New Jersey native Cali G Season, is creating his own lane in the music industry.
His confidence allowed him to navigate between fashion and creative directing. From working with Spray Ground, Yeezy, Fubu, and many other companies, Cali G Season is mastering how to use his confidence to merge these two worlds.
After the loss of his mother right before his first performance, Cali G Season had no choice but to push through and keep going. With a large family and many siblings, giving up was not a choice. His goal is to break generational curses and influence the world to do what they want to do if the resources are available.
After two long years, Cali G Season finally released his latest project No Longer Available, on July 5th. The track list consists of 22 songs, featuring his friends and a few emerging artists. No Longer Available means not giving access to anyone that stresses you out mentally, physically, or emotionally. Not only was this album therapy for listeners, but also for Cali G.
The Knockturnal: For some people who might not know you, tell me who is Cali G Season?
Cali G Season: Well, it’s a lot going on so I’ll try to keep it simple. Cali G Season is a person that is of course a musical artist, an influencer, and a designer as well. I do a lot of styling and a lot of gigs with a lot of fashion companies. As far as me revamping brands and creative directing a lot. But with some of that influence comes the music as well. I like putting two and two together and mixing two different worlds.
The Knockturnal: It’s incredible to know that you are skilled in many different areas. Would you say having your hands in fashion, modeling, and creative directing had a strong impact on the artist you have become today?
Cali G Season: Absolutely, Absolutely. It brings a lot of confidence when you’re working in this industry. With that being said, as I’m in these industries I’m building my confidence to do other things and not be afraid to be myself and speak up on what I need to speak up on. If I want something it’s easier for me to grab now that I’m in different industries and different meetings and offices and stuff. It plays a big impact for sure.
The Knockturnal: Sometimes a tragic event in our life pushes us to go hard and accomplish something very important. After losing your mom so suddenly, what did you do to stay on track and not lose hope?
Cali G Season: That was tough. Anyone losing their mom of course it’s tough. It pushed me further because the same day she passed was the same day I had my first performance and she was always pushing me to do music stuff. It was very emotional but at the same time, I felt like the last time I seen her she gave me this look to make sure that I don’t fall in. Even though you know the grieving stage is pretty tough. Other than that it pushed me a lot because I have a lot of siblings and a lot of family. I got to be an example for them and I got to hold them down and let them know it’s still more to do. Pretty much trying to break generational curses so with that being said, that gave me a bigger push because she no longer here to babysit and help you out and sh*t like that.
The Knockturnal: In the 21st century, social media is taking over our life. It’s hard to not see something and try to copy someone or something. How are you able to differentiate yourself amongst the crowd without doing too much?
Cali G Season: I mean… It’s not in my DNA to copy and fit in. Like I’m inspired by a lot of things of course. But growing up, I would always wear what I wanted to wear and if I thought it was cool I would wear it. During grammar school people would say nah that’s weak, then during high school, people would jump on that same wave. So like creating a trend, a trend itself is you being willing to put your foot down and do what you’re doing to the point where other people see it and they want to jump on regardless. In general, whatever people see is what they do. So with that being said, the reason why there aren’t a lot of trendsetters is because they get down on themselves when they decide to do something they want to do and the first person doesn’t like it. With me, I do what I want to do regardless. So when they bring that energy out it’s also a protective force around me. People won’t come up to me and tell me what they don’t like. I mean I will allow it because I always want feedback. But at the same time, I give this energy off where I own whatever I do. So it’s not hard for me to do so. How I got that way? I don’t know but it has to do with sports too, because I played college football. But other than that I feel like I’ve been competitive my whole life.
The Knockturnal: Let’s talk about No Longer Available. How did this project come together? You spoke about this album having dark and happy moments. Would you record different tracks depending on your mood to create this effect?
Cali G Season: Absolutely. So the whole thing about No Longer Available the name itself is literally being No Longer Available to anything that emotionally stresses you out, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Anything holding you back. It is to take that step to go through these emotions. Almost like therapy. To get through therapy you have to talk about it and get through those emotions and talk about it. The album was full of emotion because I went on a whole year’s hiatuses without dropping anything just to get my sound perfected. Then there was a point in time where I had all the right people around me. Then I had all the money I needed. Sometimes people don’t want to do things because the money is holding them back. But in that case, I had enough money to book the studio out every day. Everyone on that project is all my homies, my homeboys from the producers straight to artists. It also got them out of trouble and got them situated and focused. My mission statement is to influence the world to do what they want to do. So if I have the power and resources I’m going to do that. But yeah all my emotions came, all the things you go through. It really came from us going through our experiences and putting it on paper and not worrying about the things that stop us from doing so. Having fun with it as well.
The Knockturnal: How important would you say it is to have a solid team?
