Steeped in fresh perspective with a nostalgic essence, High Octane is described as a “love letter to hip hop”, intentionally crafted through passionate determination over two and a half years as SAÜD’s deeply personal tribute to the culture that has shaped him. Growing up in 90’s Saudi where “hip hop was really big” he shares how some even learned English partly through hip hop. Among the featured artists are Swizz Beatz, Cyhi, Bas, Mercston, Josh Kye, Belly, and Jeed to name a few, bringing together talents from across the globe into one dynamic offering, released May 7th – a shared world built from SAÜD’s life, culture, and resilience.
Opening the interview in light humour (a joking, but not entirely joking scenario), we acknowledged our shared habit of keeping backup upon backup of files and being big on punctuality; but these are not passive facts about SAÜD. It speaks to his attention to detail; having the sight to both seize and create opportunity by honouring the concept of timing, and his reverence for the craft. For the bigger picture, we hone in to the finer details that brought him to this moment. Born and raised in Saudi, SAÜD studied marketing, beginning his university journey in Montreal before moving to Los Angeles, a city he fondly refers to as his “second home” and “the place that I really felt like, oh, I could really do this [music].” The journey was one of tenacity, quiet building and patience sharpening his craft in a landscape unlike today’s. His first project was released in 2017 yet had started making music early 2010, admitting “it took me seven years just to feel confident enough for people to listen.” As a reflection of his journey, SAÜD recounted starting his career when Saudi Arabia had a limited hip-hop scene, later returning from L.A to a “blank canvas” that offered the chance to help build a new industry from the ground up, a position he described as both inspiring and demanding given the pressure to set a high standard for an emerging generation.
Forward to 2026, SAÜD’s metaphorical comparison to a phoenix from the ashes is born after years without releasing music. From his experiences, SAÜD shares, “Music is the global language today,” and self-defines his industry position: “personally, I’m not a rapper. I write songs. I’m a tastemaker, a curator, a producer.” He challenges stereotypes about Arab artists and the expectations placed on them by genre and nationality, questioning why identity often overshadows artistry, “Why does it always have to be ‘Saudi producer’? I’m boxed twice now.” While pushing back against labelling, he emphasizes that Saudi audiences themselves are musically diverse and not confined to a single sound. Also rejecting limiting categorisations like “local artists”, he prefers to use “homegrown”, affirming that the region is no longer just “up next” in music, but already fully present and active on the global stage. Reflecting this, Be The Way the second single released off the project was a change of pace from the first release, offering raw emotional depth and notable Sudanese representation featuring Bas and artists from The C!rcle: Eaz Da Bully and G-Salih. SAÜD happily admits “everyone knows I’m a huge fan of Sudani music and culture.” His open-minded perspective was nurtured early, growing up in a musically diverse household shaped by his parents’ very different backgrounds, where Arabic legends like Om Kalthoum, Fairuz, and Mohammed Abdu played alongside artists such as Engelbert Humperdinck, Sammy Davis Jr., and Nat King Cole. With siblings adding everything from Arabic folk love songs to rock, his upbringing was a “constant blend of genres”, something he sees as a reflection of Saudi culture at large and its range of music scenes.