Cale Sampson

Cale Sampson on RT's Breaking The Set with Abby Martin ( Interview & Performance ) - RT America

Cale Sampson on RT's Breaking The Set with Abby Martin ( Interview & Performance ) - RT America

(VIDEO) Cale Sampson – Interview on InfoWars with Jakari Jackson - Infowars.com

For Cale Sampson, his brand of socially conscious rap is best defined as “motivational message-oriented hip-hop music.”

While hip-hop has always been about its genre diversity — different styles and viewpoints — the passionate Toronto-based artist posits that the mainstream hip-hop sound currently dominating the airwaves is long overdue for some balance. New album The Big Picture aims to be just that, catchy head bobbing beats behind positive and self-empowering lyrical content — themes of social/economic inequality, of political injustices, and of speaking truth to power.

Urban/Intersection caught up with Sampson to rap about the new project, the power of hip-hop as a force for societal change, and tips on making it as an independent artist.

When did hip-hop start for you?

I was first introduced to hip hop culture when I was about 9 years old. I remember, there was a group of older kids in my neighborhood that used to always give me tapes to listen to and fortunately the albums that they gave me were often by legendary MC’s like KRS One, Rakim and Public Enemy to name a few. The very first hip hop record that I heard was “Symphony in Effect” by Maestro Fresh-Wes and “Let Your Backbone Slide” was the first rap song that I ever memorized off by heart. Shortly after that, I started writing my own lyrics and performing my own songs to my friends as well as on stage at my public school. This became a very positive outlet for me and it’s something that has always been a key part of my identity because I have been doing it ever since. Right from the very beginning, I realized hip hop’s unique ability to bridge people together so even back then my lyrics were always centered around positivity and self empowerment.

How would you define your sound?

Motivational message-oriented hip-hop music. I try to make all of my songs have catchy beats and choruses to help draw the listener in and hopefully get them focused on the actual lyrics and subject matter. In my opinion, music doesn’t have to be formulaically simplified and dumbed down in order for it to become popular. As long as it’s coming from a truthful and sincere place, it can be used as an incredible tool to both educate and inspire people.

Talk about the new album The Big Picture and how it came about.

The process of creating my new album “The Big Picture” all started three years ago. Being someone who has always had an inquiring mind and a general awareness of world issues, I couldn’t believe how disconnected the mainstream art that was being pumped out to the public was from the actual reality of our times. So, out of necessity, I started gaining a lot of my creative inspiration from more alternative sources (such as a wide variety of non fiction books and documentaries) that more accurately reflected what was really occurring around the world and thus affecting us all.

The song “Reach Up” was the first track that I wrote for the album and at the time I felt like it was the best song that I had ever written in my life. I also quickly realized that the topics that I was discussing in that song (economic disparity, government corruption, endless war, media manipulation, the destruction of nature, etc.) would be the general theme for my next album. With all of the unnecessary turmoil and human suffering that is currently happening around the globe, in good conscience, it became pretty much impossible for me to really write about anything else.

In order to draw more attention to my new music, my wife (who is also my business and creative partner) and I decided that it was necessary to create a visually engaging, unique music video for “Reach Up” that would hopefully capture people’s focus and get them interested in some of the tougher subject matter that I was addressing. We collaborated with my video director Jay Fox (Le Nouveau-Pauvre) and came up with the idea to shoot a variety of key locations around Toronto and match them with corresponding T-shirts that had bold thought provoking statements on them which would in turn also fit with the specific lyrics in the song. This was all done to help emphasize the information and really drive the message home to my viewers.

I officially released the song and video for “Reach Up” on August 1st, and since then the video has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Youtube and has received some incredible feedback from people all over the globe. The positive response to it has only solidified my belief that there are literally millions of people who are tired of hearing all of this empty fluff on the radio and who are looking for something with more substance, meaning and purpose. I hope that my new album can provide somewhat of a breath of fresh air to those listeners who are looking for something more.

In terms of the actual production of “The Big Picture”, I also would like to acknowledge Ted Onyszczak and Andy Krehm at Silverbirch Productions who did a fantastic job respectively m - Canada Arts Connect Magazine

For Cale Sampson, his brand of socially conscious rap is best defined as “motivational message-oriented hip-hop music.”

