Calboy
{{short description|American rapper (born 1999)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Calboy
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|4|3}}
| years_active = 2014–present
| occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|singer|songwriter}}
| origin = Calumet City, Illinois, U.S.
| genre = {{flatlist|
- Hip hop
- drillGrant Rindner [https://www.complex.com/pigeons-and-planes/2019/06/calboy-interview-wildboy "Calboy is Bringing Melody and Authenticity to Chicago’s New Wave of Rap"], Complex Networks, Calboy is part of an ascendant generation of Chicago rappers like Polo G and Lil Zay Osama who blend the street stories of the drill scene with the more refined song crafting abilities of artists like Chance the Rapper and Joey Purp.{{cite web|title=The top 10 Chicago drill rappers you should listen to in 2021 |url=https://www.tuko.co.ke/416476-the-top-10-chicago-drill-rappers-listen-2021.html|website=Tuko|access-date=July 22, 2023|date=November 28, 2022}}
}}
| alias = 147Calboy
| birth_name = Calvin Lashon Woods
| image = Calboy May 2018.png
| landscape = no
| caption = Calboy in May 2018
| label = {{flatlist|
| associated_acts = {{flatlist|
}}
}}
Calvin Lashon Woods (born April 3, 1999), better known by his stage name Calboy ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|k|æ|l|b|ɔɪ|}}), is an American rapper from Calumet City, Illinois. He is best known for his 2018 single "Envy Me", which received quintuple platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100. Its success led him to sign with Polo Grounds Music, an imprint of RCA Records, who issued the song as lead single for his debut extended play (EP), Wildboy (2019). The EP peaked at number 30 on the Billboard 200, while his second, Love Live the Kings (2020), lukewarmly entered the chart.{{cite magazine |title=Polo Grounds Music Extends Partnership with RCA Records, Announces New Signees Calboy and Jay Gwuapo |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/polo-grounds-music-rca-records-calboy-jay-gwuapo-8505071/ |magazine=Billboard}}
Early life
On April 3, 1999, Calvin Lashon Woods was born on the South Side of Chicago; he later relocated to Calumet City, Illinois.{{Cite web|url=https://genius.com/a/who-is-calboy|title=In Search Of: Here's Why People Are Looking Up JENNIE, CalBoy, & Jackson Wang|website=Genius|access-date=February 10, 2019}} Woods turned to music to channel the frustrations of growing up below the poverty line. He is one of five children raised by a single mother.
Woods witnessed two of his best friends die, one of a drug overdose and the other to gun violence. His family migrated between small homes to small apartments.{{Cite web|url=https://genius.com/artists/Calboy|title=CalBoy|website=Genius|access-date=February 8, 2019}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/8500157/chartbreaker-calboy-envy-me-interview|title=Chartbreaker: Calboy on His Chicago Rap Roots and Avoiding 'The Sunken Place'|magazine=Billboard|access-date=July 5, 2019}} His cousin is late rapper King Von.{{Cite web |last=Todd |first=Jessica |date=May 2, 2022 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Calboy on Being King Von's Cousin, Planned on Meeting Up with Him the Night He Died |url=https://www.vladtv.com/article/282763/calboy-on-being-king-vons-cousin-planned-on-meeting-up-with-him-the |access-date=September 10, 2023 |website=www.vladtv.com |language=}}
Career
= 2016–2017: Career beginnings =
On July 7, 2017, Calboy released his debut mixtape, The Chosen One.{{Citation|last=Mixtapez|first=My|title=Mixtape of The Chosen One by Calboy|date=July 7, 2017 |url=https://mymixtapez.com/album/133358|language=en|access-date=July 2, 2019}} Later that year, Calboy released his second mixtape, Anxiety, on December 7, 2017.{{Citation|last=Mixtapez|first=My|title=Mixtape of Anxiety (hosted by DJ Pharris) by Calboy|date=December 8, 2017 |url=https://mymixtapez.com/album/154093|language=en|access-date=July 2, 2019}}
= 2018–2021: Numerous mixtapes, EPs and RCA Records =
On June 18, 2018, Woods released his third mixtape, Calboy, the Wildboy. A single off the project was titled, "Unjudge Me", which featured Moneybagg Yo.
