Rap is artwork to admire. The words are paint the track is the canvas, says twenty-three year-old Cal. As this Brooklyn native knows, like a painter, a successful rapper needs time and training to perfect his craft. But above all, he needs passion.
In 1989, a block party was taking place in Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. Seven-year-old Cal begged two free-styling artists all afternoon to hand him the microphone. The rappers gave in. The moment Cal stepped on the stage - all eyes were on him. His performance, his ability, everyone knew Cal was something special. Ever since that moment, Cal knew rap was his calling.
Cal began battling and free-styling with other aspiring rappers, but his true passion lied with writing. As Cals rhymes became stronger, he referred to his songs as lyrically fit. He felt the same exhilaration from rapping as he did from exercising and thus, Calisthenics was born.
At age eleven he started recording under the guidance of his cousin Devon. Devon coached Calisthenics on writing and recording. Together, they made two mix tapes, The Warm Up and The Warm Up: Volume II.
As an adult, Calisthenics is picking up where Devon left off and is observing and researching the music industry. He is hands on in every step of the musical process. From writing and mixing the music to promoting and packaging of the CDs, his work ethic and dedication to music is insurmountable.
Now, Calisthenics passion is with performing events in local parks, and notable clubs and lounges in New York City such as: Pyramid, The Lab, The Remote Lounge, and Speed. Calisthenics reputation for exhilarating performances is landing him shows in Miami. He recently won the Ellisons Youth contest a series of 7 showcases that narrows down the acts until the winner is revealed in the final show.
Calisthenics is currently working on his third CD, which has a more mature sound than his last two tapes. The subjects are about relationships, family, betrayal, and motivation. But above all, the album is about truth. If its not true, its not from the heart, Calisthenics explains, I want people to feel the emotions I feel . . . motivate people [and] . . . associate a song with a moment in their lives.
