CGB

2016 has brought together an eclectic community of artists on the West Coast who have collectively embraced a new age of music where you no longer need to fit within the confines of a single genre. Vancouver-based emcee CGB recently dropped his newest project, Limitless Progression 2 which serves as a great example for how aspiring artists should aim to combine the best sounds from multiple genres. While still remaining true to his identifiable hip-hop roots, the hidden synths, electronic beats, and heavy bars give the project a unique musical perspective that has yet to be replicated.

This is the second project from the emcee, and the album is a focused construct which elevate his empathetic and thoughtful bars with a deserving spotlight. What stands out the most, at first listen, is his authentic correspondence with his listeners and the overall honesty that shines through the 8 tracks of various subject matters. Check out my conversation with CGB below, where we talk about LP2, his growth during 2016, and overall artistic motivations.


We talked to Vancouver emcee CGB about the release of his new project, Limitless Progression 2 - HipHopCanada.com

Q&A: CGB
HipHopCanada: This is the first time that our audience gets to hear your perspective firsthand, so thanks for speaking with us. Can you break down the concept of this album for us, an your approach to this project?

CGB: Much love, ya’ll support me like family so it’s only right this finally happened. Limitless Progression 2 is the sequel to my debut project which I released in 2013. If I had to break down a sound I would say it’s a combination of 808’s and Heartbreak and Rodeo sprinkled with inspiration from Man on the Moon. Making it was kind of a platform for me to step out of my comfort zone and express what I’ve been going through with relationships and life after my last project, Homegrown.

HipHopCanada: What are some things that you hope will stand out to your fans throughout the 8 tracks?

CGB: My ability to tell stories. I think of it as a book with the chapters on shuffle, there’s a specific message I’m speaking on throughout the tape but I’m trying to tell it in a way that you’ll only catch if you’re paying attention. I’m speaking on a lot of serious topics but I’m also having fun with it and enjoying what I’m doing, so hopefully the authenticity of everything stands out the most. This project does that the best out of my discography.

HipHopCanada: What’s your writing process like, and how did this album come together?

CGB: When I write, I need to be alone in the dark stoned and it needs to be like 2am haha. Very cliché answer for an artist but I think most creatives tend to shine a lil bit more at nighttime. Tino, my engineer, and I only had night shifts for the whole project. We were in the studio before midnight like, twice, and we never left before 5am. It was made at nighttime, for nighttime, you feel me? This is literally a product of insomnia. Tino has been my dude since I was 13-14 years old and when I came back to Ottawa we were kicking it and he ended up helping out way more then we both originally planned. This entire project wouldn’t be what it is without his touch. He mixed, mastered, and engineered every single song on it.

HipHopCanada: How did some of the links for the features come about, and how did you decide which artists you wanted to work with?

CGB: On my first project, I only featured people within my circle of friends. I didn’t wanna get somebody random on it and the way that project was made was the same way this one was, it was friends kicking it everyday and night, making shit we wanted to make. It was completely organic and not a business thing. It was also like, why stress and wait to get a random dude to send me his verse when I’m in a room full of talented homies that can do it on the spot?

Tino works with Bromar and he’s the only person on the project that I didn’t personally know before we worked, but now he’s my G. Nuri Hazzard is fam from Brooklyn, I featured him on the song ‘Nocturnal’ on my second mixtape THINK and the chemistry on that joint was crazy, so it was only right to work with him again. Gonzo was first featured on LP as Infamous on the song ‘Acid Rain’ but he switched his alius and he’s been working his own dope project so I wanted to give him a platform to show the listeners what they can look forward to. And all music aside, he really is my boy, he’s been one of my best friends since elementary.

We talked to Vancouver emcee CGB about the release of his new project, Limitless Progression 2 - HipHopCanada.com

HipHopCanada: I personally love your bars on “Broken Mirror” featuring Gonzo. It sounds like a really personal track, and you touch on some intimate topics. What does that song mean to you?

CGB: It’s a heavy one. When I wrote my verse I was feeling so mentally weak and I was doubting if all the hardwork was gonna payoff. Depression gives you ups and downs and you never really know which one you’re gonna get on any given day. Gonzo and I are no strangers to what happens in each others personal lives and as you can tell by the lyrics, we’ve both had our problems with drug abuse and relationships. We both proudly been clean for a minute and it feels good.