While hip-hop has always been about its genre diversity — different styles and viewpoints — the passionate Toronto-based artist posits that the mainstream hip-hop sound currently dominating the airwaves is long overdue for some balance. New album The Big Picture aims to be just that, catchy head bobbing beats behind positive and self-empowering lyrical content — themes of social/economic inequality, of political injustices, and of speaking truth to power.

Urban/Intersection caught up with Sampson to rap about the new project, the power of hip-hop as a force for societal change, and tips on making it as an independent artist.

When did hip-hop start for you?

I was first introduced to hip hop culture when I was about 9 years old. I remember, there was a group of older kids in my neighborhood that used to always give me tapes to listen to and fortunately the albums that they gave me were often by legendary MC’s like KRS One, Rakim and Public Enemy to name a few. The very first hip hop record that I heard was “Symphony in Effect” by Maestro Fresh-Wes and “Let Your Backbone Slide” was the first rap song that I ever memorized off by heart. Shortly after that, I started writing my own lyrics and performing my own songs to my friends as well as on stage at my public school. This became a very positive outlet for me and it’s something that has always been a key part of my identity because I have been doing it ever since. Right from the very beginning, I realized hip hop’s unique ability to bridge people together so even back then my lyrics were always centered around positivity and self empowerment.

How would you define your sound?

Motivational message-oriented hip-hop music. I try to make all of my songs have catchy beats and choruses to help draw the listener in and hopefully get them focused on the actual lyrics and subject matter. In my opinion, music doesn’t have to be formulaically simplified and dumbed down in order for it to become popular. As long as it’s coming from a truthful and sincere place, it can be used as an incredible tool to both educate and inspire people.

Talk about the new album The Big Picture and how it came about.

The process of creating my new album “The Big Picture” all started three years ago. Being someone who has always had an inquiring mind and a general awareness of world issues, I couldn’t believe how disconnected the mainstream art that was being pumped out to the public was from the actual reality of our times. So, out of necessity, I started gaining a lot of my creative inspiration from more alternative sources (such as a wide variety of non fiction books and documentaries) that more accurately reflected what was really occurring around the world and thus affecting us all.

The song “Reach Up” was the first track that I wrote for the album and at the time I felt like it was the best song that I had ever written in my life. I also quickly realized that the topics that I was discussing in that song (economic disparity, government corruption, endless war, media manipulation, the destruction of nature, etc.) would be the general theme for my next album. With all of the unnecessary turmoil and human suffering that is currently happening around the globe, in good conscience, it became pretty much impossible for me to really write about anything else.

In order to draw more attention to my new music, my wife (who is also my business and creative partner) and I decided that it was necessary to create a visually engaging, unique music video for “Reach Up” that would hopefully capture people’s focus and get them interested in some of the tougher subject matter that I was addressing. We collaborated with my video director Jay Fox (Le Nouveau-Pauvre) and came up with the idea to shoot a variety of key locations around Toronto and match them with corresponding T-shirts that had bold thought provoking statements on them which would in turn also fit with the specific lyrics in the song. This was all done to help emphasize the information and really drive the message home to my viewers.

I officially released the song and video for “Reach Up” on August 1st, and since then the video has been viewed tens of thousands of times on Youtube and has received some incredible feedback from people all over the globe. The positive response to it has only solidified my belief that there are literally millions of people who are tired of hearing all of this empty fluff on the radio and who are looking for something with more substance, meaning and purpose. I hope that my new album can provide somewhat of a breath of fresh air to those listeners who are looking for something more.

In terms of the actual production of “The Big Picture”, I also would like to acknowledge Ted Onyszczak and Andy Krehm at Silverbirch Productions who did a fantastic job respectively m - Canada Arts Connect Magazine

CALE SAMPSON (INTERVIEW)
Published On: September 2, 2013

Cale Sampson Big Picture interview


Interview – Cale Sampson

- by Zoë Christmas

Toronto rapper Cale Sampson surfaced as a solo artist in 2008, bringing a breath of fresh air to hip hop. Rather than following the trendy, lowbrow hip hop topics, Sampson chooses to channel his energy through intelligently-written, socially conscious lyrics. Formerly a member of the group Rhythmicru, he has been involved with hip-hop since the early 2000s, though his interest in rap music sparked when he was a kid.

Sampson is set to release his second solo album, The Big Picture, on Sept. 3. His songs are charged with social commentary touching a range of world issues, and his lyrics are diligently researched and cleverly pieced together. Sampson describes his unique genre of hip hop as “info rap.” “Reach Up”, the lead single off of The Big Picture, exemplifies this style.

