artist Cale Sampson ( Cale the Lyricist )

Rapper Next Door: Toronto's Cale Sampson Is Living The Dream

Thursday July 2, 2009 Aaron Miller, CityNews.ca

"My goal was to release the album that I was working on forever," Cale Sampson says.   The Toronto-based rapper's voice is still hoarse days after his NXNE showcase, but an opportunity to talk about his music isn't something he's prepared to pass up.

Rhyming since nine years old, 2009 has been pivotal for the emcee, a year that began when he self-issued a self-titled debut album New Year's Day and continued with a release party he calls, "probably the best day of my life."   The record came after years of performing around the globe with T.O.-based Rythmicru, but going out on his own has presented a wider range of challenges for the gifted lyricist.  

"When you work with a group you have kind of a sports team mentality," Sampson says, noting that traveling the world with friends was plenty enriching in its own right.   "But in a group environment you can't always show the sides of yourself, in order to grow as an emcee I had to touch on a variety of subject matter, explore a wider range of human emotion."  

Of course it's not like all his dreams have been realized, just the first one. The rest, Sampson says, isn't really up to him.   "Canada has some world-class music talent and the quality of music has gotten better and better but there's never ever been much support for the industry," he laments.   "Coming from Canada my expectations were that I control what I can control, that I make the best music I can possibly make ... the number one accomplishment is that I know that I did."  

But does he see the opportunity for more? Certainly.   "Toronto hip hop is at one of its peaks right now," he counters, citing recent successful runs by the likes of D-Sisive and Drake.   "Time will tell but I definitely feel the potential."   Clearly some others do too, as Sampson's homegrown hip-hop has gotten plenty of radio love on Flow 93.5 and he's already made back the money invested in the album on personal sales alone.   These days it'd be hard for the average artist to ask for much more.  

"I'm just thankful to everyone who's shown love," Sampson insists.   "You never know how long you're going to be doing this for and I'm very happy that I'm at a stage right now with no regrets."   Check out Cale Sampson's music here.   You can also pick up his album at calesampson.com or on iTunes.  

 aaron.miller@citynews.ca  

Photo by Meredith Hanafi

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_35754.aspx

The National Post
NXNE 2009: Cale Sampson

June 15, 2009, 5:00 PM by Brad Frenette

The North by Northeast Festival (NXNE) takes place in Toronto from June 17-21, bringing 500 bands to 50 venues across the city. And chances are you've never heard of many, many of those 500 bands. So, in what has become a tradition here at TheAmpersand.ca, we're making the necessary introductions, by way of our annual NXNE Q&A:

CALE SAMPSON
Toronto

Q: Describe your band (in 5 words or less).
A: Inspirational, Underdog, Pride, Glory, Impact

Q: Pretend you lost your luggage on the way to NXNE and had only three things in your pockets when you arrived: what would you hope those three things would be?
A: My wallet ( with cash ), my cell phone, and my swiss army knife.

Q: Pick: Broken Social Scene or Arcade Fire?
A: Broken Social Scene




Q: If your music was a place, where would it be?
A: The 2010 Super Bowl in Miami ( Halftime Show ).

Q: Where are you sleeping during the festival? And what is your food budget?
A: I'll be sleeping at my crib because I live in Toronto. I'll also be eating my usual pre-show steak dinner at my house as well.

Q: Pick: Anne Murray or Rush?
A: I'll say Rush, but I think Anne Murray is dope too.

Q: What other acts are you keen to see at NXNE, and what acts do you hope come to see your show?
A: Gza, The Black Lips, The Sonics

Q: One time I was on stage and...
A: ... Right in the middle of my performance, my right leg suddenly fell through a hole in the stage. When I tried to pull it back up it was wedged and still trapped underneath the stage. I had to finish the rest of my song in a seated position and somehow make it look like everything was normal.

http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/theampersand/archive/2009/06/15/the-2009-nxne-questionnaire-cale-sampson.aspx

Exclaim! ( CD Review )

