Najjah Calibur Talks New Video for Single ‘I’m Good’

“I’m from a place where you can truly feel free,” sings Najjah Calibur on the first verse of “I’m Good,” his high-energy, club-ready new single. He means a mental space — a state of being and a way of life characterized by exuberance, creativity, and joy. But he’s also referring to a place on the map. Najjah Calibur represents Toronto, Ontario, a city that’s increasingly central to international popular culture. Canada’s largest metro has certainly produced its share of megastars. But Toronto has also become a magnet for leftfield pop, R&B, and electronic music innovators, and it’s quickly gaining a reputation as a city where sonic explorers of all kinds are welcome. If you’re a musician, a dancer, a performer, a creative entrepreneur, or just a fan of contemporary arts, Toronto is indeed a place to feel free.

And Najjah Calibur is no newcomer to the city. He’s been in Ontario since he was a kid, and he’s been involved in the musical movements that have made Toronto crackle and buzz. Hip-hop, house music and ambient sounds, sleek soul, and party-friendly funk: he’s done it all. He’s led terrific bands — Bluesunderdog, who toured with the Black Eyed Peas, and Najjah’s World, to name two — and he’s blazed a trail through the underground as a solo act. Along the way, he’s collaborated with Trinity Chris and Bush Life, and he’s toured Canada with the Black Eyed Peas.

“I’m Good” is a brilliant demonstration of everything Najjah Calibur does well. He took a break from music to become an award-winning, international host for FIFA – and he’ll be performing this winning hit at the upcoming World Cup in front of up to 60,000 fans. He sings, raps, rides the rhythm and sells a memorable hook, and exudes charisma with every verse and every chorus. He’s a massive presence on the microphone, and his enthusiasm and optimism are inspiring. On “I’m Good,” Calibur matches his voice to an irresistible track that ought to appeal equally to fans of pop-inflected rap, rowdy dance music, and rambunctious funk. In other words, it sounds and feels like Toronto: Toronto on a beautiful summer day, with crowded streets, productive collisions between subcultures, and a feeling of artistic liberation in the air.

And if by chance, you didn’t get that from the song, the video ought to make it perfectly clear. Najjah Calibur and director Dan Barker lead us all over Toronto: we’re shown the red-brick streets of the pedestrian zone by the Distillery, the proudly multicultural Spadina Avenue strip and unique Kensington Market, and the bustling, brightly-lit Downtown. Most of all, we’re shown ordinary Toronto residents, assuring us that, like Najjar Calibur, they, too, are feeling good. You’ll believe it.

What drew you to the music industry?

Well first of all, I come from a huge family, lots of aunts and uncles and cousins and I’m telling you… we are a VIBE all on our own! Lol. In Caribbean culture we promote having a great time and celebrating life and each other, especially on the dance floor! And that’s wherever we decide to lime or fète, basement, living room, backyard you name it!! And I have to say in this almost euphoric atmosphere growing up, where our parents partied and socialized any chance they got (but always with pedigree) my love for people, life, and entertainment was cultivated! My cousins and I would form dance groups, practice routines only to go downstairs and stop our parents’ music to perform and dance to ours! Now that thrill of creating, memorizing and performing the routines in front of our parents did something for me. It brought me a joy that I carried with me into High School for music and entertainment and people! That’s when my cousin Yosie and I formed our first rap group and from there my appreciation for all types of music grew! So what drew me to the music industry? My passion to create and perform in front of people, it’s something I almost feel like I need to do.

What lessons have you learned?

Wow! Ok well where to start? I will say this… the most important lesson I have learned is to trust your gut feeling, o turn up the voice inside you and to ignore the voice of naysayers. People even with good intentions can derail you, from what only YOU may see at first. Secondly for me, my boy “Keezy” Chris Mckee, and former S&L Feldman award winning booking agent and my former manager told me once “ Its not show friends, its show business”. Which I think is brilliant! Being a creative, I did not have the depth to treat the music industry like a business. I enjoy making and performing music but loved to have my friends around. The love and support from my friends is 100 percent real and genuine but to get to the next level, I have to treat this like I am opening a business and I now have to interview you, based on skill set as well as character. Also, to implement strategy and structure because it is a business. My ADHD doesn’t help that either lol. Lastly, my dad always told me, “What’s the bottom line?” in other words to be result based and also, it’s time to make tough decisions! In order to grow personally, spiritually, and professionally I can’t shy away from making tough decisions.

What is one motto you live by? Why do you resonate with it?