HipHopCanada: You’ve been releasing a lot of high quality material throughout this last half of 2016. How did you keep your focus working towards this album, and how do you stay motivated creatively as well?

CGB: Thank you, I really appreciate that. I’ve honestly been going day by day and trying not to stress myself out too much with everything.. I really have been studying a lot of artists lives and where they were before, where they are now, how they got there, etc.. Travis Scott and Bryson Tiller who are only a year or two older than me and they’re setting themselves and their families up financially for the rest of their lives. I imagine that every time I close my eyes. I want to work so hard that my mom never has to work another day in her life so she’s probably my biggest creative motivation.

HipHopCanada: What was the most fulfilling track for you to create on this album, and why?

CGB: Damn, that’s a good question. They’re all hella meaningful but I’d have to say Payoff. Like I was saying earlier, I want to work so hard that my mom never has to work again. Payoff is the realest to me because I’m genuinely speaking from my heart, and I’m not necessarily saying “fuck this, I want the money” I really just want everything I’m doing to payoff because I’m working so damn hard. You can hear the passion from me in this song and that’s why it’s my favourite. I don’t take many days off and I’m willing to keep doing that until everything my family needs gets manifested.

We talked to Vancouver emcee CGB about the release of his new project, Limitless Progression 2 - HipHopCanada.com

HipHopCanada: What is something that your fans would be interested to know about this project, or you as an artist, that might not be visible at face value?

CGB: I’m a very hardworking person if I have my mind set to something, and one thing people can’t say is I have bad work ethic. I was always picked on in school and never had the best grades so I was pretty much made to feel different my entire life. I never had a sport I was good at or a talent like most kids so I spent the first 16 years of my life hella confused at what I wanted to do and because of this, I’m hella introverted and I rarely leave my house if it doesn’t involve music or family.

HipHopCanada: Compared to the Homegrown EP, how do you feel like you’ve progressed as an artist with the final release of this album?

CGB: I think Homegrown was me trying to sell myself as this artist nobody knew yet, and LP2 is me finally having fun and releasing the exact type of music I want. Since the Mick Jenkins track, my fan base has grew a lot and I think that’s personally helping with my progression more than anything. Talking to kids in South Africa and California about how I inspire them inspires me because now I know that I’m speaking to people. Before I was just talking and waiting to be heard.

HipHopCanada: This project has a variety of influences on it. How do you identify in terms of your style as an emcee within the genre, and which sounds are you the most drawn to?

CGB: For this project I really wanted to do something new and switch my style up completely to catch people off guard. I’ve never really used autotune before but it’s hella fun to play around with if its used proper. I never want to box myself in as an artist because I like to think I’m versatile when it comes to my sense of style in anything, I’m really just in love with the culture. I’m always gonna be updating my sound, the style and beats and lyrics may change but there will always be a message involved. Shouts to Guru.

HipHopCanada: What can we expect to see from you in the near future?

CGB: You’ll be hearing my name a lot more. There’s a few surprises that should be announced pretty early on into the year so I want ya’ll to wait and see. Every rapper is saying 2017 is their year but very few are planning to put the work in to make sure it happens. I’m going to be one of those very few, trust.

Interview conducted by Kira Hunston for HipHopCanada - HipHopCanada

Vancouver, BC – They say that you can get the most accurate perspectives of an overall society by looking at it’s music, and rap has proven to consistently be the most successful means of increasing overall understanding. Ottawa/Vancouver emcee, CGB recently reached out to us about premiering his newest track “Drugs” that specifically speaks on a subject that is prevalent and sits close to home for many in our society.

Besides bringing a variety of intellectual bars, CGB was able to elaborate on this track and explain:

“With over 400 opioid related deaths in the first half of the year alone, it gets hard to not worry about the outcome of our loved ones who are struggling with drug addiction. These feelings are much stronger for those in British Colombia, the home to some of the worst illicit drug use in North America. With numbers rising higher and higher, more and more incidents in Vancouver over the past few months are being linked to the deadly drug fentanyl. This past April, BC’s chief health officer declared a public health emergency.”

