Promise is a crafter of the creative and an architect of the original. He pioneers beyond the mainstream and remains firm in exactly who he is, consequently carving out a space that sits between hip hop and soul, ballad and rap. He vocalizes the unfiltered normalcy of his everyday thoughts, delivering to listeners a message of life and love that is at last separated from the “shoulds” and “oughts” of the music industry. His latest EP TellAVision does exactly this, packaging blends of beats, rhythms, and melodies unique only to Promise himself, and painting a vision of a new generation that will be freed from the pressures of pop culture, and redefined by something that is better and altogether more worthy.

Promise grew up in Toronto, Canada under the influence of a ballroom dancing father and a home filled with vibes of soul and funk. This environment, along with a childhood of rhyme battles and creative writing, fostered a deep and distinct love for words and music in Promise, pushing talent into his very bones before even being conscious of it. It wasn’t until one particular high school lunch break, when he and his friends were freestyling to pass the time, when Promise was approached by a cafeteria worker who told him that his rhymes were, frankly, inspiring.

“That’s when I started crafting music. I stopped thinking about what would please the crowds or what would make me sound like a star, and started thinking about how to create something that was actually worth listening to, that was actually good in its essence,” he reflects.

Promise soon found himself interning at a local recording studio, which became fertile soil for his talents to find solid ground, take shape, develop, and mature. It was here that he began to grow instinctively under the influence of other musicians and understand how to engineer and produce music. When his first release garnered unexpected attention and recognition, Promise decided to take a bold step and pursue music full-time. Now, he has not only enjoyed raving reviews for his recent album Awakening, but he has also worked with artists like Drake, Jhene Aiko, Montell Jordan, Lecrae, and Malice (formerly of the Clipse), and he was drafted by 2KSports to be on the soundtrack and a playable character in NBA2K11.

Today, he continues to pursue authenticity in his music, working to craft a message that reveals a bright hope and unwavering light that shines steadily at the end of the tunnel. For Promise, this message is made universal particularly through music. “Music is like a language,” he explains, “a language that every culture and every being can understand; it translates into feelings and emotions common to all humans. So when I step on stage, I want to be able to speak this language in a way that actually reaches everyone.” Indeed, his vision is no small task. But with eager confidence, passionate diligence, and simple raw talent, Promise seamlessly weaves his whole self into the thread of his music, dressing it with his hip-hop ballad style, and letting the truths of life, love, and hope establish fluency, overflow, and speak for themselves.