Sabo Forte

If you want to understand how Robey Stothart views the world and his place in it, you can listen to his latest album under his rap name Sabo Forte called Shiners.

If, however, you want to know his view of hip-hop and his place in it — more specifically his place in the local hip-hop scene — then you can ask him about his latest album Shiners.

“I honestly think it’s one of the best Alberta hip-hop albums of all time,” Stothart says matter-of-factly while sipping an outside pint on the Ship & Anchor patio. “And I’m going to say that.”

He just did.

And he did so not as your typical rap braggadocio, not as a way to mark his territory, disparage this region’s other MCs or even get some conversation or controversy out there leading up to Shiners’ release this Saturday at Local 522.

He did it because he truly believes it. And also because the record, his third, is one that he’s particularly proud of and particularly proud to let represent him and the other talent that’s currently calling this province home.

The record, a collaboration with Juno-nominated artist and beat-provider Fresh Kils, is a professional and polished statement of skill from this, previously perceived, redneck of the woods. It features Sabo, Edmonton rapper KazMega, E-town producer Nato Down, and fellow yyMc Bedroc Ox more than holding their own with Eastern counterparts Ghettosocks, Montreal ska man Howie Woiwod and Kils, one half of the hip-hop duo The Extremities.

“I wanted to not focus on making a Calgary album but making a Canadian album,” Stothart says of the record.

“I wanted to show Fresh Kils and Ghettosocks and everyone else in Toronto that there’s top quality MCs in hip-hop (in Alberta). And I don’t even feel cocky saying that ... especially with this album. I’m so proud of this album.”

Again, it is well-placed pride.



Stothart has spent the past decade-plus honing his lyrical skills and finding his voice, and Shiners gives him the proper pulpit from which to be heard.

The music, especially, lets him work his wonders, with real, clean, jazzy samples provided by Kils, to whom he was introduced by Dragon Fli Empire’s DJ Cosm.

Stothart populates those songs with a positive outlook represented by everything from cool cultural references (see the song Reggie Hammond, a taste of an upcoming EP he’s working on with Bedroc Ox titled 48 Hours) to tracks such as Little Cloud Maker, an anti-bullying anthem about being resilient in the face of opposition, and The What Now, which is about “embracing your crazy” and of which he says, “I almost want to call it my pop song.”

Actually, there’s a great deal on the record with crossover appeal and potential, which also, in its own way, brings us back to Sabo Forte’s place in the local hip-hop scene. As Sabo Forte, as a member of the band Blist or even in the world of slam poetry, he’s created an audience for his work that stretches beyond the traditional hip-hop realm.

“It’s always an insult and a compliment when someone comes up to you after a show and they’re like, ‘I don’t like hip-hop but I loved your set.’ ”

He laughs.

“I don’t know if that means I’m doing it right or wrong. But whatever. Music’s like ice cream — there’s so many different flavours and every one tastes different, right?”

And as he gets set to drop his best work on the world, Stothart is just glad he’s doing it in what many are calling the Ben & Jerry’s of music in this country, if not North America, with so many flavours to offer and all of them quality.

“I remember 10-15 years ago searching for other Calgary bands or artists, MCs, rappers I liked and it was always a short list, less than five. And now I can think of more than 10 people that I have huge respect for and think are export ready and can travel the world for free off their music,” he says.

“Dare I say Cowtown is the next Seattle, but it kind of feels that way to me. I don’t know, call it Cay-attle.”

That, in itself, is an inspiring thing, he says. Just the fact that he’s part of something bigger and better. He admits it’s helped him up his game knowing that, and he thinks Shiners is not only a testament to that, but also something that can further it.

“You want to do good for (the rest of the scene) as well, you want to match what everyone else is doing,” he says.

“It’s not so much a chip on my shoulder because I want to be better than them ... I do say that this is one of the best albums Alberta has seen for hip-hop. I’ll say it again.

“But by the same token, when I say ‘best’ it’s more of a realization that I found my voice and no one can do what I do. That doesn’t necessarily make me the best but I know that it’s unmatched, you know? And that’s what makes me excited.” - calgary herald

A showcase of some of the best in local Calgarian hip-hop.
- Hip Hop Canada

Worth Mentioning: Sabo Forte's exceptional hip-hop release, 'Prime Watson'.
- Mike Bell (The only hip hop album in the article) - Calgary Herald, Dec 2012

The musicality on Blism is well explored with choice words, involved lyrical mastery, and melodic sound infusions.
-Tristin Norenberg Goodmanson - Earshot Online, Jan 2012

The natural dynamic and wordplay between the two harkens back to the golden era of hip-hop and is filled with fun punchlines. Their live show is high energy.
Although there is a natural curiosity about the group due to Sparacino’s film notoriety.
-Gerry Krochak - Fast Forward Weekly, Dec 2011

Halifax MC xxx clvr was also scheduled to open up the show. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to make it over to the YYC. So Calgary’s own Sabo Forte stepped in to take his place. Here’s the deal with Sabo – he makes hip hip-hop. It’s carefree and breezy. It’s very Sled Island. It was great to have another YYC MC on the mic for the night. Shout-out to Sabo for stepping up to-the-plate last-minute and rocking the stage.

The last opening set for the night came to us from Montreal R&B singer, Black Atlass. Atlass had performed a set at the Central United Church on the previous night, and festival attendees were already hailing him as, “That dude who kind of sounds like The Weeknd and Frank Ocean.” Not necessarily a bad thing, though. I mean, Abel Tesfaye is the closest thing this earth has to a legitimate sex god. So being compared to that is kind of massive. Ya feel me?