But what really sets Sampson apart from other hip-hop artists is his earnest work ethic and total artistic independence. He describes the Toronto rap scene as “a do-it-yourself hustle where the artist has no choice but to also be an entrepreneur and a businessman.” Indeed, Sampson follows this logic: it is just him and his wife behind his work – “a true mom-and-pop organization,” as he describes it. Motivated with the urgency of global crises and his utter self-sufficiency, Sampson hopes to spread his message internationally.


Zoë Christmas: The Big Picture consists mostly of conscious rap songs that touch a range of subjects – wars, GMOs, disparity, mass media, banks, oil, TV, US politics. Though they’re all interconnected, you move in and out of topics so fluidly. Where and how do you research for your songs?

Cale Sampson: The information in my songs is really an accumulation of a lifetime worth of research and it’s literally influenced by hundreds of books and documentaries. Since almost all of my songs are about large scale subject matter, it does take me quite a long time to immerse myself into all the information. I also always make sure to study both the mainstream and alternative media perspectives and cross reference and fact-check everything before I come to my own conclusions.

ZC: You have described your songs as essay-like. How do you manage to pack in so much information while remaining street?

CS: That’s right, the majority of my songs are essentially rhyming, information-oriented essays based on a tremendous amount of research and analysis. The result is “Info Rap.” Even though there is a ton of information in my songs, I remain sincere in my music, which I hope will always shine through. I stand behind my words – people respect that because they know that it represents something real.

I also realize that, in order to get the message across, I have to make my songs catchy. For almost all of my songs, I go through hundreds of beats before I pick the perfect one that specifically matches my lyrics and the emotion that I’m seeking to make my listeners feel.

ZC: On that subject, who makes your beats?

CS: I work with a fairly small team of individuals who I feel both understand my artistic vision and handle their own business in a professional manner. The producers that I worked with on The Big Picture were Andre Flak, Fresh Kils, and Muneshine.

ZC: This might be an impossible question, but what is the most important subject that you write about?

CS: It is hard to pinpoint a specific subject as the most important or urgent, as there are just so many issues facing the world right now. I’ve had people with cancer contact me to write a song about the medical and pharmaceutical industries. I’ve had people from Greece contact me to write a song about the imposed economic austerity that’s going on over there. I’ve had soldiers in Afghanistan ask me personally to help bring awareness to their situations. Making songs that touch a range of issues is important to me because these people need to be heard. Because of this, I feel somewhat of a moral responsibility to represent people’s real life situations in my music.

ZC: What are your thoughts on the Canadian hip hop scene, and hip hop in general?

CS: Truthfully, right now my energy and my focus is less about the musical genre that I’m in and more about the actual information that I’m trying to communicate, it’s less about the local or national hip hop scene and more about the global human community. Nowadays I am less influenced by other hip hop artists and musicians, and more inspired by public speakers, authors and filmmakers who are not afraid to stand up and speak the truth even if it is not the most popular thing to do.

ZC: Any plans to tour?

CS: As of right now, I’m gearing up for my CD release party on Sept. 14th in Toronto and working on the beginning stages of some other performance opportunities. Also, I will be heading down to Washington, DC at the end of September to pe - The Snipe News

Cale Sampson - Interview with Alan Cross ( AUX TV / ExploreMusic ) - AUX TV / ExploreMusic

By the time Cale Sampson raps the first few lines on his sophomore album, The Big Picture, it’s obvious he has something to say.

The Toronto rapper’s style of telling a story is more like an essay than a traditional song, which invites the listener in even more. “It’s time to unite, time to reach up and defend all our rights,” he raps on “Reach Up,” the first song on an album full of politically charged lyrics.

“Rather than focusing on typical commercial rap subject matter, this song instead addresses many present-world challenges while attempting to bring about public awareness and positive change on a global scale,” he writes in an email.

Out on Sept. 3, you can stream The Big Picture below for one week. - CBC Music

By the time Cale Sampson raps the first few lines on his sophomore album, The Big Picture, it’s obvious he has something to say.

The Toronto rapper’s style of telling a story is more like an essay than a traditional song, which invites the listener in even more. “It’s time to unite, time to reach up and defend all our rights,” he raps on “Reach Up,” the first song on an album full of politically charged lyrics.