Album: Cale Sampson
Artist: Cale Sampson
By Chris Dart

If there's one thing that makes Cale Sampson's full-length debut stick out it's the way he manages to showcase his wordplay without sacrificing content. Where far too many underground rappers write entire albums about how gifted they are, Cale understands that skills don't count if you're not rapping about anything. Cale isn't afraid to tackle a diverse range of topics. One minute, he's telling stories about drinking and scoring on "Women & Alcohol," the next he's talking about bioethics on "The Human Genome Project." The album's highlight comes on "'Til I Met You," a tale of love gone wrong built around a Heart sample. The album also includes a second disc, featuring some of Cale's earlier work, including "Best Foot Forward," a collaboration with More or Les that originally appeared on Les's The Truth About Rap album, and "The Facts of War," which explains the lead up to the second Gulf War. Cale is an excellent lyricist but more than that his self-titled debut proves that he's not afraid to go off the beaten path. If he can keep this level of lyrical weirdness up, he has a promising career in front of him. (Heads Connect)

http://www.exclaim.ca/musicreviews/generalreview.aspx?csid1=135&csid2=865&fid1=39375

INTERVIEW WITH CALE SAMPSON

Who is Cale Sampson?

I'm an emcee from Toronto, Canada, that has been doing my thing since I was really young. I'm also a man who is just trying to be a good person and contribute something positive to the lives of my family members, friends, and maybe a few others as well.

Why Hip Hop? What was it about the music that made you want to start making it?

When I was growing up, rap music as a whole wasn't as bland and stagnant as it is now. You could really feel this undeniably strong and truthful energy in it and that's what spoke to me. That's what made me want to do my own music. I wanted to spread that same raw human energy, that I heard in rap music, to others because I believed it was empowering and real and I believed that a lot of people could benefit from experiencing it.

Who or what inspires you to do what you do?

I'll tell you what motivates and inspires me to do what I do. In my heart, I know that I have achieved and experienced things that many people will not experience. I've had the opportunity to travel to places I would have never gone to, and meet tons of people I would have never met, if it wasn't for music. I've been able to connect with hundreds of strangers because of music. It's inspiring when someone hits me up on email, or stops me in the street, to tell me that one of my songs really touched them and that they appreciate it. To me that's what making music is all about and that's how I know that I'm contributing something real to those who are listening.

What are your thoughts on hip hop in Canada and in Toronto, specifically?

I think Canada has some world class talent and the quality of the music is getting better and better. Unfortunately, hip hop is not supported by the industry in Canada and people only seem to catch on once you've travelled to other countries and become successful somewhere else.

Toronto is the largest city in Canada and one of the most multi-cultural places in the world so there's a whole bunch of different styles that develop here. I have always been a fan of our scene and I'm really proud to be a part of it. There is nothing more that I'd love to see than for Toronto to get put on the map.

Your solo debut album. What can you tell us about that?

I can tell you that it's the album that I always wanted to make and I'm very proud of it. I feel that I have made the most honest music that I'm capable of and now I'm trying my absolute hardest to get it out there to the world. No matter what happens, whether I sell 1000 units or 50,000 units, it's largely beyond my control. I feel that I have accomplished a major goal in my life and that's what matters the most to me. I have succeeded with what I originally set out to do.

What can the listener expect to hear compared to your past work with Rhythmicru?

They will hear growth, maturity, and a lot more diversity. That's one of the challenges of making a solo album, you have to be able to cover a large range of subject matter and explore a wider realm of human emotion. The album is very balanced and it shows all the different sides of me. I have positive songs, angry songs, and serious songs and I feel that there's something for everyone to relate to on it.

What are the differences in working on a solo album compared with working on a group effort?

Being in a group is great, especially one like Rhythmicru that's been operating for over 5 years. It's sort of like a brotherhood, sports team mentality. You get to create music with your friends, travel together, and basically live out your mutual goals together.

Being a solo act is also great and I'm fortunate that I'm able to do both. From a writing perspective, my process is very isolated and personal. I prefer to be by myself so I can get my thoughts together and really focus on how I'm going to make each song really unique. My end goal is always something very specific & sometimes when you're trying to achieve something so particular it just can't be accomplished in a group environment.

Where can people check for your music?

The album is now available in all HMV Stores across Canada (but you will have to request it). You can also purchase it online from Itunes or at my website http://www.calesampson.com/.

Is there anything that you'd like to add?

