Every once in a while there is someone who comes around that possesses a great talent. Unfortunately, some of these people lose their lives too soon. One man who left us too soon was Capital Steez. Capital Steez is one of the founding members of the rap collective Pro Era and was looked at to be one of the next to blow up.
Capital Steez, who was born Courtney "Jamal" Everald Dewar, Jr., was a rapper from Brooklyn, New York. He went to high school at Edward R. Murrow and would go on to meet the fellow founding fathers of Pro Era. Growing up, Steez would find his love for music at a young age and would start downloading hip hop instrumentals just to rap over. He was a natural at creating these amazing tracks, all he needed was a chance.
Going to school at Edward R. Murrow means, in one form or another, you would develop a love for art. The school is very into having their students use one hour out of their day to do something that would be looked at as art. Whether it was drama, painting, or music, students would use this time to develop a craft. Steez and his friends Joey Bada$$, CJ Fly, and Powers Pleasant would use this time to freestyle. Joey Bada$$, who at the time went by the name JayOhVEE, would go on to record himself during one of the group's freestyle sessions and this would lead to a buzz. With this new buzz, Steez and Joey used this opportunity to make one of their best songs to date, "Survival Tactics." Steez would make a name for himself with his verse and would gain more fans in the underground scene.
With all of the success that Joey was seeing, it would make Steez feel upset because he did not feel that he was getting the recognition he deserved. The crew would start expanding and eventually went on tour together, with Steez in attendance.
As time went on, Steez began studying in what some would consider abnormal areas. He would go on to become obsessed with the number 47. He felt that this was the perfect balance in the world with the fourth chakra, the heart, and the seventh being the brain. When he became obsessed with this number, he would begin to see it everywhere. In the music video for his song, "Apex," the first scene shows fellow Pro Era member J.A.B painting the 47 logo and then transitions to Steez and his crew entering the subway on 47th Street. This would cause him to become obsessed with spirituality and other things of that nature.
As time went on, Joey would go on to become more successful and this would cause Steez to become more upset. Their new manager, Johnny Shipes, would not give Steez the attention he felt he deserved.
In December of 2012, Steez took his own life by leaping off a building. Before he did, he sent out texts to his loved ones, and he tweeted "The end."
The loss of this young soul just proves that some of the best rappers sometimes go too soon. His legacy still lives on, thanks to Pro Era. They hold a festival every year called "Steez Day" and they bring some of the greatest names in rap today to perform.
Although he is gone from the earth, he will forever live on through music.
Listen to his tape "Amerikkkan Korruption," here. He was known for his outstanding lyricism and it shows with tracks like, "47 Elements," "Herban Legend," and "Infinity and Beyond."