Finally, it was time to go to church. Midnight church. With Killer Mike. I’ve taken to telling people that Killer Mike is one of my favourite live performers. And now it’s reaffirmed: Killer Mike is all sorts of gnarly. Here’s the backstory for you – I went to the Run The Jewels show last year. I wasn’t really all too familiar with Mike, El-P, and RTJ. But things set off. First, Killer Mike did a solo set. Then El-P did a solo set (shout-out to El-P’s hype man: Shannon T Moore. I fancy him). Then Killer Mike and El-P hopped on to the stage together and destroyed as the Run The Jewels duo. It was all sorts of insane.

People are always talking about “turning up,” and stuff like that. But that show was the definition of turned up – the venue was completely packed. And everyone was thrashing around and jumping and sweating and spitting every lyric to every RTJ joint. It was a beautiful next-level experience. I grew up and became a woman that night. Sort of.

That night, I felt this deeply spiritual connection to every single person in the room. Especially when Mike took ‘em to church. He always drops this schpiel about how everyone in the room is united; it doesn’t matter what religion, skin colour, gender, or anything else it – we’re all there together and we’re all one congregation. And that’s one of the things I love most about being a hip-hop head. I have my people; you people – the congregation. So on Thursday night, church was back in session.

Mike keeps things realer than real. Rap shows are usually a lot of flex. But Mike’s not trying to put on for anyone. He shared a story about his wife (shout-out to the fiercely sassy Shana Render) – a red-haired, freckled babe of wifey status. Apparently she’d gotten sick prior to his show. Regardless, Mike explained that his wife shared some sage words of wisdom with him prior to his performance: “Turn the f**k up.” Also, here’s another cool fun fact for you about Mike’s wife: her favourite Killer Mike joint is “Southern Fried.” Actually, if we’re being completely honest, here – Mike talks about his wife a lot. I just Google Image lurked her, too. Um. Hi, girl crush.

Mike performed a combination of his solo work (mostly from his 2012 R.A.P. Music album release), as well as some Run The Jewels jewels. When he got to “Reagan,” he told the crowd about what went down last time he came through Calgary – a girl came to the show dressed up as Ronald Reagan. IT HAPPENED, PEOPLE! It didn’t happen this time around, unfortunately. But the swarms of fans yelling “F**k Ronald Reagan!!!!!” at the top of their lungs was due compensation. I swear – I know Mike’s already got that barbershop business going on. But if he’s ever looking to get involved in another day job, he could make some serious cheddar as a motivational speaker.

Towards the end of the night, “Sea Legs” happened and everybody lost it. El-P wasn’t there to make it a total RTJ experience. But that’s okay – Mike got help from the crowd. Everyone knows the lyrics to “Sea Legs.” And while feelings and emotions were at an all-time high, Mike had to wrap his set. This was the worst part of the night. The part where we had to part with Killer Mike. Ugh. So of course he went out into the audience and shared a big group-hug with all the Sled Islanders. There was sweat. There were feelings. And now I’m already itching for the Mikester’s return to the YYC. - hip hop canada

'If it's possible for a two-piece to be a supergroup, Calgary hip hop outfit BLIST is a supergroup. The group crafts pop-culture-heavy rhymes in the grand tradition of the Beastie Boys and other guarante
ed party-starters'
- Peter Hemminger (pre-FULL BAND lineup Blist) - Fast Forward Weekly, June 2010

Sabo Forte's new album Prime Watson is released Thursday night at Broken City.
"It's not a concept album. But the concept is that it is an album."
Got it? Good.
Because that's the non-concept concept behind Prime Watson, the new full-length solo album from Calgary hip-hop artist Sabo Forte (born Robey Stothart), which he'll drop Thursday night with a show at Broken City. Finally.
It is, after all, an album that's been percolating for almost two years, and one that fans of Stothart and his other longtime hip-hop project Blist have been anticipating for some time.
Good thing it delivers. Prime Watson is a gritty, grimy, graffiti-tagged, downtown jazz, blues-rap record that recalls, from moment to moment and song to song, such old-schoolers as Basehead, Beck, Everlast, Naughty By Nature, Public Enemy and Eminem while also sounding less retro than it does impressively fresh and progressive. And, as stylistically and sonically different as it may be, credit to him that it also delivers on his intentions - it holds together, holds the listeners and drags them towards the baker's dozen closer Thunderclap.
"I'm proud of how unique an album it is," Stothart says sitting in the booth of Local 510. "If parts sound like something else, I get inspiration from many different people. But I definitely wasn't trying to recreate anything. I was just trying to challenge myself with each song, and focus on being dynamic so that each song sounds different so that (I) have a lot to offer on the entire album.
"I didn't want to just focus on certain singles and filler."
Again, an album. Which is also how friend and producer Hesa-mIam (a.k.a. Hesam Shoghi) originally approached him, asking Sto-thart if he wanted to dig through his crates of records in order to put together something grander than merely a one-off collaborative single.
Together they spent four months seeking out beats and samples, with Shoghi, learning the craft as he went, also creating some of his own before he actually relocated to New York, leaving Stothart to lay down his lyrical flows.
For that, he headed to a friend's place outside of Nelson - a place that was, he says, almost off the grid, which is what he wanted and needed to focus on the project and especially focus on tackling some of those tracks, which not only challenged his rap skills but also gave his crooning chops something of a workout, even requiring him to head into the small B.C. town for a few steam-room sessions in order to open the pipes.
"My singing voice is not as good as it used be," he says with a laugh. "But I was always in punk bands and you could get away with it. ... So I was out there struggling with harmonies on hip-hop hooks. It was fun to go for it."
He continues. "I want to be recognized as, 'There isn't a beat or a style of beat that he can't get on.' A lot of MCs will turn down beats from producers. I'm the MC that will not turn down a beat. I can make that song work, as long as the samples are in key and the metronome's there, I'm going to lock in and we're good to go." - Calgary Herald