SPOTLIGHT SATURDAY: Jonathan Stamper
Jonathan Stamper is not only the Flagship Artist, but also the Vice President of Artist Relations for Block IV Entertainment. Both music performance and production are his passions and outside of school, his family is his priority. Jonathan has been singing since he was 4 years old, plays several instruments, writes original music, raps, acts, and is a budding music producer. As part of the world renowned Newark Boys Chorus, Jonathan toured Portugal and Spain and sang backup for superstar recording artist Sting. He has also performed at many local community events such as the city of Newark’s Annual 24-Hours-of Peace event and the Annual Hip Hop Festival at Riverfront Park. He also wrote the song (The Drug PSA) for which Dominant Collective was chosen as the winners of the most recent N.J. Shout Down Drugs competition.
He recently released (April 2015) his first project; a 14-song mixtape entitled Sleep of Reason, which is available on iTunes and other major digital music sites. All the songs on the mixtape were written and performed by Jonathan. Jonathan has faced many challenges being raised primarily by a single parent mother, but has overcome those challenges and excels in both school and in his community. He uses music as a release and has often referred to what he does as therapeutic, a way of “working through my problems.”
Learn more about Jonathan in this week’s Spotlight Saturday.
WHAT BLOCK IV ENTERTAINMENT DOES
“Block IV Entertainment is an independent music company based out of the state of New Jersey. It was started by my stepfather, John Nieves and I. He is also the President of the company. Officially opened in January of 2016, Block IV houses one flagship artist, myself. We also create music for people of all ages and backgrounds, and work hard on quality content.”
BLOCK IV ENTERTAINMENT’S BUSINESS NICHE
“What sets us as a company, apart from our competitors is our ability to make music that is both excellent and engaging for people of all different walks of life. We're focused on seamlessly incorporating the latest technology along with proven classic elements to make music at the highest levels possible!”
HOW BLOCK IV ENTERTAINMENT GOT STARTED
“Our business began out of a hole we saw, that needed filling. My stepdad is a huge musical influence on me, and introduced me to a world of artists I had never heard, many of which I still listen to today. He began my musical search, and I continued it. I started listening to artists from all different genres at a very young age. Sometimes we struggled, trying to find music that was satisfying my creative mind, while not compromising my innocence as a child. And my stepfather believed that many other parents were in similar shoes to him, looking for wholesome content for their children to enjoy, so we decided to use our musical talents to create what we were missing.”
ADVICE TO SOMEONE PURSUING THEIR DREAMS
“The advice I'd give to anyone pursuing a dream, is become as knowledgeable and informed about whatever you are pursuing as possible. In order to become great at something, you have to know what makes something great, and what made those who did it before you great at it as well. Working smart is just as important as working hard.”
GREATEST INFLUENCE
His stepfather.
Jonathan explains: “He's helped me to discover the artist, and person I want to be in so many different ways. He helped me to develop my musical skill set, by convincing me that I can be great at as many different things as I want. In addition to that, He's also responsible for helping me to develop my work ethic, which stretches across all the things I do. Without him, I couldn't be what I am today.”
FAVORITE QUOTE
"Because the ones who are crazy enough to believe they can change the world, are the ones that do." –Steve Jobs
FAVORITE PASTIME
“In my free time, I love watching or playing basketball. It's become a passion of mine, everything from the athleticism, to the coaching, to the organizations business decisions. I believe you can learn a lot about life from analyzing it. It's an amazing game.”
IF HIS LIFE WERE A MOVIE
It would be named: "The Way We Survive".
Jonathan explains: “I would name it that because I believe that life is primarily about survival. We survive through cultivating relationships and having experiences that make life worth living. I've chosen to make art that has helped me survive, and will hopefully help others to do the same.”
ADVICE TO YOUNGER SELF
“The advice I'd give to my younger self, would be that patience and persistence are the most important things. Anything that's worth fighting for is going to be hard to get. Know that, and keep fighting, because it will all pay off, because it will make you a better person.”
WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE FUTURE
“You can expect A LOT more music. I'm constantly working on new projects. Hopefully I'll have some new material out by the end of the summer. Have a lot of great collaborations and new ventures in the works. Make sure you're on the lookout for it. I'll also be doing shows on a regular basis in the tri-state area.”