“Rather than focusing on typical commercial rap subject matter, this song instead addresses many present-world challenges while attempting to bring about public awareness and positive change on a global scale,” he writes in an email.

Out on Sept. 3, you can stream The Big Picture below for one week. - CBC Music

ExploreMusic TV Interview by Alan Cross
Aired on AUX TV
Feb. 17, 2010
- Aux TV ( Aired on Feb. 17, 2010 )

ExploreMusic TV Interview by Alan Cross
Aired on AUX TV
Feb. 17, 2010
- Aux TV ( Aired on Feb. 17, 2010 )

Cale Sampson
By: Andreanne Sasseville

Who is he:
A gifted lyricist and skillful rapper who’s self-produced, self-managed and has self-propelled into the Canadian urban music scene.

His sound:
Rap with a conscience. A simple, audible beat box flow that draws you in quickly while keeping the focus on the words.

Hometown:
Toronto (Ontario).

Artist name history:
He needed to differentiate his solo material from his group material – he is still in a band called Rythmicru. "Plus", Cale says, "If you’re gonna write songs that are autobiographic and then rap them out on stage, everything else around it has to ring true."

Artist philosophy and why:
He’s inspired by the human side of his art: "When someone emails me or tells me that one of my songs touched them, then I’ve contributed something positive."

And that may explain the latter: you might be tempted to think that all rappers are drawn to superficial lyrics and drama. Sorry to burst that bubble, as what motivates Cale is the ability to explore various topics, to describe them with depth and to fill them with emotion.

How it all started:
As a child, he and his mom moved around the city a lot. This was back in the early '90s, when hip hop was not so present. Still, kids in his neighborhood would gather in a circle in the lobby of his apartment building to make some beat box sounds and rhyme. The older kids soon gave him mixed tapes for him to practice to. This became a positive outlet and Cale began to write. He’s been doing it ever since.

Which country would you like to play in and why:
"Egypt!" he answered spontaneously! Cale is a huge admirer of ancient civilizations. He’s quick to say: "That’s how you learn of humanity’s history. Just imagine how cool it would be to travel to Egypt to play and be able to visit the country and connect with a part of the world you would have otherwise not had the chance to see?"

If he wasn’t passionately dedicated to music, he would be…
Find something else to do.

But until that time comes, he is enjoying the moment while wisely sharing with us that: "Nothing in life is promised; including how long I’ll be doing this. If a day comes that I’m not meant to be doing music anymore, I’ll move on with no regrets."

Latest music purchase:
It’s actually a DVD: Busta Rhymes live in Europe.

You should check him out because:
His self-released, self-titled double disc debut came out earlier this year and is a ‘dream come true’ for the rapper. He also has a video for the track ‘Never had a Choice’.

He’s taken steps (some might say risks) to grow as a person and as an artist; he’s eager, persevering and grateful.

NOW Magazine readers voted him 2009’s ‘Best Songwriter in Toronto’.

Website:
www.calesampson.com

- UMM Magazine ( Winter 2009 )

Cale Sampson
By: Andreanne Sasseville

Who is he:
A gifted lyricist and skillful rapper who’s self-produced, self-managed and has self-propelled into the Canadian urban music scene.

His sound:
Rap with a conscience. A simple, audible beat box flow that draws you in quickly while keeping the focus on the words.

Hometown:
Toronto (Ontario).

Artist name history:
He needed to differentiate his solo material from his group material – he is still in a band called Rythmicru. "Plus", Cale says, "If you’re gonna write songs that are autobiographic and then rap them out on stage, everything else around it has to ring true."

Artist philosophy and why:
He’s inspired by the human side of his art: "When someone emails me or tells me that one of my songs touched them, then I’ve contributed something positive."

And that may explain the latter: you might be tempted to think that all rappers are drawn to superficial lyrics and drama. Sorry to burst that bubble, as what motivates Cale is the ability to explore various topics, to describe them with depth and to fill them with emotion.

How it all started:
As a child, he and his mom moved around the city a lot. This was back in the early '90s, when hip hop was not so present. Still, kids in his neighborhood would gather in a circle in the lobby of his apartment building to make some beat box sounds and rhyme. The older kids soon gave him mixed tapes for him to practice to. This became a positive outlet and Cale began to write. He’s been doing it ever since.

Which country would you like to play in and why:
"Egypt!" he answered spontaneously! Cale is a huge admirer of ancient civilizations. He’s quick to say: "That’s how you learn of humanity’s history. Just imagine how cool it would be to travel to Egypt to play and be able to visit the country and connect with a part of the world you would have otherwise not had the chance to see?"

