By Mari General
19 Oct, 2019
Friday night, openers Southpaw Swade, Jayaire Woods, and headliner Caleborate graced the stage of Reggie’s Rock Club.
Southpaw Swade warmed the crowd up with his jarring lyrics. Originally from Florida, Southpaw Swade has found his home here in the Chicago area for the past three years. His energy was robust and he spit enthusiastically.
When Jayaire Woods came onto the stage, the crowd was very responsive. We later learned he had family and friends in the crowd there for him. Although I did not know of Jayarie Woods prior to the show, his clever lyrics and look reminded me of younger DaBaby. At one point in the show, Caleborate pulled Woods out to do their joint new single “Long Time.” Caleborate encouraged Jayaire Woods to do it a capella, and both their beautiful voices filled the room.
At the end of Caleborate’s performance, I was frustrated because I wanted to hear more. Hailing from the Bay, his songs are fabricated with smooth West Coast vibes. His song “33” captures the cool and relaxed tone of California. Caleborate is talented at fluctuating his voice and rhymes to keep the listener engaged. His punchlines, such as, “I’m tryna put my nephew in a Benz before I’m 33,” are consistently well delivered. He is one of the most talented lyricists I have ever heard from the Bay. Some of my favorite lines by him are, “I may as well be Messi cause I got so many goals,” and “Fuck Donald Trump. I don’t care, he’s not my president, nigga, I ain’t scared of shit.” He is unapologetic and carefree in his messages. He is able to mix the perfect amount of reality and struggle with joy and lightheartedness. A master storyteller is what he is.
His performance was impeccable. He enunciated, was on beat with the music, and never missed a line. At some points, he blessed us with a capella and new music. Most importantly, he owned the stage. When “Bankrobber” came on, he threw his clothes off and closed the show off with grandiose energy. The whole crowd was bumping to his music.
It is an utter shame that Caleborate is not more widely known. His lyrics are so real and pure that anyone can relate. I see Caleborate as a hip hop artist that is and will save the rap game. With his stories, great punchlines and rhymes, I can’t wait to see Caleborate rise to the top.
He performed a range of his songs from “Consequences” to “Away From” and the crowd favorite, “Bankrobber.”