From making basement beats to forming an LLC, McCluer North High School graduate Caleb James is pursuing his music industry dreams.
After cleaning up their act, Caleb and two of his friends, Zach Lee and Peter Olatunde, have used their previous bad intentions to start a limited liability corporation called just that: “Bad Intentions,” with the slogan “beats you can feel.”
“We wanted to take the bad things we were doing and do something good,” James said.
The trio has produced beats together for four years. With no classroom instruction on production, they know how to go with the flow. The group produces music of any genre. One day after drinking a juice called Calypto, they returned to the studio and made a piece named after the drink.
James and Lee were invited recently to attend Lee-Hamilton Elementary School’s “Power Support Team and Mentoring Program.” There, they had an opportunity to hear about the rise to fame of Alonzo “Zo” Lee Jr. and Shamar “Sham” Daughtery, professional producers known as the Trak Starz.
“We never tell our students that something is impossible or ridiculous to achieve,” said Dr. Shane Hopper, McCluer North principal.
“Instead, we ask ourselves what can we do to help, and in Caleb’s case, we just so happened to be able to connect him with the Trak Starz.”
James has produced music for many school and community talent shows and back-to-school rallies. In addition, he has had his beats featured on HOT 104.1 FM and 89.5 FM.
Caleb, also known as “Killa Beatz” and “The Beat Maker,” is a self-taught musician who was well known at McCluer North for his musical talent.
While performing in the school’s choir, he received awards at district and state levels. Ever since the age of nine music has been his focus.
“Music is in our DNA,” said Dr. Dorothy King-James, Caleb’s mother.
She is a retired teacher from Vashon High school. Each year her youngest son participates in the Vashon back-to-school festival play called “Natural High,” which promotes an anti-drug message. His father, the Rev. Willie James, pastor at New Ebenezer, also has been an important role in keeping his son focused on his goals.
At first, his family thought that he would become an engineer because he always knew how to fix things and figure stuff out, but it is evident that if he does become an engineer, it will likely be an audio engineer.
James has an excellent support system that has made much possible for him. So far he has only had to purchase one piece of equipment out of his own pocket. His father even gave him permission to construct his own studio in the basement of their home.
“I just told him what I wanted to do, and he gave me the money,” said Caleb.”
At McCluer North’s Senior Ceremony, Caleb was much embraced and received a medal of achievement in choir by music teacher Tracey Baker. Mr. Baker has been another mentor, keeping Caleb on the right track. Caleb has been awarded a scholarship to Missouri Baptist where he will major in music, minor in communications and work as an audio engineer on campus.
To contact Bad Intentions Production, visit www.myspace.com/bintinc.
