Cavity
Santa Rosa, California, United States | SELF
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08.19.09
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Phaedra
Always Comin' New
Can Cavity put Santa Rosa back on the hip-hop map?
By Gabe Meline
Cavity is a 27-year-old rapper from Santa Rosa who's just lost his job (outsourced overseas) and who's using his free time to hit the studio and realize a childhood dream. Growing up, Cavity ingested cassettes by Rakim, N.W.A. and Mac Dre, but none had quite the impact as Forever Hustlin', by Ray Luv. Still the best-known rap album from Santa Rosa, it changed Cavity's perspective about what could be accomplished in a city considered too white and too safe for serious hip-hop, and the earnest rapper still talks about how his hometown can be taken seriously once more.
"We need a major artist to open the door for us again, 'cause I believe the door is closed and it's locked right now," he says. "When we measure up against Oakland or San Francisco, Richmond or other cities, they lookin' at us as if we're from cowtown. We're in the country. We're irrelevant. Lots of people don't even consider us the Bay to begin with."
Never mind that Sonoma County has always been a massively supportive region for hip-hop artists from the Bay Area. This is a place where Andre Nickatina can play every month, where two years' worth of Super Hyphy shows almost always sold out when no other city in the Bay Area was consistently supporting live hip-hop, and yet it's also a place where our homegrown rap artists are underrepresented in an all-too-common form of suburban hypermetropia.
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Cavity aims to flip the script back to Santa Rosa, the way Ray Luv did, with his upcoming album If the Lord Say the Same. If "We Ride," "Nutron" and "I'm with It" are any indicators, he'll do it with bona fide party anthems—although Cavity sets down the Patrón for four personal minutes with the honest, emotional "In My Life." ("I just kinda let my soul bleed, you know what I mean?" he explains. "Frustration. That's what that song is.")
This weekend, Cavity plays a huge show in Santa Rosa with E-40, the "Ambassador of the Bay" who brought the hyphy craze to the rest of the country before its quick demise. Bay Area hip-hop has proven its versatility in the past; Cavity sees no reason it can't rise again. "Hip-hop moves with new sound," he assures. "The Bay is very creative. Trendsetters. We're just looking for that new sound."
Cavity plays with E-40, the Jacka, Ant D.O.G., Cellski, Fed-X and others on Saturday, Aug. 22, at the Armory, 1500 Armory Drive, Santa Rosa. 8pm. $30–$40 - Gabe Meline
Discography
Discography
Cavity & Tre Jones- We Country
The Chosen Few-Good Fellas
Cavity & Petro- Hyphy Christmas
Cavity & Petro- Through Thick and Thin
Cavity And Petro- Gas Station
Cavity- If The Lord Say The Same
Cavity featuring Gary Hawkins- Hip Blues
Cavity- Anaya
Singles
In Your City f/ Gary Hawkins
Let's Ride f/ Gary Hawkins
Cut Em' Off
No Time f/ San Quinn
Ring The Alarm
Genie f/ Chosen Few
Photos
Bio
When you think of a person a lot of swagger and person who is versatile the name Cavity should definitely come up. Cavity defines universal appeal with his west coast bay area mentality, southern look and east coast rap style. Cavity started rapping around the age of 12 under his cousin Shad Dukes.Cavity didn't take rap serious until his was around 19 when he formed the Kreative Mynd Klick with his brother Deck-One. After recording their first mixtape which received a noteworthy buzz in the streets, Cavity continued to make moves being involved in local contests and winning several and got his first radio spins. Cavity then hooked up with Sound Up Music, Tre Jones and Bo-Rizzle to form the North Bay New Breed releasing one album a DVD. Cavity's buzz continued to grow, he then hooked up with rap icons Capitol B and Ignite known as The Blaxicans where he recorded many songs for his album which was never released. Cavity took what he learned from Sound Up and The Blaxicans started his own company named Out My Momma House Ent. This is where Cavity became a beast in the local rap scene, doing tons of shows opening for some of the biggest names to hit Northern California such as E 40, Tech Nine, Yukmouth and many others. Cavity has released several projects under his imprint, Cavity really got the streets buzzing after being the local artist to win a week straight on hot 98.7 which resulted in radio spins. Cavity continues to improve his craft, and work other successful artists as San Quinn, Turf Talk, The Jacka, Jt, Beeda Weeda. Cavity is a local force with a global sound, Cavity linked up with Tre Jones for a second time to record the We Country album, and created another group called The Chosen Few with two other local rappers Slim Fats and Killa Traxz and released Goodfellas. Cavity produces, mixes and has a couple artists under his imprint. Lastly Cavity is an artist who has definitely started from the ground up to start a well respected movement.
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