Jordan York is no stranger to the hustle of making your dreams come true while making time for things that are important to him. Read our interview as we break down his debut single “Local Legend,” his collaboration with Jimmie Ross and how he’s impacting his community every single day!
Tell us more about your upcoming single “Local Legend.” Do you have any ideas yet on what the visuals would look like?
Local Legend is me showcasing everything I have been through and everything I was able to do the past 10 years in my career. I feel a lot of my older music is gimmicky and fun but with this I wanted to come strong and showcase what I’m capable of doing. As far as the music video, I am shooting it with Daymon Long who is the videographer for the University of Pittsburgh women’s basketball team. We have some great ideas and can’t wait to get started in the next few weeks, but I’ll keep that a surprise for everyone when it drops.
What’s the inspiration behind “Local Legend”?
The inspiration behind Local Legend is basically me being able to make a name for myself in the city with hard work and being able to network and meet sports athletes and influential people, who I look up to in the city of Pittsburgh and I now consider my friends.
Growing up in Pittsburgh, how did the music scene affect your journey as an artist?
Pittsburgh is a tough city for entertainment, it has a lot of talented people, but since it’s smaller it doesn’t have as many opportunities as bigger cities such as New York, Chicago or LA. But I feel with hard work anything is possible. I always stayed in my own lane and did what I wanted to do, and I think that’s what makes me a successful artist in the city. Creating your own brand and running with it.
What influenced you to pursue music? When did you feel inspired to start sharing your music with the world?
It all started off as me just free-styling and having fun with friends, but when my neighbor Anton Bachman came home from college we got together and he started producing my music and making beats. Eventually we put it online and from there it turned into us doing shows in the city and I eventually toured up and down the East Coast, sharing the stage with some of the biggest names in the music industry, and being featured on various television and radio outlets.
Who are your biggest music influences?
A lot of the old school influenced me through music, the true pioneers such as Jay-Z, Slick Rick and Outkast, but I would say my father Tim is my biggest influence musically. He was always into music growing up so I grew up listening to Michael Jackson, The Temptations & Boyz ll Men.
What do you hope listeners feel when they listen to your music?
I hope they just feel my passion, I enjoy inspiring people. When I take the stage I am in a different world and I hope with my new music they feel it.
“BLUE COLLAR” feat. Jimmie Ross of “The Jaggerz” is a great representation of your artistry as a rapper. How did this collaboration come together?
The Blue Collar song came about because I wanted a radio single but I wanted to do it with someone who was respected musically here in Pittsburgh. One of my Favorite songs is “The Rapper” by The Jaggerz so I decided to reach out to Jimmie Ross who is the lead singer of the group, he got back to me and two weeks later we were in the studio together. The song was in rotation on over 80 radio stations worldwide and it is one of my favorite collaborations I’ve done in my career so far. Jimmie is such a great guy and a Pittsburgh Legend, these are memories I will never forget.
You were named 2 x Pittsburgh Best Pop Artist, what was that experience like for you?
Being recognized as one of the best in your city is a true honor for an artist. As an independent artist it means alot to be named the best 2 times in a row. We put countless hours in daily to promote and master our craft so it was truly an honor to get recognized and receive this award.
Will you be releasing any other songs later this year?
Yes I plan to release “Local Legend” right before summer. This will be my main single that I push leading up to my album release this Fall/Winter 2020.
You also volunteer around your community at numerous events and charities around western Pennsylvania. What is it about volunteering that inspires you to give back to your community?
I really enjoy volunteering with various organizations. What’s most rewarding is knowing I am doing something positive to the city to help make Pittsburgh a better place. I am always looking for new ways to help and dedicate time to people who may need it.
What’s one thing you hope to accomplish by the end of the year?
I hope to continue to put out quality music and make an impact in the city of Pittsburgh, I always have something, I’m working on from Sports, Community or Music. You never know what can happen with hard work.
