Video: Caleb James – “Eddy Curry” (Prod. Nez & Rio)

SPIN Premieres Blistering Video for Track From Upcoming The Jones 2.0 Mixtape

01.29.2014

Critical Praise for Caleb James:

The Jones chosen as Mixtape of The Week by Stereogum

“Triple-threat talent” – DJ Booth

“With production that sounds like a throwback to the late-90s pop-rap era, The Jones shows a promising tape with a sound that dips outside of the expected template.” – Complex Music

“James sounds tough over sinister, rattling production.” – The FADER

The Video:

When choosing a Chicago basketball player to celebrate in a hip-hop song, former Bulls center Eddy Curry might not be the first who comes to mind. But hey, why not? Today, SPIN premieres Caleb James‘ “Eddy Curry” video, the first single from his upcoming mixtape release, The Jones 2.0. Caleb dances in a snowy, midnight lot where a van is engulfed in flames. “It was hella cold outside,” he says, “but the track was so hot that it made it all worth while.”

Erie string swells and dark chimes in the song produced by Nez & Rio, who also have credits with Ab-Soul and Schoolboy Q, reflect the video’s wintery atmosphere. The video was directed Brandon “N2ition” Riley, who has also worked with Snoop Dogg, Rick Ross, Twista, and Gucci Mane. Caleb is a member of Chicago’s SaveMoney hip-hop crew that also includes Chance The Rapper and Vic Mensa.

Watch “Eddy Curry” here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T7irP79GrM

See the SPIN premiere: http://www.spin.com/articles/caleb-james-eddy-curry-video/

Please contact Michelle or Rory if interested in talking with Caleb James.

Caleb James Background:

It’s easy to do a little time-traveling when listening to the music of Chicago’s Caleb James. One of many buzzing artists from hip-hop’s midwest mecca, Caleb channels a sound that cleverly pays homage to rap’s heyday of the 90’s and early 2000’s. “It’s throwback shit, but it’s turn up,” Caleb says about his recently released sophomore mixtape, The Jones. It was at 16 that Caleb taught himself how to make beats, emulating his favorite artists such as R. Kelly, Jay-Z, and Cash Money. Caleb released his first mixtape, Ground Up, in 2012. The project grew organically, as Caleb began to garner a buzz as part of Chicago’s SaveMoney collective, which includes Vic Mensa and Chance The Rapper. Caleb stood out on posse cuts and live shows, and soon grew a solid following that begged him to release a formal project. Building on the foundation set by Ground Up, Caleb returned to the studio with a narrow focus and began work on The Jones. The result was a release that has been hailed by many as one of the year’s best. Caleb James has earned the respect of older hip-hop heads and young fans alike because he is able to come from an authentic space with well-executed music. While his records may include throwback themes, it is clearly to see that Caleb is not an artist that has next, but an artist that has now.