevity, reinvention, and staying true to who you are no matter how big the stage becomes.

More than a portrait, this piece is a tribute to West Coast culture, Hip-Hop history, and the power of building a legacy that lasts far beyond music.

— SAVO

EMINEM

I've always been a fan of Slim Shady.

Why wouldn't I paint one of Hip-Hop's greatest MCs?

Eminem represents something that has always resonated with me: skill, determination, and the belief that where you start doesn't determine where you finish.

His mission is my mission.

From welfare to private jets and mansions.

At the time I painted Eminem, I was streaming regularly on Twitch. One question kept coming up over and over again:

"Why do you only paint Black people?"

My answer then is the same as it is now:

I don't paint Black people. I paint Hip-Hop.

To finally put the conversation to rest, I chose Eminem as my next subject.

Not because he was different.

Because he belonged.

Hip-Hop is about culture, creativity, storytelling, and skill. Eminem embodies all of those things at the highest level.

The colors in this painting reflect my signature style. I enjoy building portraits with colors people don't expect. Colors that blend together in ways that create emotion, energy, and personality.

Over the years, this piece has become one of my strongest sellers.

In fact, Eminem posters have consistently outsold many of my prints.

That doesn't surprise me.

His story is the American story told through Hip-Hop.

More than a portrait, this piece is a tribute to skill, determination, and the belief that where you start does not determine where you finish.

Because skills definitely pay the bills.

— SAVO

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E-40

First things first.

I'm originally from Minnesota.

My family moved to San Diego in 1986 when I was a senior in high school.

Since then, West Coast culture has become part of who I am.

E-40 was one of the newest additions to my Hip-Hop Legends collection, and from the start, I knew I wanted to paint him.

Part of the inspiration came from family.

My sister's favorite rapper is E-40.

He's one of my favorites too.

And definitely one of my brother's.

As my collection grew, so did my skills. Every painting taught me something new, and by the time I reached E-40, I felt like my style had evolved again.

E-40 is more than a rapper.

He's an entrepreneur.

A businessman.

A trendsetter.

A cultural icon.

And somehow, after all these years, he's still making records, still charting, and still influencing generations.

Mount Westmore alone is proof of that legacy.

Alongside Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube, and Too Short, he helped create one of the most iconic groups Hip-Hop has ever seen.

To me, E-40 represents something bigger than music.

He represents staying true to yourself.

No matter how successful he became, he never changed how he talked, dressed, represented his city, or carried himself.

That's something I aspire to.

This weekend at the Kinfolk Festival, E-40 proved it again.

People were drawn to the piece all day long.

Not because it's just a portrait.

Because E-40 means something to our culture.

More than a West Coast icon, he's become a worldwide Hip-Hop tycoon.

More than a portrait, this piece is a tribute to authenticity, entrepreneurship, and staying true to who you are while building something bigger than yourself.

— SAVO

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GROGU

I'm kind of a nerd.

Actually, a huge nerd.

I've loved science fiction since I was a kid growing up on the movies, television shows, and stories that defined the 70s and 80s.

And honestly, a lot of Hip-Hop heads my age are the same way.

Creativity is creativity.

At the time I painted Grogu, most people didn't even know his name.

The world was still calling him "Baby Yoda."

The Star Wars universe has always been a cultural phenomenon, and as a lifelong fan, I knew I had to add the newest beloved character to my collection alongside Darth Vader.

I wanted to capture every bit of his charm, curiosity, and personality.

People often tell me this painting makes Grogu feel real, like they could reach out and give him a hug.

I take that as a compliment.

What makes Grogu special isn't just that he's adorable.

It's that beneath all that cuteness is hidden strength.

Every episode revealed a little more of who he was becoming.

That's something I connect with.

Growth.

Potential.

Transformation.

The idea that we're all becoming something greater than we are today.

And yes...

Grogu is definitely Hip-Hop.

Because Hip-Hop has always embraced imagination, creativity, individuality, and finding your own path.

More than a portrait, this piece is a celebration of wonder, possibility, and the power hidden inside all of us.

Sometimes the most powerful thing in the room is the one still becoming what it's meant to be.

— SAVO

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TANGE

Tange was originally created as a Mother's Day gift for my sons' mother.

She is Native American, Choctaw from Taos Pueblo, New Mexico.

Like the woman who inspired it, this painting celebrates strength, beauty, resilience, and grace.

I've always believed some of the strongest people I've ever known are women.

Tange represents that strength.

The colors and composition were inspired by a combination of my own artistic style and the influence of traditional old-school tattoo art. I wanted the piece to feel bold, timeless, and powerful.

This painting is about honoring warrior women.

Women who carry families.

Communities.

Traditions.

And responsibilities with strength that often goes unseen.

At the same time, I wanted the portrait to reflect beauty and softness without sacrificing power.

That's what makes Tange special to me.

She isn't celebrated despite her strength.

She's celebrated because of it.

More than a portrait, this piece is a tribute to resilience, heritage, motherhood, and the quiet power of strong women everywhere.

— SAVO