“My first verse talks about the perspective of how I see my friends that are doing/selling drugs, wondering when it started and wishing that they would stop before their lives get cut short. In my second verse, I’m speaking about my own troubles with selling drugs and addiction itself. I have experienced that life. I’ve lost many good friends to it. I understand how hard it is to get out. You can’t judge someone because they sin differently than you do. That’s why at the same time, the hook is saying ‘All my homies do drugs up now / but I’m not one to judge how / another committing they sins now / ’cause I got my own sins now’.

If you are suffering from drug addiction, please learn about naloxone. If you are a regular user of opioids, you may be eligible for a prescription from your doctor for naloxone which can be used as an antidote in the case of an overdose of fentanyl, heroin, or any other opiate. If you are in the Vancouver area, especially the Downtown Eastside, please considering going to InSite where there are medical personnel on-site to provide help if needed.

Fentanyl is a synthetic narcotic that is 50-100 times more toxic than other opioids and is appearing in nearly every drug in the Vancouver area. The drug is impossible to detect as it is odourless, colourless and tasteless. It’s primarily used to boost the potency of other drugs and is often sold as heroin, oxycontin, cocaine and MDMA.” - HipHopCanada

Vancouver, BC – CGB is one of the few versatile emcees who reps for both sides of Canada as a Vancity transplant who originally came out of Ottawa. After working on music in Vancouver for 2 years, he recently made the trek back to his hometown to work with longtime friends and collaborators Red Couch Boyz on his most recent release, “Blessings”. This new track is the first official release following his debut EP Homegrown and features electronic influenced production by Mantra.

With obvious electronic influences which are similar to those of Flume, the dance track features an electronic backdrop with quick and witty wordplay from the rapper. The song features an atmospheric beat that is independently enticing (props to Mantra for tackling electronic properly), and CGB weaves catchy bars to create a track that will easily have you vibing. His voice is smooth on this number, and the overall track is even smoother.

On Homegrown he showcases classic 808s and boom-box rap, but “Blessings” takes him into un-ventured territory. It’s a new sound for the MC that impressively proves that you can take good rap almost anywhere (genres included). With new material dropping in the near future, we’re looking forward to seeing what he does next. - HipHopCanada

Mick Jenkins‘ 2015 established him as one of the rising stars in hip-hop as his standout Wave[s] project led to a cross-country tour that included a packed out New York City show. Jenkins’ 2016 has started off a little more slowly, but with the season’s changing and the cold winter months in the rearview, the Windy City native appears to be ready to get back to work.

For his latest output, the talented artist heads north of the border to join CGB on the hard-hitting “Test Me.” Though his flow and delivery are laid-back, there’s a sinister element to Mick’s verse as he dares opposing MC’s to test his patience. Instead of laying down the threat as a dare, the The Water[s] rapper welcomes anyone to step to him–either on the mic or in the streets.

XXL caught up with Jenkins in 2015 and the rapper explained why he didn’t make Wave[s] a couple tracks longer and release it as his debut album.

“[Cinematic boss Jonny] Shipes was like, ‘Why don’t you just put a couple more songs on this and call it an album?’ And I was like, nah. ‘Cause for me, personally, the word album just says a lot about your intent when creating,” he explained. “I couldn’t dare call this EP an album just because my intention behind it when I was in the studio and when I was creating was not to make an album, it was to do this EP real quick so that I can have time to make an album. So I feel like it’ll just be, for me, the difference is the effort and the energy and the thought and everything I put into it is just expressly different and on a higher level, just because of the word ‘album.'”

Peep “Test Me” and be on the look out for more from Mick Jenkins soon. - XXL

With his debut Homegrown album under his belt, Canada-bred CGB remains on edge with the momentum and continued celebration(s). In a standout collaboration, produced by GodSoul, the prominent rhymer nabbed The Waters emcee Mick Jenkins for an insightful number. The truth encompasses the all; listen to Jenkins and CGB go back and forth with bars that offer some inclined confirmation of purpose. Listen above. - HipHopDX

Mick Jenkins links up with Vancouver-based rapper CBG on "Test Me."
21-year-old Canadian rapper CGB will release his debut EP Homegrown tonight at midnight. He was born in Ottawa and currently resides in Vancouver. "Test Me," the lead single from the project, features the talents of well-regarded Chicago emcee Mick Jenkins and serves as CGB's introduction on HNHH.