Thank you to everyone who has ever shown love and supported me. I feel like all of this hard work has paid off and all of the sacrifices along the way have definitely been worth it. Nothing is guaranteed in life, including how long I'll be doing this for, so I feel blessed to be in a state of mind right now where I have absolutely no regrets.

2009 February > Cale Sampson CD Release Party

As the spotlights circulated the Blue Moon stage you could tentatively see the shadows of a man on the verge of turning a once labeled "dream" into reality with the applauding support from his inspirational friends and family members. Over 250 people mobbed the spotlight as the "Hip-Hop Head" Cale Sampson shrewdly emerged from the darkness with his mic in check, promptly dropping lyrics from his title track "Full Speed Ahead. "The inspired introduction set the tone for a memorable night, which celebrated the release of Sampson's self-titled two-disc album, featuring tracks from the beginning of his journey as an emcee until this defining moment of his career. Sampson amazed the electric audience with his high-octane performance pulling out all the tricks with his distinctive style and jaw-dropping performances from guest vocalists. A truly remarkable show left Sampson almost speechless as he personally shouting out everyone who showed up and for his or her support, closing the night out with; "we're never to old to have a goal, we're never to old to have a dream, thank you all for making my dream become reality."

Jordan, Adrienne and Emily

Cale on stage

Jamie and Cale

Girl's night out

Casey and Steve

Megan, Dana and Clare

Sharing the stage with D-Ray from Rhythmicru

All eyes on Cale

Carlos & Sloot Dawg

More happy faces

Having fun at Cale's CD launch

The lighters strike for "It's Not Time"

Double trouble

Rhythmicru's Cale Sampson drops solo effort

BRIAN TOWIE, METRO CANADA

Cale Sampson knows that in hip hop, you go big or you go home.

It's why the Toronto-based rapper made his self-titled first solo effort a double-album of exuberant urban jams. And it's been a long time coming. Sampson has been building his name and in the Toronto hip-hop scene with his compatriots in Rhythmicru, a prominent act on the local rap circuit, for the past five years. The group gave its blessing and help - the Cru and its extended family are ubiquitous on the album, along with DJ Kemo (of Rascalz fame) and Classified.   

"The solo thing is something I always wanted to do since day one," Sampson said. "Being in Rhythmicru is great, we're like a sports team. Being a solo artist is rewarding from a creative perspective because it allows me to hit certain emotions that I can't in a group session."

Sampson waxes on picking up club girls to embarrassing drunken nights documented on Facebook, but it's his politically charged material that's gotten the most attention. His song The Facts Of War - a fact-filled recital on the Bush administration written in 2002-03 - was called "the most incendiary anti-war track ever created" by NOW Magazine and has been requested by students and teachers across the country for class presentations.

"I was going to tear into the people who brought those buildings down," he said. "But if you do a political song, you better make sure you do the fact checking. I did two months of research and the more I found out about Bush and Cheney the more I changed my mind."   

The success to this point hasn't come easy for Sampson, who notes there's nowhere near the market for hip hop in Canada that there is for contemporary rock and post-punk. "It's still a rock ‘n' roll country," he succinctly puts it. But he's used to being the odd one out. Growing up in The Beach, a relatively affluent, left-leaning and waspy Toronto neighbourhood, he says the local kids listened to rock while he plunged head first into rap and penned his own rhymes.

"I was on the football team in high school and people still thought I was weird because I was ‘the hip-hop guy,'" he laughs. "Then rap got popular and everybody wanted to talk to me. Things happen in cycles, but I've always stuck with it because I love it. You've got to be genuine to yourself."  

NOW Magazine - 3 out of 4 stars

"Disc Review"


Cale Sampson
(Heads Connect)
by Addi Stewart

If you can appreciate an MC juggling a double-syllable rhyme scheme for two and a half minutes, you'll find joy with Cale Sampson as he chants, "Fate is something that I can't be afraid of / a chance to see what I'm made of" in a track featuring fellow SuperTokers D-Ray and theSnowyOwl.

DJ Mercilless's twist on Nu Shooz's I Can't Wait pleases with Distractions Part 2, but Now It's My Time comes off as an ill-advised bid for radio play. From a Ras Kass-worthy song about the human genome project to beats by Classified, Kemo and other Canadian icons, plus a double-disc demo, this is a solid solo debut.

Top track: Hip Hop Head