Cali Swag District
| Company type | Hip hop group |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2009 |
| Founder | Big Wy, Dairold Potts |
| Headquarters | Inglewood, California , United States |
| Products | Hip hop music |
Cali Swag District was a hip hop ensemble originating from Inglewood, California, established by former Death Row Records artist Big Wy along with Dairold Potts. Their most notable track is the 2010 breakout single "Teach Me How to Dougie", which climbed to number 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and earned a double platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
2010–2011: The Kickback
Following their signing with Capitol Records, Cali Swag District commenced work on their first album, The Kickback. Their inaugural single, "Teach Me How to Dougie", produced by Runway Star of The Makerz, debuted on April 13, 2010. The song reached position 28 on the US Billboard Hot 100, number nine on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, and number six on the Rap Songs chart. This track was instrumental in popularizing the "Dougie" dance during 2010. The subsequent single, "Where You Are", which incorporated a sample from Michael Jackson's 1972 classic "I Wanna Be Where You Are", was released on September 7, 2010, achieving peak positions of forty-five on the US R&B chart and twenty-two on the US Rap chart. Their third release, "Kickback", came out on January 18, 2011, reaching number ninety-one on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Due to delays and revisions to the album, "Where You Are" was ultimately excluded from the final lineup, leaving "Teach Me How to Dougie" and "Kickback" as the primary singles.
In light of uncertainties involving EMI, Capitol Records' parent company, Cali Swag District sought to terminate their contract. Subsequently, they inked a deal with Sphinx Music Entertainment/319 Music Group, with distribution of The Kickback handled by Sony/RED on July 12, 2011.
Members' deaths
Montae Talbert, who performed under the name "M-Bone," was fatally shot in a drive-by incident in Inglewood, California on May 15, 2011. After leaving a liquor store, he sustained two gunshot wounds to the head and was declared deceased at the hospital at age 22. In response, Cali Swag District released a tribute track titled "How to Do That" three days later; this song appeared on their mixtape Deeper Than the Dougie.
Cahron Childs, known professionally as "JayAre," passed away on June 6, 2014. He had been battling sickle cell anemia and died at age 25 following a seizure that led to cardiac arrest while he was hospitalized.
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Highest chart positions | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US R&B | US Rap | ||
| The Kickback |
|
35 | 21 |
Mixtapes
- Deeper Than the Dougie (2011)
- Rns: D&G Lyfestyle Mixtape (2012)
- Fast Lyfe in Slow Motion (2012)
- The District (2014)
Singles
| Single | Release Year | Highest Chart Rankings | Certifications | Associated Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Billboard Hot 100 | US R&B/Hip-Hop Songs | US Rap Songs | ||||
| "Teach Me How to Dougie" | 2010 | 28 | 9 | 6 |
|
The Kickback |
| "Where You Are" | — | 45 | 22 | Standalone single | ||
| "Kickback" | 2011 | — | 91 | — | The Kickback | |
| "Burn Out (Drive Fast)" | — | 97 | — | |||
| "She Gettin It" (featuring E-40) |
— | — | — | Non-album track | ||
| "Shake Somethin" (featuring Tiffany Foxx and Problem) |
2013 | — | — | — | We All We Got (unreleased) | |
| "Twerk It" (featuring TeeFlii) |
— | — | — | |||
| "The Way I Lean" | — | — | — | |||