Produced by GoldSoul, "Test Me" features a slow, lilting beat that sort of sounds what it feels like to be drunk and by yourself at 2 AM. CGB and Jenkins tap into that vibe to some extent... let us know what you think of young CGB in the comments.

Quotable Lyrics

I'm calm in confession to the preacher in the pulpit
Test me, I pray everyday that the lord bless me
So come test me, please test my patience
Test my patience - HotNewHipHop

Vancouver, BC – Vancouver artist (by way of Ottawa) CGB recently teamed up with Mick Jenkins and producer GoldSoul for this track titled “Test Me” off CGB’s upcoming Homegrown EP (due out on April 19).

Mick Jenkins was one of my favourite guys on the come-up in 2015, so I always get super stoked to see him working with Canadian artists. We’ve seen him link with Kaytranada, High Klassified and Da-P out in Montreal. And now he hits the West Coast to body his first verse and hook on this collabo with CGB.

The two MCs take on this faded GoldSoul trap banger beat; daring their fellow rappers to test them: “I’m calm in confession to the preacher in the pulpit/ Test me, I pray everyday that the lord bless me/ So come test me, please test my patience/ Test my patience.”

It’s a much more lyrical interpretation of “come at me, bruh.” Except it comes across as so nonchalant because Mick and CGB are just kind slurring out their lines over this GoldSoul beat. It’s a low-key hungry banger. It’s a passive aggressive middle finger flipped at the industry and all the guys in it who are always fronting.

I also took a quick peep at CGB’s Bandcamp and even though most of the EP isn’t available for listening JUST YET, the material he does have available bodies this faded West Coast take on the future trap we’ve seen coming out of Toronto and the East. CGB also has a feature from the OG king of the West Coast, himself: Moka Only. So make sure you stay tuned and peep the project when it drops on Tuesday. - HipHopCanada

CGB is a rapper hailing from Canada who has been putting in some serious work since his last project Limitless Progression which dropped back in 2013 (check out my review HERE). I’ve had my eye on CGB since he dropped Limitless Progression because the project as a whole was very cohesive and CGB and his features shined across the board as they spit over the old-school inspired production.

But now we are midway through 2015 and CGB is about to grace us with his latest project titled THINK which is set to drop on 7/24/15 (CGB’s 21st birthday).

Check out my Interview with CGB below.

BMQT-rYZ

Sam: What’s your name and where are you from?

CGB: My name is CGB. I’m from Ottawa, ON (Ontario) but I’m currently based in Vancouver, BC (British Columbia).

Sam: What does your name ‘CGB’ mean?

CGB: ‘CGB’ means whatever you want it to mean. It is really my initials, but I want yall to use your creativity when trying to figure it out.

Sam: How long have you been rapping?

CGB: I’ve been rapping since I was 16 but I only started taking it seriously when I turned 18.

Sam: How’s the hip hop scene in Canada? How has it grown?

CGB: I would say that it’s not as strong as it is in the (United) States. I’d say it’s harder to get heard and leave your mark, you know? We have Drake, we have The Weeknd, we have Shad, but it’s really spread out here. Toronto is the heart of the hip-hop scene in Canada.

Sam: So I reviewed your last album Limitless Progression back in 2013 and really enjoyed it. What is the name of your next release and how do you feel about it in comparison to Limitless Progression?

CGB: It’s funny because Limitless Progression has the perfect name. I’ve progressed a lot since LP dropped without even noticing, but it definitely opened a lot of doors for me. My newest project, THINK, is very similar to LP in the sense of the construction and direction of it, but I’ve improved a lot. I have in-house producers helping me. I’m working with dudes I truly respect for their craft and what they’re doing, and that definitely inspires me to make the best music I can possibly make.

Sam: Awesome man. Who are some of your in-house producers and others featured on THINK? By the way great title. I like the all caps too.

CGB: All caps when you spell the album name, son. I got my homie Cubez on the project. His production is just crazy, seriously. I got the fam GoldSoul to make a beat for it. Ignorvnce has a beat on there, too. I got A La $ole from Pro Era on this shit. OSHUN is on it. My girl Camellia Sinensis, too. It’s dope to know these talented cats fuck with me enough to put work in for me.