If he wasn’t passionately dedicated to music, he would be…
Find something else to do.

But until that time comes, he is enjoying the moment while wisely sharing with us that: "Nothing in life is promised; including how long I’ll be doing this. If a day comes that I’m not meant to be doing music anymore, I’ll move on with no regrets."

Latest music purchase:
It’s actually a DVD: Busta Rhymes live in Europe.

You should check him out because:
His self-released, self-titled double disc debut came out earlier this year and is a ‘dream come true’ for the rapper. He also has a video for the track ‘Never had a Choice’.

He’s taken steps (some might say risks) to grow as a person and as an artist; he’s eager, persevering and grateful.

NOW Magazine readers voted him 2009’s ‘Best Songwriter in Toronto’.

Website:
www.calesampson.com

- UMM Magazine ( Winter 2009 )

INTERVIEW WITH CALE SAMPSON
by Matt Eagleson

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 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.
- Megacityhiphop.com ( Feb. 2009 )

INTERVIEW WITH CALE SAMPSON
by Matt Eagleson

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 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.
- Megacityhiphop.com ( Feb. 2009 )

Cale Sampson - 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.
- Exclaim! ( Aug. 2009 )

Cale Sampson - 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.
- Exclaim! ( Aug. 2009 )

Cale Sampson: Canadian reframing hip hop
By Lorianna De Giorgio (Town Crier, Toronto)
Posted by Old School G on 1/18/09

It’s an album that’s been a lifetime in the making.

Beach rapper Cale Sampson’s eponymous January release marks his lengthy commitment to hip hop, and his passion for writing lyrics that breathe new life into a genre that is often pigeonholed into solely being about bling, booze and babes.

The 20-something year old says the Jan. 1 release of his debut solo album signifies a step in the right direction for his career and the industry as a whole.

“I feel it’s long overdue,” he says. “I put my heart, blood, sweat … everything into it.

“It’s one of the proudest things that I’ve ever done in my life.”

Sampson, who began rapping at age nine, soon taking on “Cale the Lyricist” nickname, believes hip hop gets a bad rap.

People seem to only identify with what is played on the radio, he says, from the likes of 50 Cent to Lil Wayne who sing about the conquests, jewellery, clothes and cars they’ve been able to buy thanks to their monetary success.

Sure, Sampson has sung about booze and women, in fact a song titled “Women & Alcohol” made it on to his solo release, a two-disc recording filled with demo tracks and original hits.

However, Sampson also makes it his mission to sing about his life, our society, which often praises actions by members of young Hollywood and even ethical debates including another track on Cale Sampson, “The Human Genome Project”.

Unlike rock, where the genre’s legends are glorified, hip hop’s godfathers such as Chuck D from Public Enemy are often forgotten about, he says.

“People only recognize the Lil Waynes … or whoever is on the radio,” says Sampson. “I support 50 Cent and Kanye West, but there is a problem with the balance with (what’s on the radio).

“There is a popular saying right now that ‘hip hop is dead’. I don’t believe in that statement … hip hop isn’t dead … the balance is dead right now,” he continues, taking a sip of his coffee at one of the many Starbucks that dot the Beach strip.

The topics he raps about on his solo album might not be as sellable as Lil Wayne’s hits, but Sampson says his music is true to who he is and what he does.

“If you are truthful to your audience, then your audience will believe you,” says Sampson.

Five years ago, he joined other rappers to form the Toronto hip hop collective, Rhythmicru, setting off a change in the city’s hip hop music industry, which went back to its roots and promoted storytelling.

They formed the Heads Connect series at the Rivoli, allowing other newbies on the scene to perform.

Rhythmicru has also released albums along the way, and international success came in 2007, when while unsigned they headlined that year’s Spring Scream Music Festival in Taiwan.

Sampson’s advice to younger emcees is to write and rap about what they know.

It’s important he says to not just rap about girls and booze, but other subjects, as it’s crucial to talk to hip hop’s young audience about things other than fast cars and lifestyles.

“I realized I could go from A to Z, instead of A to B,” he says.

And his CD is proof.

“It’s something I have always wanted to do,” says Sampson of the album that took him three years to finish.

The CD had to happen, he says.

