Cardboard Forts
Cardboard Forts is the side project turned priority of Indie Hip-Hop artist CL Sosa.
More group of friends than band, Cardboard Forts focus is pushing the spectrum of different forms of alternative music, not just in hip-hop, but music in general.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
In June 2004, than solo artist CL Sosa decided to form a group of other hip-hop artists, thus Get a Grip Ent. was formed.
Releasing 4 cd's over the course of the next 4 years (Get em Los![2004], As Seen on Tv [2005], Introducing Mr. Sosa[2006] and The Last Days of my Youth [2007]) along with the collaborative group effort of Mil-Keyz debut LP, CL Sosa grew tired of the direction his music was heading in.
Starting sometime in the summer of 2007, CL Sosa started experimenting with different styles of rap, pushing his sound in new directions and unfamiliar territories.
Tracks such as Sitting on the Carpet (Dealing with a close friends battle with drug addiction) and Baby Shine Bright (Dealing with a close female friend of his going through an extremely rough time in her life) started showing a different side of CL Sosa.
As he continued to push his music in a different, more alternative direction, he decided that if he was going to come with an entirely new sound, he needed to remake a name for himself.
Tired of working with artists that weren't sharing the same vision as he was, he decided to temporarily put the Get a Grip Ent. team to the side, and start seeking like-minded individuals to form this new group that wouldn't be chained to categories of music and genres.
Thus, Cardboard Forts was formed, a group that he would build to feel safe in, to immerse himself in a group of artists that would respect music for music, and not treat it as a hustle. A group of artist that not only shared his vision, but contribute to the group with their own visions.
Have you performed live in front of an audience? Any special memories?
We play live wherever there are instruments to be picked up or beats being played.
Your musical influences
Broken Social Scene, Stars, Modest Mouse, Little Brother, Justus League, Talib Kweli, Stars, Black Star, DJ Spooky, DJ Shadow, M83, Explosions in the Sky, Eyedea, Jedi Mind Tricks, etc.
What equipment do you use?
M-Audio Mobile Preamp, MXL 990, M-Audio Fullsize Midi, Oscar Schmidt concert Ukulele, Schalloch Bongos, hands, feet, anything that makes a nice sound, and a bunch of different software.
