As scenes grow and expand, many artists can get caught up in the pervading sound of the time, the flavor of the month and lose themselves trying to re-create another artist’s creative flair in their own words. This is not Calez. The 21-year-old artist from the southside of Chicago has gone about creating a space for himself within the ever-growing hip-hop scene that has exploded in the Second City since Chief Keef brought listeners to the city with his gritty street tales and gunshot-ridden hooks. If Chance created the spectrum from which to judge artists, being cast by many in the media as the anti-thesis to the much maligned Keef. It’s a stance that is too easily made and without much merit, but with that in mind you could consider Calez smack dab in the middle. As familiar with the happenings in the streets as he is with the intricate goings-on in his head, the young 2008ighties member has created an aesthetic that calls from the 90s but speaks from the present. In the lead up to his latest project, Ceito, Calez released his second single off the upcoming project which has been under works for quite some time now as Calez has carefully tinkered what very well could be his breakthrough project.

Yesterday we got the video for his latest video, this one for “Positive Energy” which was directed by Calez and follows the rapper through a herky jerky day that oozes good vibes and, well, positive energy. Calez will have an impressive year in 2014, expect big things from him next week at SXSW as well.