“And because of that I had to make sure it was the best I had to offer for myself, and for anybody who has supported me,” Sampson continues. “Whatever happens after that, whether we sell a 1,000 or 100,000 units, it’s sort of beyond my control.”

- Worldhiphopmarket.com ( Jan. 18, 2009 )

Cale Sampson: Canadian reframing hip hop
By Lorianna De Giorgio (Town Crier, Toronto)
Posted by Old School G on 1/18/09

It’s an album that’s been a lifetime in the making.

Beach rapper Cale Sampson’s eponymous January release marks his lengthy commitment to hip hop, and his passion for writing lyrics that breathe new life into a genre that is often pigeonholed into solely being about bling, booze and babes.

The 20-something year old says the Jan. 1 release of his debut solo album signifies a step in the right direction for his career and the industry as a whole.

“I feel it’s long overdue,” he says. “I put my heart, blood, sweat … everything into it.

“It’s one of the proudest things that I’ve ever done in my life.”

Sampson, who began rapping at age nine, soon taking on “Cale the Lyricist” nickname, believes hip hop gets a bad rap.

People seem to only identify with what is played on the radio, he says, from the likes of 50 Cent to Lil Wayne who sing about the conquests, jewellery, clothes and cars they’ve been able to buy thanks to their monetary success.

Sure, Sampson has sung about booze and women, in fact a song titled “Women & Alcohol” made it on to his solo release, a two-disc recording filled with demo tracks and original hits.

However, Sampson also makes it his mission to sing about his life, our society, which often praises actions by members of young Hollywood and even ethical debates including another track on Cale Sampson, “The Human Genome Project”.

Unlike rock, where the genre’s legends are glorified, hip hop’s godfathers such as Chuck D from Public Enemy are often forgotten about, he says.

“People only recognize the Lil Waynes … or whoever is on the radio,” says Sampson. “I support 50 Cent and Kanye West, but there is a problem with the balance with (what’s on the radio).

“There is a popular saying right now that ‘hip hop is dead’. I don’t believe in that statement … hip hop isn’t dead … the balance is dead right now,” he continues, taking a sip of his coffee at one of the many Starbucks that dot the Beach strip.

The topics he raps about on his solo album might not be as sellable as Lil Wayne’s hits, but Sampson says his music is true to who he is and what he does.

“If you are truthful to your audience, then your audience will believe you,” says Sampson.

Five years ago, he joined other rappers to form the Toronto hip hop collective, Rhythmicru, setting off a change in the city’s hip hop music industry, which went back to its roots and promoted storytelling.

They formed the Heads Connect series at the Rivoli, allowing other newbies on the scene to perform.

Rhythmicru has also released albums along the way, and international success came in 2007, when while unsigned they headlined that year’s Spring Scream Music Festival in Taiwan.

Sampson’s advice to younger emcees is to write and rap about what they know.

It’s important he says to not just rap about girls and booze, but other subjects, as it’s crucial to talk to hip hop’s young audience about things other than fast cars and lifestyles.

“I realized I could go from A to Z, instead of A to B,” he says.

And his CD is proof.

“It’s something I have always wanted to do,” says Sampson of the album that took him three years to finish.

The CD had to happen, he says.

“And because of that I had to make sure it was the best I had to offer for myself, and for anybody who has supported me,” Sampson continues. “Whatever happens after that, whether we sell a 1,000 or 100,000 units, it’s sort of beyond my control.”

- Worldhiphopmarket.com ( Jan. 18, 2009 )

Cale Announces New Project
by Kay Lazer

while the rest of you paraded around in the sun, local hip hopper talks what’s up before he hits the stage next week at sneaky dees with Eyedea & Abilities (Rhymesayers).
Reaching a plateau he’d been aiming for since first being introduced to hip hop as a young one, Cale Sampson, considered “pulling his own plug” in February after opening for Australia’s Hilltop Hoods at Lee’s Palace. “I achieved everything I wanted to achieve and I have nothing more to prove.”

But the Saga Continues…

“That show was one of the best nights of my life and until I feel like I’m no longer contributing to the community, this is where I’m at.”

A founding member of Toronto’s own Rhythmicru, he’s toured with the likes of Atmosphere and achieved regular airplay on MuchMusic. With the weight of “We Have Come For Your Children” and the renouned political single, “The Facts of War”, Cale admits things “have come full circle” for him and is excited to announce a new project with long time friend and Producer, D-Ray.

