Industry Certified - Volume 10 - Issue 2
The Limitless Lyricism of Killa Cal Da Animal
By Lydia Plantamura
“Keeping It Live, Lyrically, Always.”
This is a phrase that lingers at the center of music by Calvin “K.I.L.L.A. Cal” Henry. Also known as Killa Cal Da Animal, he is contributing to the unique culture and sound coming out of Washington D.C.
In the capital city, go-go is everywhere. A high-energy big-band style of music, it’s played at parties, backyard cookouts, and on local radio stations. Originating from the DMV area of D.C., Maryland, and Virginia, Calvin “Killa Cal” Henry grew up watching MTV Raps on television and hearing his family play go-go music in their community. Surrounded by go-go and obsessed with hip-hop, Killa Cal absorbed these styles, and their influence is easy to hear in his own original music.
When he was young, Killa Cal played the saxophone, but as he matured into a teenager, he switched the focus to sports through high school. In college, Killa Cal stepped back in stride with music, and this time embraced it as more than just a hobby. Attending Hampton University in Virginia, he took the stage, performing for a local community already familiar with the regional style of go-go. In the band, Killa Cal filled the role of rapper, gaining valuable experience with live shows and developing a strong stage presence through practice. He gradually honed his craft, paying considerable attention to the lyrics he wrote.
Around 2004, things started getting serious with his music. Go-go was bringing in the money, but fans kept asking Killa Cal for more recorded tracks. Within a couple of years, he had moved back home and joined an even bigger band. On weekends, he was off meeting with labels and industry executives. Although they liked Killa Cal’s style in hip-hop, they couldn’t understand the go-go side. The labels were reluctant to invest, worried that go-go would overshadow the rap. Killa Cal saw that the executives were scared. They just couldn’t see his vision.
In 2007 things started to change. With growing communities on Myspace and the brand-new platform, Facebook, independent artists were suddenly able to build a worldwide audience and get notoriety on their own. Previously limited to audiences in your local scene, suddenly music was being shared with listeners everywhere and anywhere with a solid internet connection. The game changed. Killa Cal seized the opportunity to maintain creative control on his work and continued creating independently, turning down financial opportunities to remain true to his unique style. He gained more promotions and landed interviews with magazines. Publications like Hip Hop Weekly, The Source, and XXL ran articles proving Killa Cal was not solely focused on the go-go alone but was also serious about the rap side of his work.
Killa Cal took his career to new heights by joining the group, Rare Essence, in 2012. The highly acclaimed band was formed in 1976 and became a major influence on the emerging style of go-go. Sometimes playing six or seven nights a week, Rare Essence stays busy. With a focus on instrumentation and high-energy performance, go-go thrives in the live space. Tourists and visitors to D.C. are eager to seek out this iconic sound. Go-go incorporates audience participation through call and response. Once the go-go band gets moving, they don’t stop. Upbeat and rhythmic, the group might slow down for a percussion break between songs, but they rarely ever stop. The music just goes. Go-go goes.
This approach, while growing in popularity in the mid-1970s, was made popular by Chuck Brown, “the Godfather of Go-Go.” Rare Essence made a major contribution to the movement as well, by utilizing junior Congo drums in their work, which quickly became a standard in go-go instruments. Playing mostly originals and occasionally covers of popular hits, Rare Essence has a nice mixture to offer audiences in each set. Every performance is different, and the band follows the vibe of the crowd. Reading the energy of a room, the group is led by a “talker,” who calls the songs, ensuring the audience gets what they want. Go-go is centralized in the live experience. There is more to it than can be captured in audio recordings and first-time attendees are often blown away by the high-energy performances.
As a band that has been around for over 40 years, Rare Essence has had the opportunity to work with many big names in music and performed at huge events. They have top-charting hits, movie soundtrack songs, and appeared on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert. They’ve released tracks with artists like CeeLo Green, Snoop Dogg, and Doug E. Fresh. Working with them has been a huge highlight for Killa Cal, and he is deeply passionate about both genres of rap and go-go. Killa Cal is determined to make both styles happen for him, finding a balance between the two forms of music…
…Looking back on his career, Killa Cal remembers opportunities for deals he passed up. He watched as other artists took the offers, sacrificing a part of their creative vision for a leg-up in the industry. Killa Cal recognizes that he could have sold out too. He could have done a lot to draw more attention to himself. Instead, Killa Cal chose to be true to himself and do it on his own terms.
“Believe in yourself,” Killa Cal says. “Whatever it is. Anything you’re doing in life, just believe in yourself. It feels better when you get those victories. It’s not always easy to follow this advice, it’s a struggle, but it is worth the effort.”
Inspiration comes to Killa Cal in the small moments of everyday life. He puts words together based on energy and emotion. Music for him is kind of like go-go, it’s something you can feel.
Learn more at www.killacaltheanimal.com
IG @Kill_Switch
Twitter @Killa_Cal
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