ABOUT

Pronto Valid is an upcoming Hip-Hop artist from Chicago, IL. His unique sound includes a diverse mix of elements from various genres of music paired with honest and descriptive lyricism. His sonic palette is diverse and aims to incorporate stories from his own first-hand experiences and others to relate to his listeners.

Influenced by artists like Lupe Fiasco, J. Cole, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, and many others - Conscious Rap and Hip-Hop caught his attention the most. As he delved more into the genre and the different styles within it, he began to form his own unique sound.

His first experiences with music outside of listening to it were early on in elementary school. He was taught the basics of the trumpet, drums, piano, and the infamous recorder. Although never classically trained, his urge for creativity and perfection drove him to learn popular children's songs on these instruments - on his own. He would share these songs by performing to professors and classmates, and from these experiences, he saw music now as a new world of expression.

At the age of 11, he began writing his first song lyrics and signed up for talent shows to hone his skills as a live performer. At 15 he began recording and engineering his own music, where he discovered the beauty of being fully in control of his own craft - a practice which he continues to this day, and which inspired him to also become a producer. He continued his education by earning a bachelor's degree in Music Business while continuously releasing new music all throughout high school and college.

Now 24, he has released multiple albums/EPs and singles, has performed multiple shows on large and small stages, runs a podcast series focused on mental health, and continues to grow and develop as an artist.


AN OPEN LETTER...

Hello -

My name is Haris Jaganjac - known better as Pronto Valid - and I’ve been making music since I was 11 years old. I make Hip-Hop music with elements of various genres on the production side. I go by the belief that my music speaks for itself, and that I don't have to tell you everything through a message when you would rather listen to the music. However...there are certain elements of my story, and myself as a person, that are essential for you to know about to truly understand me as an artist.

I'm a first-generation Bosnian-American from Chicago, IL. Like many other bosnians, my parents came to Chicago in the late 90’s after escaping the war and ethnic cleansing targeted towards Muslims that was happening in Bosnia at the time. Although I didn’t physically have to go through their struggle, I vividly recall my parents and others in my family talking about the horror stories that they went through, the people they lost, and how they survived - which influenced my life perspective from an early age. It was hard for me to trust others as a result and I would often avoid topics dealing with my culture/heritage altogether in order to slip past those types of conversations. Over time, this distrust in people turned into bad habits that led me down a dark path without me realizing at first. Throughout my life, I had to fight to overcome conflicts from within and without.

My music is all about the human condition. I speak about battling through personal issues we've all dealt with - like addiction and heartbreak - and how I've had to overcome both multiple times in order to pursue a better version of myself. Like many people I also battled through adversity in my youth and was blackballed by peers early on. Whether it was for the clothes I wore, or the way I acted, the music I listened to, or simply for being an oddball, I never truly felt like I could fit in. Despite all of that, I was able to build bridges that wouldn't have existed years ago. I’ve made friends out of adversaries and vice-versa, to say the least. These experiences, along with other life events, shaped me into the person and artist that I am today and continue to shape me as I forge my path. This is me, and these are my experiences. I hope you enjoy listening to my music as much as I enjoy making it, and I hope you connect to my story as if it were your own.

- Pronto Valid