Coming in advance of their forthcoming full-length project, the 4-man unit known as Aquakultre (formerly a solo act) has released their latest single, “I Doubt It.”
Blurring the lines between powerhouse emotional neo-soul, lyrical throwback R&B, and groove-heavy hip-hop, “I Doubt It” showcases Aquakultre’s penchant for trading in rigid genres in favour of putting authenticity, honest storytelling, and history first.
“This song was inspired by cousin Lido Pimienta after watching her perform for the first time in Halifax,” says vocalist and frontperson, Lance Sampson.
“She truly blew me away, and it drove me to understand something about myself in the process. Sometimes my perspective, or the way I handle things at the end of the day, can always be linked to institutionalism or values that I’ve learned through growing up in a neighborhood where the police prayed on young black kids. This song has allowed me to break that shame of being beat down and bullied by the system, and turn it around to educate people who may not have a clue to what people like us experience.”
You can find “I Doubt It” on various digital streaming platforms including Apple Music and Spotify.
About Aquakultre
This is a story of redemption. For most of his teenage years, Lance Sampson had frequent run-ins with the law. “Selling drugs, skipping school, hanging out with my homies until 3 a.m., robbing, stealing…you name it, I’ve done it,” he says. At the age of 19, Sampson was handed a five-year sentence in a federal prison where he vowed to turn his life around. He learned how to play guitar, started picking up trade skills, and put an undying focus on his family.
In 2015, Sampson started rapping with the stage name Lex, and made a quick pivot to the name Aquakultre in 2016. With this new moniker, he strived to create music that paid homage to his roots while allowing his creativity to be free of boundaries. Shortly thereafter, he transformed Aquakultre into a full-fledged 4-piece band, recruiting some of Halifax’s most in-demand musical heavyweights to round out his team: Nathan Doucet (Heaven 4 Real, Fake Buildings) on drums and percussion, Nick Dourado (Century Egg, Beverly Glenn-Copeland, Budi) on keys, horns, and vocals, and Jeremy Costello (Special Costello, Beverly Glenn-Copeland) on bass, keys, and vocals.
Since then, Aquakultre has been building momentum as an unstoppable force. In 2018, the act was crowned the winner of annual CBC Searchlight competition and soon after took part in the prestigious Allan Slaight JUNO Master Class. On the heels of these achievements, the band traveled to Calgary, AB where they recorded their forthcoming full-length, Legacy, at the National Music Centre.
Overflowing with a steadfast focus on equality, peace, and unity, while standing with those without a voice in their communities, Aquakultre has been taking their message to stages all across Canada in the lead-up to the album’s release. Performing at the CBC Music Festival, Halifax Jazz Festival, Halifax Pop Explosion, Dawson City Music Festival, SappyFest, and Out of Earshot in the last year alone, Aquakultre brings a passion and a dedication to each performance that is anchored in a necessity to share their truths, and to do it through incredibly vibrant and dynamic art.
Yes, this is a redemption story. But that story is just beginning.
You can follow @Aquakultre on Instagram.
