Has it really been 15—no, make that nearly 17—years since the release of Coo Coo Cal‘s Disturbed? Yep. In September 2001, the Milwaukee rapper (a.k.a. Calvin Bellamy) released his sophomore album on Tommy Boy Records. Riding on the strength of Billboard-charting single “My Projects,” Disturbed climbed to No. 45 on U.S. charts, and to No. 15 on U.S. R&B charts. Back in the early ’00s, Coo Coo Cal was a big deal. Especially for Milwaukee.
Briefly. Tommy Boy fell apart mere months after Disturbed‘s release. Subsequent record and songs failed to reach the heights of Disturbed and “My Projects.” Coo Coo Cal largely faded away.
Until now, because hey! Coo Coo Cal has a new single! It’s called “Home,” it’s a love letter to Milwaukee, it’s something of a grown-up companion piece to “My Projects,” and it’s pretty great! Have a look/listen:
Oh, and there’s also The Rise And Fall Of Coo Coo Cal, an upcoming documentary that promises to shed light on Cal’s childhood, his success, his downfall, and his eventual return. “It’s been twenty years since ‘My Projects,’ and I wanted to transform the music into another medium,” Cal recently told the Milwaukee Courier. “I figured a tell-all documentary would be a perfect way to re-introduce Coo Coo Cal…The Vet.
“We’re telling it all, from having the biggest song in the country to the drug and alcohol abuse. You know: the music, the sour deals, the broads, the hotels, the travels, we’re telling the whole nine.”
What’s more, there’s a new Coo Coo Cal album in the works, Mandatory Release. Huh! Could it be the summer of Coo Coo Cal? Yes, we’re calling it: It’s the summer of Coo Coo Cal.