“I think it’s the best we’ve ever done. The production is an improvement, the sound quality is an improvement and with all the weird stuff going on in the world, I think it’s all really relevant.”

With over two decades of hip hop behind him, Sampson has earned his seat at the round table. Continuing to explore hip hop with “social commentary”, the release of a solo album last year was something that he says, “had to be done”.

A self-titled double disc recording, ‘The Album’ and ‘The Demo’ is a cohesive catalog of inspiring and qualitative songs that fuse together multiple facets of personal experiences. “It’s a combination of two different time periods in my career and in order to paint the whole picture you need to have both of those things to fully understand it.”

Including guest production by DJ Kemo from The Rascalz and a track by 2010 frontrunner Classified, it’s a no brainer Cale is heating up the airwaves across the country.

Taking creative processes into his own hands, and putting his entrepreneurial skills to the test, Cale was named NOW Magazines Songwriter of the Year in 2009, a reality pointing Canadian listeners in the right direction.

“The only way hip hop music will succeed in this country is to embrace our identity. We’ve got the talent and I think we’re ready for that spotlight to be directed upon us.”

Plush-hearted and apathetically Generation Y, see Cale’s sharp, rich-spirited flow in the flesh with Eyedea and Abilities next Tuesday, July 13th at Sneaky Dee’s.

Tickets Available Online at: Union Events, Ticketmaster and Instore at: Rotate This!.


- Pinkmafia.ca ( July 8, 2010 )

Cale Announces New Project
by Kay Lazer

while the rest of you paraded around in the sun, local hip hopper talks what’s up before he hits the stage next week at sneaky dees with Eyedea & Abilities (Rhymesayers).
Reaching a plateau he’d been aiming for since first being introduced to hip hop as a young one, Cale Sampson, considered “pulling his own plug” in February after opening for Australia’s Hilltop Hoods at Lee’s Palace. “I achieved everything I wanted to achieve and I have nothing more to prove.”

But the Saga Continues…

“That show was one of the best nights of my life and until I feel like I’m no longer contributing to the community, this is where I’m at.”

A founding member of Toronto’s own Rhythmicru, he’s toured with the likes of Atmosphere and achieved regular airplay on MuchMusic. With the weight of “We Have Come For Your Children” and the renouned political single, “The Facts of War”, Cale admits things “have come full circle” for him and is excited to announce a new project with long time friend and Producer, D-Ray.

“I think it’s the best we’ve ever done. The production is an improvement, the sound quality is an improvement and with all the weird stuff going on in the world, I think it’s all really relevant.”

With over two decades of hip hop behind him, Sampson has earned his seat at the round table. Continuing to explore hip hop with “social commentary”, the release of a solo album last year was something that he says, “had to be done”.

A self-titled double disc recording, ‘The Album’ and ‘The Demo’ is a cohesive catalog of inspiring and qualitative songs that fuse together multiple facets of personal experiences. “It’s a combination of two different time periods in my career and in order to paint the whole picture you need to have both of those things to fully understand it.”

Including guest production by DJ Kemo from The Rascalz and a track by 2010 frontrunner Classified, it’s a no brainer Cale is heating up the airwaves across the country.

Taking creative processes into his own hands, and putting his entrepreneurial skills to the test, Cale was named NOW Magazines Songwriter of the Year in 2009, a reality pointing Canadian listeners in the right direction.

“The only way hip hop music will succeed in this country is to embrace our identity. We’ve got the talent and I think we’re ready for that spotlight to be directed upon us.”

Plush-hearted and apathetically Generation Y, see Cale’s sharp, rich-spirited flow in the flesh with Eyedea and Abilities next Tuesday, July 13th at Sneaky Dee’s.

Tickets Available Online at: Union Events, Ticketmaster and Instore at: Rotate This!.


- Pinkmafia.ca ( July 8, 2010 )

Rapper Next Door: Toronto's Cale Sampson Is Living The Dream
2009/07/02 | 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

- Citynews.ca ( July 2, 2009 )

Rapper Next Door: Toronto's Cale Sampson Is Living The Dream
2009/07/02 | 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

- Citynews.ca ( July 2, 2009 )

METRO Newspaper - Article on the New Album

"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."

- Metro Newspaper ( Jan. 9th-11th, 2009 )

METRO Newspaper - Article on the New Album

"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."

- Metro Newspaper ( Jan. 9th-11th, 2009 )