Meet Jordan Montgomery: Rapper & Label Owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jordan Montgomery and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jordan, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I started Driving While Black Records after the release of my debut album Driving While Black in 2016. The album was heavily inspired by the incidents of police brutality that sparked the Black Lives Matter movement. While releasing hats and shirts to promote the album, I noticed that people were buying my merchandise although they had never heard my music. People were buying the merchandise as a representation of what was going on in the world. From that moment I was inspired to start the label as a way to continue creating music while promoting Driving While Black as a brand. I then began to add my friends and frequent collaborators to the roster to create the team that we have today. My goal with Driving While Black Records is to consistently deliver quality content as we grow to become a label with a signature sound and an easily identifiable brand.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I’ve been told that my music reminds people of artists of the 90s and the 2000s because of my focus on bars and lyricism. My style has been compared to artists such as Jay-Z, Nas, Cam’ron and early Kanye West. My approach to songwriting comes from the love of writing that I’ve had ever since I was a child. I used to write and tell stories that were inspired by my favorite books and TV shows. I went to a creative and performing arts high school where my major was creative writing. The program at my school allowed me to experiment with different genres which strengthened my writing ability. My freshman year of high school was when I fell in love with Hip Hop and began to write raps of my own. Many of my friends also made music so I was able to rap on their beats and record at their houses.

I always believed in my talent but I never thought that would be the only thing that would get me to where I wanted to be in my career. I knew that I had to create the best music that I could and market it better than anyone else in order to break through the noise. I also learned early on that not everyone is going to like my music so I can’t waste time pleasing everyone. I try to take advantage of every opportunity that comes my way and use that to reach new people. From there I filter out those who I may not be able to connect with and focus my energy on those who are engaged with my art.

When people listen to my music I want them to be inspired and motivated to improve themselves and their communities. With Driving While Black Records, I want to provide an environment where artists are celebrated and paid fairly for their work. I know I have a long way to go in my journey as an artist and a label owner but I am very confident for what the next few years bring.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If you’re coming to Pittsburgh, I would recommend that you go to Grandma Bs in the Hill District for breakfast or lunch, go down to the Strip District to visit all the restaurants and speciality shops, check out the museums dedicated to our hometown heroes (i.e. Andy Warhol museum, August Wilson Center, Roberto Clemente Museum, etc.), go along the riverwalk on the Northside, hang out at the fountain at the Point, and of course go up to Mt. Washington to take in the views of the city’s skyline. I would also do your research on all the Black owned businesses in the city and check them out during your visit.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My shoutout goes to 1Hood Media. 1Hood is an arts and activism collective that’s been doing great work in Pittsburgh for over ten years. I joined 1Hood in 2011 as they were introducing their media literacy program which allowed high school students to create their own media through songwriting, production, photography, and videography. It was through this program that I learned how to sharpen my skills as a MC and learn more about the entertainment industry. I credit 1Hood for providing the platform for me to jumpstart my artistic career.

Website: drivingwhileblackrecords.bandcamp.com

Instagram: @jordanmontgomery_

Twitter: @_jordyofficial

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOlSg-s9mbSAgWEzaqS8gHA

Other: Follow my label page on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook @dwbrecords

Image Credits
Photos taken by Cody Baker (2021)