This is easy… I have two of them! Of course I do, lol. 1) You will never be great if you’re afraid to make a mistake and 2) Progress over perfection. They resonate with me because a lot of times I would not start something because I’m concerned about how it’s going to turn out. However, anytime I just jumped right in? “I built the parachute on the way down” – Steve Harvey quote. If you’re not pushing the envelope, are you really challenging yourself? Everyone has to start somewhere hence progress over perfection. Perfection is almost a false ideal to me but as long as at the end of the day I’m making progress, I am getting better. I have to remind myself of this very often as it’s human nature to have doubts when you’re swimming upstream like, “What am I doing?” and “why do I think this is going to work?” then it’s back to mantra – Naj remember you will never be great if you’re afraid to make a mistake and progress over perfection so relax!!

Which skills have you gained that help you perform effectively as a musician?

Number one thing I have gained and honed is my stage presence. Performing in front of family from an early age and my sales background for work have given me an early start and then the tools to be genuine and get my point across. From door-to-door sales to Costco roadshows with Vitamix in a pitch to a crowd mindset. You have to develop rapport in 10 to 15 seconds so you can then deliver your message to get the sale. It’s been instrumental in my live performances. Also picking up a guitar has helped immensely in the songwriting process, as I dabble in multiple music genres. I came from a love for rap music before joining bands and getting influenced in other ways. I can write songs and take them to more seasoned musicians to build on or to a producer to make a beat surrounding it. Hence, this is exactly what I did for this release of “I’m Good.”

Tell me about your favorite performance in your career.

Opening for the Black Eyed Peas and hanging out with Justin Timberlake and Wesley Snipes was surreal for sure; it was trippy because it was only a year after I had left another dream I was already engulfed in, playing N.C.A.A Division 1 soccer but I quit school to start a band and do music. So that was crazy, just a year later to be there opening!

However, my favorite performance of my career has to be at Canada 150 in 2017. Reason being because of how it all came about. I was called to host Canada Day in Vancouver, (I’m from Toronto) celebrating our country’s 150th birthday. I was not doing music for a couple of years at that point and I asked if I could also perform. Just to give you a snapshot there were over 100,000 people crammed into one street with a stage at both ends! It was Canada Day! It was pandemonium! Anyways, I was the host for one of the stages and had initially planned to do a 30-minute set with backing tracks…and as I saw the people I was getting nervous but my name was on the bill so let’s go! Long story short I introduced this local band to play and they were amazing! While they were playing, I said to myself I need a band! There was only one band after them before I was to hit the stage. While I was pacing backstage I met DJ Oshow and asked if she could mix my songs when I perform. Then, after the band I liked finished and I introduced the next band – which was the last one before I was due to hit the stage – I ran over to the lead singer of the band I liked and said, “Can you back me for my slot to perform?” He said “when is it?”, I said “I’m up next! I have 30 minutes!”. He had a quick convo with the band and they said yes!! I emailed the songs and everyone was on headphones or listening on their cells right up until there we were to hit the stage! Miraculously with the DJ I just met and the band I just met we pulled it off without a hitch….it was crazy and just so meant to be! This reminded me why I love music so much and it was such an amazing time! Oh Canada!!!

What was it like filming the “I’m Good” music video? What is the song about?

I had been itching to get back into music as my career shifted into becoming a mainstay as the host for FIFA and major sporting events around the world, which is amazing but the whole time I always felt like something was still missing. However, during the pandemic two amazing things happened for me. I got sober and I started writing music with a different focus. The song “I am Good” was really an affirmation to myself after three to four months of being sober; I had bouts of depression and anxiety and was diagnosed with mental health issues and I finally got the help that was needed.

I was feeling myself again! Lol I was in a good place. Hence the name of the song “Im good”

In regards to the video shoot, it was truly a day of discovery. We knew having a low budget we were destined to do a guerilla style shoot. I reached out to a long time friend and director Dan Barker and he came through for me big time! We basically said we are going to hit a couple spots downtown Toronto and film a continuation sequence of scenes with high energy and leave the rest to post production. I had no idea how good it was going to turn out, but I did know we captured some magic and the day was so much fun. I find when the energy is good between you and the director and your on the same page things really fall into place. What was also cool was,some of the scenes like the subway station where we did not have permission to shoot in , he actually just used is cell phone! Yep his Samsung Ultra came through in the clutch! He said he has some cool visual effect we can add later on and editing will do wonders. Sure enough the video came out with a great energy to match the song and I have received a great response early into this campaign. Im so grateful for my producer “Magic Man’ Murray Daigle, S Luv and guitar player Brian Braken for bringing a bass line I wrote to LIFE! That being said “That’s Why I’m Good” A life lived with passion is so fulfilling!

Follow Najjah Calibur:

http://najjahsworld.com

https://www.instagram.com/najjah_calibur/

https://www.facebook.com/NajjahCalibur

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About the Author

Dr. Jerry Doby Editor-in-Chief of The Hype Magazine, Media and SEO Consultant, Journalist, Ph.D. and retired combat vet. 2023 recipient of The President's Lifetime Achievement Award. Partner at THM Media Group. Member of the U.S. Department of Arts and Culture, the United States Press Agency and ForbesBLK.