In the quiet suburbs of Bowie, Maryland, Cameron Lacey—known to fans as CAL 301—is steadily crafting a legacy that extends far beyond the DMV. His latest album, Dexter, dropped on May 9th, and it’s a bold reminder that every artist has a story, but not every story can stop you in your tracks like his.
Before music, there was soccer. At just 17, CAL 301 wasn’t daydreaming about chart positions—he was chasing a professional athletic career overseas with Marbella United in Spain. But sometimes life writes a script you’d never expect. While pursuing his soccer dreams, he discovered something equally powerful: a love for writing songs. “I felt my potential for music was just as high, if not higher, than my potential as an athlete,” he recalls. Unsure of which path to follow, he did what many in his position might do—he asked for a sign.
The answer came violently and without warning. In a terrifying turn of events, CAL’s closest friend and teammate became the target of a mafia attack, an incident tied to debts owed by the soccer club’s owner. His friend survived but suffered serious injuries. The fallout was immediate—the club disbanded, and CAL fled the country. From that moment on, he knew exactly where his heart belonged.
Back in Maryland, CAL 301 poured his experiences, trauma, and hope into music. His sound evolved with every release, even though the road wasn’t smooth. For three years, he struggled to find an engineer who could translate his vision into the sound he heard in his head. “It stunted my growth creatively,” he admits. “But it also taught me how to stand up for myself and trust my instincts.”
Even the business side of music tested him. Scammers and fake promotion deals led to lost money and, at one point, his music being pulled from major streaming platforms. But CAL 301 is built for the long game. “That risk will never go away,” he says. “All I can do is learn from it and go again.”
And that’s exactly what he did with Dexter. Clocking in at 22 minutes over 8 tight, focused tracks—with no features—Dexter is a raw, unfiltered glimpse into his world. The project is named after a character known for hiding a complex, often dark reality beneath a calm exterior—an idea that mirrors the duality in CAL’s own life experiences.
Looking ahead, CAL 301 doesn’t just want to make a living from music—he wants to build an empire. “I have so many ideas I want to share with the world—clothes, movies, TV shows, art,” he says. But for now, the focus is on letting Dexter breathe and finding new listeners who resonate with his honesty and resilience.
Listen to CAL 301’s New Album Dexter:
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