Cavalier was the one that got away. Different Type Time is what happened when he stopped getting away

For a certain era of New York rap heads, Cavalier was the one that got away — the artist whose reputation preceded him everywhere, who everyone assumed would break through, and who never seemed especially interested in the breaking through part. Backwoodz describes him as the pretty boy draped in Polo who stole every live show with a feather in his hair and gold fronts, so committed to independence that even indie labels stopped trying to sign him.

The long run-up

• 2013 — co-pilot on Quelle Chris' Mello Music debut Niggas Is Men, the album that pushed Quelle to the front of indie rap and carried the first production credits from Messiah Muzik
• His debut full-length Chief, with a Raekwon feature plus early work from Ohbliv and Tall Black Guy
• A move to New Orleans and a partnership with producer-vocalist Iman Omari, producing the Lemonade EP (2015) and Private Stock (2018) — collector records boosted by OkayPlayer, Solange's Saint Heron and Pitchfork

Different Type Time

The Backwoodz album is the one the label calls a suspension bridge between his history and rap's future. Quelle Chris does not rap on it but produced eight songs and served as associate producer and consigliere throughout; Messiah Muzik, Wino Willy, Ohbliv, Ahwlee, Child Actor and Fushou fill out the credits. "There is no time wasted in explaining things when I collaborate with Quelle," Cavalier says on the release page. "He understands the universe I am in and the realities I want to create."

Then CINE

Later the same year he followed with CINE, a full collaboration with Child Actor recorded with Willie Green at the GreenHouse. Cavalier calls it "a rhythmic biopic." If Different Type Time was his Do The Right Thing, the label argues, CINE is his Crooklyn.

Both records are on Backwoodz↗ (opens in a new tab).