St. Paul musician Lewiee Blaze will do anything for his community

Lewis McCaleb is learning to wear his crown.

The 25-year-old St. Paul-based musician, who performs under the name Lewiee Blaze, has been thrust into adversity and leadership his whole life, and the burden of authority hasn't always been easy to carry.

But if you see McCaleb around the Twin Cities, one of the first things you'll notice, beyond his solemn charisma, is his hair — it's often carefully braided into a five-pronged crown.

The born-and-raised Minnesotan has been making music since 2017. But when he isn't performing, McCaleb works with Ramsey County to help prevent and respond to violence, and he leads the group of artists and activists called the N4 Collective.

N4 stands for four principles: new media, new narratives, new leaders and new mind-sets. McCaleb said their goal is to combat the stigmas surrounding Black men in America by promoting positivity, creativity and mental health care.

Reality for Black men growing up often has been framed through the pursuit of "entertainment, sports or the streets," McCaleb said, but N4 seeks to connect youth with role models working in law, medicine and other fields.

"It's up to us to make a new narrative so the cycle doesn't repeat," said DeAnthoney Acon, an N4-affiliated videographer and artist, and longtime friend of McCaleb's.

One of N4's outlets for changing mind-sets is "We Will Breathe," a self-worth and recovery course for youth, many of whom have been involved in either the foster care or justice system. The program follows a series of group sessions offered alongside "Deconstruction Zone," a book on empowerment that McCaleb co-authored.

Changing the narrative

McCaleb is able to connect with teens because he understands their experience. At 16, he was put on extended juvenile jurisdiction probation. He was a basketball star at Minnesota Transitions Charter School, but when his junior season ended and the school cut its music program, McCaleb no longer felt motivated to go to class, and he unenrolled.

Then, a family member recommended St. Paul's High School for Recording Arts. Another one of his childhood friends urged him to attend. But a week after that conversation, the friend took his own life. The loss weighed heavily in McCaleb's decision to eventually enroll at HSRA and inspired him to make mental health care a pillar of N4's efforts.

At HSRA, McCaleb discovered an enthusiasm he hadn't felt in the classroom since elementary school.

"Teachers in my school always saw the light in me," he said. "Even when I didn't see it in myself."

He graduated in 2017 and has stayed close to the school since, working there as a project manager and adviser. Years later, walking through the hallways, he still sees memories. In one recording studio, McCaleb recalls rapping about reading for a class project — he still remembers every lyric. In another, he points out the workstation where he made his first beat. Ducking into a classroom, McCaleb stops to chat with students and faculty, offering to add a verse to a song they're working on.

"He was another great example of what this school is capable of — reaching kids that can't be probably reached by the traditional system," said David "TC" Ellis, the school's founder.

The 'Heart of a Champion'

While at HSRA, McCaleb made his first mixtapes and learned to become a multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer. He draws inspiration from rappers like Ludacris and Lil Wayne and classic R&B and soul acts like Funkadelic and The Temptations.

His biggest single to date, "Freedom Fighter," was released in 2021. He wrote the revolutionary anthem after George Floyd's murder, which McCaleb said galvanized his leadership as he participated in protests and community reconstruction.

"Freedom Fighter" was driven by social advocacy, but his latest project, "Heart of aa Champion," is more personal. The album explores resilience and sacrifice, and it was written in the wake of grief. In January 2022, McCaleb's mother was fatally stabbed in her home.

"That completely destroyed me," he said. "It rocked my whole world and changed everything."

While dealing with the loss, McCaleb took time away from his job with Ramsey County, where he works with youth impacted by gun violence. When violent acts happen in the community, McCaleb is called to the scene to prevent retaliation and help families process the tragedy.

His job takes a strong stomach. There is survivor's guilt and remorse for those he can't help. And there are funerals, many of which land too close to home.

It's not always easy to separate his music and community involvement. Once, while recording in his home studio, McCaleb was called to provide support after a gun violence incident. He dropped everything and left without hesitation.

"That's what I signed up for," McCaleb said. "At the end of the day, I can still go back to the studio."

Just weeks ago, he got a different kind of call. A former student of N4's "We Will Breathe" program called McCaleb to say his life is turning around. The former mentee was close to wrapping up an extended juvenile jurisdiction probation sentence and wanted to thank McCaleb for his role in changing his attitude and mind-set. The conversation brought him tears of joy.

To friends of the musician and activist, moments like these are unsurprising.

"They call him Lewiee Blaze because he walks through the fire," Acon said. "I call him Lewiee Blaze because he's a real igniter."

McCaleb's ability to connect with others makes him fit for the crown.