Sam: Nice man. What all do you have in store for when THINK drops? Merch? Shows? Etc.

CGB: World domination. I’m planning to hit up the east coast before the end of the year to do some shows with all the NYC fam. I also got some tees in the works, it’s up to yall for them to release tho. Expect some crazy visuals too.

Sam: Exciting stuff. Where can newcomers and fans find THINK when it drops (on 7/24/15)?

CGB: You can hit up (my website) and find it there and it will also be available on my SoundCloud and BandCamp. Follow me on Twitter to find those links.

Sam: Is there anything else you’d like to tell us? What about newcomers to your music?

CGB: If you’re reading this right now, I fuck with you. It’s hard to do this kinda thing but fans and supporters remind me why I’m doing what I’m doing. I love all of you. Doesn’t matter if you like one song or you just don’t fuck with me at all, I appreciate realness from everyone.

Sam: I appreciate the interview my man. Glad that Dead End Hip Hop can help promote the launching of THINK. I’m greatly looking forward to it.

CGB: Much respect to you and everyone at Dead End Hip Hop man, I appreciate yall. Much love. One. - DeadEndHipHop

CGB is an MC who hails from Ottawa, Canada. Currently 19 years of age, he’s been making music since he was 16 and has recently gotten quite passionate about it. CGB has recently dropped his 13-track album titled Limitless Progression. After listening to it in its entirety, I really enjoyed the sound that CGB gave us throughout. Their are multiple vibes being presented here, but all of it is very cohesive and complementary not only to CGB’s tight flow, but also the features that are presented by the likes of Myniakal, who recently dropped his own tape (click to read my review HERE), Moonlite Don, Infamous, and Cubez.

CGB’s passion for hip hop shows when listening to Limitless Progression. The production has an old-school vibe to it and just enough to make it accessible for a wide range of listeners and distinguishable enough to where it can stand out from similar sounding projects done by others in CGB’s arena. The first four tracks were all good tracks, but my favorite out of these was track two titled “9495”. Not only did I greatly enjoy the boom bap inspired production, but Myniakal’s feature in conjunction with CGB makes the two a great duo. I hope they continue to collaborate in the future.

Track five, “Feeling$”, starts off with an excellent sample involving the actor Joe Pesci in character from his role in the film Casino. Pesci’s profanity-laced dialogue from the film (as is usual for him) feeds perfectly into CGB’s flow that kicks off at the end of the sample. It’s a very mellow track that I only wish was longer. After another solid track with “Point Blank” featuring Cubez and a trippy instrumental interlude with “SyncopatedInterlude”, we get to track eight titled “Concrete Jungle”. Beginning with another intense sample, this time from Tupac’s character in the classic 90s film Juice, CGB spits deep rhymes about everyone’s favorite force for social justice, the police (yes, sarcasm). “Concrete Jungle” is definitely one of my favorite tracks on this album with a chill nighttime sound in its production.

Track nine, “Darryl Strawberry”, begins with a hilarious sample concerning recreational marijuana usage and then switches to some familiar production by Knxwledge. I say familiar because CGB goes in on the same production used on the track “Killuminati” from Joey Bada$$’s debut mixtape 1999, and CGB goes in pretty well. Track 10, “3rdEYE” featuring Moonlite Don, has a good hook from CGB about keeping your third eye open and your aura glowing. The next track, “1Man” has some great production by Detroit’s Apollo Brown with CGB going in again. The following track, “The World is Mine”, has a great jazzy sound. But what could be my favorite track on this album is the closer, “Acid Rain” featuring INC, and this is mainly because of the lyrics. Both CGB and INC talk about dark encounters regarding drug use and personal struggles involving fathers, money, women, and other harsh realities of life. A bleak conclusion to the album but it’s a thinker, and the production couldn’t be more than appropriate.

The thoughtful lyrics from CGB on Limitless Progression deserve closer listens and the solid features on this album add to the overall quality and cohesiveness of this project. You can listen and download Limitless Progression HERE and you can follow CGB on Twitter HERE. I’m looking forward to see where CGB’s own limitless progression as an artist takes him next. - DeadEndHipHop