Cali G Season: It’s very important. I feel like in general you can’t do anything by yourself. You can, if you were brought up like that. But as far as the majority of the world, especially when you’re doing business, you can’t do everything yourself. You always needed someone to depend on to do something. Especially if you want to be very serious about it. It’s very important. Especially if you want to get to that next level with seriousness, it’s impossible to do anything without a team. You need a manager, a PR, you need a producer, you just need your connections with everyone. It’s very important.
The Knockturnal: What track of the album was your favorite and why? Did you have any difficulties creating any track?
Cali G Season: Nah. I mean the beginning of the album was hard to do because I had to get out of my own head to do what I envisioned. Sometimes when you don’t have enough practice into it, you’re going to get in over your head. So the hardest part about the tracks was just me getting confident enough to be who I am on a regular basis in this booth. But my favorite track on the Album.. IDK.. The Hill because it’s about where I’m from. You know, Jersey City, and I’m talking about a lot of things we go through in a subtle and chill way that’s also fun to listen to. I don’t think anything was really hard because once I got into it, it started being very very fun. Like I made the hill in 20 mins and that was my single leading into the album. Like at the last twenty mins of the session just me saying fuck it Imma do this. But hmm.. It’s a lot of tracks that got a lot of attention in the first month, so it’s very hard to pick. But I would say The Hill and Brand New because Brand New is cool, it’s a different vibe, mad chill. The only difficulty I had was getting comfortable enough to do a certain sound. If you listen to the album it has so many different sounds. But I also felt like I could do it. Once you get in the booth you have to get out your head, and you have to project your voice a certain way just so it can sound a certain way. Getting in my bag and not thinking about anything. Projecting or pitching my voice a certain way so I can reach the sound that I was trying to produce. That’s the only difficulty I had. But after that, it was game on.
The Knockturnal: Do freestyle or write your lyrics?
Cali G Season: I write A LOT. But if I’m in the right mood, and we’re not thinking about timing. The majority of the time when I go to the studio, I don’t have much difficulty. Before I even go to the studio, I like to have a lot of things written and structured. So when I get in there, I can knock songs out and focus on the mixing process entirely. But yeah, I freestyle when I’m in a good mood. If I’m feeling wavy enough and I ain’t thinking about shit but just doing what I’m doing, then I can do anything. But everyone has that mental block. But when I don’t have a mental block, I’m going to freestyle. But rather structure a song because I love structure. But compared to the other albums, it’s a big both. The biggest thing was keeping it detail structured and felt. That was the biggest thing with this.
The Knockturnal: You worked with Spray Ground, Fubu, Urban Outfitters, Yeezy and many more. Talk to me about these experiences. What was your favorite moment?
Cali G Season: I think my favorite moment, no definitely, was working with SprayGround. When I went to Hawaii for the first time, they also helped me with my first tour. But just like branding for real. But from Toronto down to Miami, 7 cities down and it was in collaboration with the NBA. So we got to be in stadiums and sh*t by ourselves, just me and my boy, and our cameraman. It was all paid for and all love. But, that had to be one of my best times because it’s so much traveling. But it’s so many experiences that you didn’t think you were going to get at that moment. Especially since I was in a super grievous state, so like everything to open my eyes to let me know there’s so much more to do and so many places to go. There are so many connections and sources to make.
The Knockturnal: If you had the opportunity to only feature one person on your next album who would it be?
Cali G Season: Hmmm, very tough. I got to say my boy, Von. My boy Von is talented as hell, he’s young, and has a bunch of growth ahead of him. He is only going to get greater and greater. Everyone on the album is the same thing But, he has a sound that you can’t get away from. So definitely my boy Von.
The Knockturnal: Where do you see yourself in the next ten years?
Cali G Season: I know for sure I’m going to have my own record label. I know for sure that I’m going to have a showroom. My brand is going to have a storefront as far as No Longer Available. The album is No Longer Available, but I have a brand launching soon this fall No Longer Available, worldwide. It’s going to be a big movement, I see in the next ten years I’m going to be the leader of the free. I’m literally just influencing and motivating people to do the right thing and get on their shit. Don’t hesitate and be yourself at all times. Speak about it.
The Knockturnal: Are there any upcoming projects we can look forward to seeing you a part of this year?
Cali G Season: I’m working on a deluxe version right now as we speak. I’m actually going to go to the studio right after this. I’m going to have four bonus tracks. Let me just say this. It’s going to be fire, it’s going to be different. It’s going to be like a movie. I also plan on doing short films with the songs. I kinda want to create a whole movie based on how I felt as I was making these songs so everyone can get a bigger picture of it. I also have a group project with one of my friends to make an EP, but that’s coming later. But right now I’m focusing on the deluxe and short films.
