What’s your stage name and where are you from?

LiftedPro and I’m originate from Victoria, BC on the west coast of Canada. I am from the bush though.

What’s the story behind your stage name?

I had recently changed my name to LiftedPro from Dante Jordan (my real middle and last name). This came with turbulence and abuse in my family which pushed me to separate myself from that toxic past, and the Jordan stigma.

Lifted Productions had been a record label I established in 2004. I shortened it to LiftedPro to stand for Proficient, Process, Professional, Productions (Any pro really). The Lifted has always symbolized rising up and lifting the consciousness above the coherent mess we call reality. I helmed Lifted Productions over 20 years creating albums to the point that Lifted Productions was a studio in and of myself. My brain is the real recording gear.

Describe your musical journey in three sentences.

Gone are the days of slanging CD’s out my trunk, but a new worldwide audience has been reached.
Through family trauma and a crew that surrounded me, I shed those skins and left all my friends behind, grabbed my son, my wife and our pets, and jumped into our own journey. My music is just a therapeutic journal I speak through.

Share an interesting experience you had while creating your latest track.

Deep depression has always plagued my life, and everytime I sink really low – God puts a pen in my hand and the words start pouring out. My latest track “Let Me Live” brought me out of a deep sadness and gave a manifested form to feelings I’ve needed to get out. I was able to create a song that explained the problems with my relatives while dedicating all my hope and dreams into my son. I felt like a lost soul, but naw, I’m a fkn rap singer. Music has always found me.

What message do you want to convey through your music?

To maintain resilience while reading between the lines of society. To see beyond your screens and find meaning within life as a technologically advanced mammal. I speak of bad news at times, but I will try and also convey a way to lift above the turmoil. I often invoke much cynicism and comical sidelines to serious issues, because we need to find a way to laugh in dark times. Yet, at the epicenter of my songs, there is always a light of hope.

Tell us about a challenge you faced during production and how you overcame it.

Well, I’ve had a many times that I completed some amazing songs, or even full EPs that were lost in computer crashes. I collected the pieces of songs I had worked on, and reworked them into a better music. No matter what pieces I’m left with, I always find a way to create something from nothing.

I’ve also had to make hard decisions when artists I had previously worked with violated my moral code. No matter how great the music is, if you’re not a good human, I don’t want to work with you. So, to keep true to my soul, I had taken down and removed projects that I put much effort into, when the rappers I collaborated with turned out to be scumbags.

If you could collaborate with any artist, who would it be and why?

I made my dream collaboration happen in 2020 with Moka Only. He was a legendary rapper in my neck of the woods and sort of a local idol. I imagined a song with him back in the early 2000’s and it came to fruition.

Other name I would love to work with include: The Doppelgangaz, Camp Lo, Kxng Crooked (Crooked I), Devin the Dude or any other BC MC’s who share my morals. If I had the chance to work with a big name artist, it would probably be Nas.

Where do you see your music taking you in the next year?

My next album “CREATURE” will prove to be my most successful work to date. After a fresh start as LiftedPro with my previous work “Soul On Sleeve”, this upcoming LP takes turns in and out of the subconscious mind, drawing the lines between sarcasm and truth in the strange reality we live.

Songs like “Uno” have an fun, upbeat vibe, while cathartic releases like “Let Me Live” tug at the soul-strings. There are songs for rain, sun, snow or hurricane, with seasonal aspects to blend the cohesive tracklist. Delving deep into my childhood traumas and adult obligations to children, no matter the vibe on this album, the content never strays from deep-rooted territory of moral integrity. The sounds of a resilient drive to remain unique in a society of followers.

What’s the next big step for you as an artist?

I am currently shopping my songs to various playlists, and finally creating music videos. For years I avoided the visual side of my music due to budget constraints. However, I have recently taught myself a lot of video an graphic design techniques, and with the rise of A.I. assisted video creation, I am able to provide the proper themes and aspects that resonate with my music. Like rapping in the Pacific Coast forest amongst various studio gear sprawled out on the forest floor, and wildlife like bears, cougars and ravens on backup vocals.

Where can we hear/watch your most recent work?

My latest releases are always on Spotify and other streaming platforms.

I recently released a Music Video for my song “Reaction” that can be found here: https://youtu.be/BdFZeJmkLpY?si=2OCrFccsyfFDkJgd