Berkeley-based talent Caleborate has been earning his stripes in the Bay Area and beyond over the last few years. His 2015 release Hella Good offered a clearer picture of his skill set and unique perspective. On Sunday, the 23-year-old rapper shares the proper follow-up to Hella Good with an early stream of 1993.
At 14 tracks in length, the album features a modest guest list—Pell, Sylvan LaCue, and his brother Cash Campain show up, among others—which allows Caleborate ample space to tell his story over melodically-pleasing backdrops. Opener "Gemini's Revenge" sets the tone, while "Game Over" kicks it up a notch as Caleborate delivers his rhymes with the confidence of a vet.
He's also not afraid to boast, as evidenced on "August 28th": "I got a song with G-Eazy off the strength I didn't pay for it/No one tapped me in, I worked hard like everyday for it."
"1993 is my birth year and I personally think that the stretch between '90 and '95 was a pretty special time to be born in because we got to experience life pre-cell phone, but we came of age when technology became an inseparable part of everyone’s everyday lives," Caleborate told Complex via email. "The music on 1993 is reflective of the kind of music and the TV shows I watched growing up."
"I distinctly remember the blending of the two worlds—I was watching Family Matters on TV, but also Buzzfeed videos on my phone," he added. "The lyrical content is reflective of where I am in my life as a young adult. I’m talking about stuff that other 22 and 23-year-old people are going through."
Stream 1993 below and pre-order the project on iTunes. It will be available for purchase Aug. 29. If you're in the San Francisco area today Caleborate will be holding a meet and greet for fans. Also make sure to RVSP for his 1993 album listening event this evening.
