An Upstormed News feature about our founder.
Most readers know Jonathan Anthony Burkett, the founder of Upstormed Inc, through his memoir, Neglected But Undefeated. Our earlier features looked at what that memoir’s title means and at his words on rough roads and the way through. This time we turn up the volume. Before and alongside the books, Burkett has been making music, and his songs carry the same message his writing does.
Who he is
According to his official website, Burkett is an author, poet and recording artist. He was born in Miami in 1987 and raised in Jamaica by his grandparents. His site says he grew up through neglect and hardship, and that he faced seizures and brain surgery on January 30, 2006. Across all of his work, the site sums up one message: faith gets you through, and no one is defined by where they started.
That message is the thread that runs through his music.
The sound: hip hop and soul with a purpose
His music page describes his work as hip hop and soul with an uplifting message about change, perseverance and dreams. Upstormed Records, the label he founded to release his own music, adds reggae to the mix and describes its focus as songs about change, faith and perseverance, with artists from Miami and Jamaica. That pairing of places mirrors his own life story.
The label puts its message plainly: “Change is hard but necessary. Keep moving forward, and never give up on your dreams.”
The releases
Upstormed Records says it has been releasing music since 2014 and lists four releases, 48 tracks and 12 artists and collaborators. Its catalog, as listed on the label’s site, includes:
- One Life (album, 2014): the label’s flagship release, featuring Ambelique. Burkett’s site calls the song “One Life” the anthem that launched Upstormed Records, and lists club, festival, dub and Babylon remix versions.
- Born To Make It (album, 2024): featuring My-Kul Leeric, Troyton, Jae Mazor and others.
- Life As I Know It (EP, 2024): featuring Elisa Polanco, Kiarrah Guerra, Kristin Nicole and others.
- Upstormed Records (collection, 2024): a 25-track set gathering the label’s releases, including “Changes,” “Don’t Give Up,” “Crush On You,” “Pass That” and mixes of “One Life.”
Some of those titles will sound familiar to readers of his books. Born To Make It, One Life and Don’t Give Up also appear among the titles of his planned life-lesson book series, which his site lists as coming soon. The overlap shows how closely his music and his writing are tied together.
A closer look at “Changes”
One song gets special attention on his site: “Changes,” featuring Polancapop. The press page collects coverage from 2018, when the single was released on SoundCloud and promoted through a North American radio and press campaign aimed at R&B and hip-hop stations, publications and music blogs.
Those press items describe the track as blending classic hip-hop elements and conscious rap with R&B hooks. A review on Hot Indie News, collected on the press page, described it as a slow-burning, down-tempo quiet storm built on piano, bass, drums and layered vocals. The reviewer noted how the song moves from heavy subject matter toward an inspirational tone. That arc, from struggle to hope, is the same one Burkett describes in his memoir.
Other collaborations listed by the label include “Don’t Give Up” with Elisa Polanco, “Crush On You” with My-Kul Leeric, “Pass That” with Troyton, “Two Steps” with Michael Pashalian and “I Can Only Be Me” with Kiarrah Guerra and Kristin Nicole.
Faith in the music
Burkett has been open that faith sits at the center of his story. His website and music page both carry the same short line from him:
Faith is why I’m here today and faith is why I made it through.
Jonathan Anthony Burkett, jonathanburkett.com
For a family-friendly audience, that is the heart of his music: songs that admit life can be hard while insisting that it does not have the final word.
Where to listen
Burkett’s music is available on Spotify, where his artist page is listed under Jonathan Anthony Burkett, and on YouTube, where his official music videos appear on the JonathanBurkettVEVO channel. Upstormed Records says it has four official music videos there, plus a studio session clip, and it also curates a label playlist on Spotify. His website embeds his albums and videos on its music page.
Upstormed Records is one of five companies under Upstormed Inc, alongside Upstormed LLC, Upstormed Publishing, Upstormed Management and Upstormed News, according to upstormed.com. The parent company’s tagline is “Growing companies for the better.”
Why it matters for families
Music is often where children and teens first hear ideas about who they are and what they can become. Songs built around change, perseverance and faith can be a good conversation starter at home. Listen together, ask what the song is really saying and talk about the hard roads your own family has walked.
Learn more at jonathanburkett.com
Read more: Neglected But Undefeated: Why Jonathan Anthony Burkett’s Memoir Still Matters
Is there a song that helped carry you through a hard season of your life?
Sources: JonathanBurkett.com, “Jonathan Anthony Burkett (home page)” (accessed November 5, 2026); JonathanBurkett.com, “Music” (accessed November 5, 2026); JonathanBurkett.com, “Press” (accessed November 5, 2026); Upstormed Records, “Upstormed Records” (accessed November 5, 2026); Upstormed Inc, “Upstormed Inc” (accessed November 5, 2026); Spotify, “Jonathan Anthony Burkett (artist page)” (accessed November 5, 2026)
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