A father, a scholar, an artist, a dreamer; Cal-S-thetics has always been a bit of a square peg in a round hole. While excelling in school and contributing as an employee at various jobs suited him just fine, he always felt a bit out of place in those environments. Amongst dusty record bins, staring at a sampler or synthesizer keys trying to make something magical always seemed both more exciting and more comfortable.

By age 17 he was producing “projects” in his house with his rap group, Glass Bottom Boat. By 24 his group and their artist friends, Cloud 9 Articulate had formed a ‘super group’ of sorts and were opening up for a number of notable hip hop pioneers and Cal had begun to make what he considered his best production work to date. However, by the time 26 rolled around both his rap group and solo aspirations had all but fizzled. It wasn’t long until his studio was packed in boxes and his plans were derailed by self-doubt and financial instability of an unknown artist.

The story seemingly ended there, but in a twist of fate, Cal began to work with his partner-in-rhyme, Tone Dogg Raw on the launch of his record label in 2016. Innocently enough, art direction, strategic planning and executive producing led to his interest awakening and his intuition driving him back to a passion he had thought he had lost. In 2017, Cal aided by Tone released 4 Glass Bottom Boat albums showcasing his renewed commitment to the craft. By age 36, he was involved as an artist, manager, and/or producer in 13+ releases and again sitting on what he considered some of his best production work-to-date.

A tale of redemption in many ways, but Cal still has some aspirations that have been unfulfilled. Plus, he is inspired and surrounded by many talented artists and creators while supported by his wife and children in a way that feeds his creativity and soul. It’s a Beautiful Thing the way the world works sometimes and Cal aims to show us all just that with whatever music comes from this current wave.

April 18, 2020