He released his single "Envy Me" on September 13, 2018, to critical acclaim. It later served as the lead single for his debut EP Wildboy, released on May 31, 2019. "Envy Me" peaked at number 31 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified quintuple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).{{Cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/|title=Gold & Platinum|website=RIAA|language=en-US|access-date=August 11, 2019}} With the single's success came the signage of Calboy to Polo Grounds Music, distributed by RCA Records. At the time, the label had already ended their partnership with ASAP Rocky following the May release of his third album, Testing.{{Citation needed|date=February 2023}} It was also rumored that Calboy also signed a management deal with Meek Mill's label, Dream Chasers, but he hinted that he left the label in 2021 after a financial disagreement.{{Cite web |date=2022-04-25 |title=Calboy Blames Meek Mill For Him Firing Dream Chasers Management |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.69801/title.calboy-blames-meek-mill-firing-dream-chasers-management |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=HipHopDX |language=en}}
The Wildboy EP was followed by another EP, Long Live The Kings, released in March 2020, with the latter receiving a deluxe version the following July, including 6 new tracks. On August 11, Calboy was included on XXL{{'}}s 2020 Freshman Class.{{cite web|url=https://www.xxlmag.com/xxl-2020-freshman-class-revealed/|title=XXL 2020 FRESHMAN CLASS REVEALED|work=XXL|last=Cline|first=Georgette|date=August 11, 2020|accessdate=August 11, 2020}}
On March 22, 2021, "Miseducation" featuring fellow rapper Lil Wayne was released as the lead single from Calboy's debut album, Redemption, supposed to be released the same year, but was postponed. Swae Lee was also set to make an appearance on the album. Calboy claimed that the album was completed.{{Cite web|last=Calboy|date=March 28, 2021|title=#AlbumComplete1stAlbumAMasterpiece|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CM_A8SxHCQ4/?igshid=yli6wqdblujh|website=Instagram}}
As recent as February 2022, Calboy publicly disclosed his frustrations with Polo Grounds and RCA Records, believing he was being treated like a "label slave".{{Cite web |last=Kyles (@HUEYmixwitRILEY) |first=Yohance |date=2022-03-18 |title=Calboy Blasts RCA Records & Polo Grounds Music: I Ain't No Slave |url=https://allhiphop.com/news/calboy-blasts-rca-records-polo-grounds-music-i-aint-no-slave/ |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=AllHipHop |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2022-03-18 |title=Calboy Airs Out His Label For Treating Him Like A 'Slave' |url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.68871/title.calboy-blasts-labels-polo-grounds-rca-on-instagram |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=HipHopDX |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Calboy on Beef with RCA: These People Don't Feel They're Wrong if It's in Black & White (Part 12) {{!}} Ghostarchive |url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/eiqEv4bRK9I |access-date=2023-02-03 |website=ghostarchive.org}}
= 2022–Present =
Calboy has released two albums in this period, the 2022 release "Black Heart" and 2023's "UNCHAINED".{{Cite web|url=https://open.spotify.com/artist/0HkcYmcjrBR3SCw9Ld5VZk?si=GbdCItZAS7-WCXOW8nIUpA|title=Calboy, Spotify|website=Spotify |date=December 4, 2023}}
Artistry
= Influences =
Woods has cited his influences as Tupac Shakur, Michael Jackson, Sherwood, Fuel, Chance the Rapper, The Starting Line, Chief Keef, New Found Glory, G Herbo, The All American Rejects, and 50 Cent.{{Cite web|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2019/01/calboy-the-break-interview/|title=The Break Presents: Calboy – XXL|last=III|first=Robby Seabrook|website=XXL Mag|date=January 23, 2019 |access-date=February 10, 2019}}
Woods' rap moniker comes from combining his government name Calvin and the character Cowboy from the 1979 cult film The Warriors.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/7-SWoVZ094M Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200104172350/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-SWoVZ094M Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite AV media| url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7-SWoVZ094M| title = Calboy on Choosing His Name: "Cowboy" Sounded Gay Like 'Brokeback Mountain' (Part 3) | website=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}
Discography
= Mixtapes =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|+List of mixtapes, with selected details ! scope="col" style="width:16em;"| Title ! scope="col" style="width:16em;"| Details |
| scope="row"| The Chosen One
|
|
|---|
| scope="row"| Anxiety
|
|
| scope="row"| Calboy, the Wildboy
|
|
= Extended plays =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ List of EPs with selected details ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:10em"| Title ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:20em"| Details ! colspan="4" scope="col" | Peak chart positions ! rowspan="2" |Sales ! rowspan="2" scope="col" style="width:10em;"| Certifications |
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"| US {{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/calboy/chart-history/tlp/|title=Calboy Chart History: Billboard 200|magazine=Billboard|access-date=August 24, 2021}} ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"|US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"|US ! scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:90%;"|CAN |
|---|
| scope="row"| Wildboy
|
| 30 |18 |16 |62 |
| |
| scope="row"| Long Live The Kings
|
| 136 |— |— |— | | |
| scope="row"| Black Heart{{Cite web|url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/black-heart/1642579999|title=Calboy - Black Heart |publisher=Apple Music |accessdate= September 9, 2022}}
|
|— |— |— |— | | |
| colspan="8" style="font-size:90%" | "—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory. |
= Singles =
= Guest appearances =
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| Title
!Year !Other artist(s) !Album |
|---|
| scope="row"| "Get a Bag"
| rowspan="2"| 2019 |
| scope="row"| "100k On a Coupe"
| {{n/a}} |
| scope="row"| "Diana (Remix)"
| rowspan="2"| 2020 | Pop Smoke, King Combs | Shoot for the Stars, Aim for the Moon (Deluxe) |
| scope="row"| "Thug Kry" |
| scope="row"| "Why?"
| rowspan="1"| 2024 | Houdini | HOU I'M MEANT TO BE |
Tours
= Headlining =
= Supporting act =
- Dying to Live Tour {{small|(Kodak Black)}} (2019){{Cite web|url=https://www.livenationentertainment.com/2019/02/kodak-black-announces-the-dying-to-live-tour/|title=Kodak Black Announces 'The Dying To Live Tour'|date=February 12, 2019|website=Live Nation Entertainment|access-date=February 20, 2019}}
- I Am > I Was Tour {{small|(21 Savage)}} (2019){{Cite web|url=https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/21-savage-announces-i-am-i-was-tour-dates-with-young-nudy-and-calboy-news.84877.html|title=21 Savage Announces "I Am > I Was" Tour Dates With Young Nudy & Calboy|website=HotNewHipHop|date=July 4, 2019 |access-date=July 12, 2019}}
Notes
{{notelist-ua}}
References
{{reflist}}
Category:21st-century American male musicians
Category:People from Calumet City, Illinois
Category:Songwriters from Illinois
Category:African-American songwriters
Category:21st-century African-American musicians
Category:Dream Chasers Records artists