[3] Cates began his musical career in Detroit, Michigan as a member of the soul/funk band The Fabulous Counts.
[4] After that band recorded part of its 1971 album What's Up Front That Counts in Toronto, Ontario, Cates opted to stay in the city, performing as a session musician for Lenny Breau and Wayne St.
[5] In 1981 he collaborated with Bobby Boyer and Jay W. McGee on Rap the Night Away,[6] which has been credited as the first known full-length Canadian hip hop album.
[8] Although principally a saxophonist, Cates has also performed as a jazz and R&B vocalist.
[9] He has also had occasional supporting or guest roles as an actor, including in the television series Forever Knight, Goosebumps and The Jane Show, and the films Blues Brothers 2000 and A Raisin in the Sun.