The number of musical artists in the making is booming on almost every college campus.
Caleb Wilkerson (CantGoCaleb), a third-year business administration student at Florida A&M University, has set himself up to be a model student rapper by achieving what any student vying to be a part of the music industry can only dream of.
The young artist from Chicago began creating music in high school and has never looked back.
He created his first mixtape entitled “Shakeback Szn” in 2022, where he went on to promote his music in Detroit, MI, at various venues. His most recent EP, “Do Not Disturb” was released in October of 2023 and included 5 songs
After transferring to FAMU from Indiana University, Caleb soared in his musical involvement, becoming a Black Music Collective (BMC) member and garnering recognition with the Recording Academy.
His involvement in the BMC has brought room for prestigious memories, such as being invited to attend the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, CA, going to the Amazon headquarters and being profiled on CBS News Chicago.
“[I was] out there for eight days and went to some cool parties, master classes, and the Grammys,” Caleb said. While on his LA journey, Caleb made connections that will propel his music career beyond FAMU.
“I was able to start building relationships with people who are going to be around for the future of my career,” Caleb said.
Caleb received a $10,000 scholarship called “Your Future is Now,” which was honored by the Recording Academy publicly at the Grammy’s. Caleb expressed his enthusiasm for that moment, explaining that being applauded by so many legends affirmed his place as a creator.
“Being applauded by the likes of Mariah Cary and Stevie Wonder, that was a big moment for me… Being there and being around other Black creators, I really enjoyed being there,” Caleb said.
Caleb’s hard work and dedication have solidified his place in the music scene. He continues to inspire his fellow students to take action on their careers as early as possible, setting a shining example for aspiring musicians everywhere.