About
Music with a message
Upstormed Records is the music company of Upstormed Inc, founded by Jonathan Anthony Burkett.
Our story
Built from the storm
Upstormed Records started with one artist and one belief: that every storm can be a starting point for growth. Jonathan Anthony Burkett founded the label to release his own music, beginning in 2014 with “One Life” featuring Ambelique.
Since then the label has released the album Born To Make It, the EP Life As I Know It and Upstormed Records, a 25-track collection of the label’s catalog, working with vocalists and artists including Elisa Polanco, My-Kul Leeric, Troyton, Michael Pashalian, Kiarrah Guerra and Kristin Nicole.
Our music mixes hip hop, soul and reggae, and every song carries the same message: change is hard but necessary, keep moving forward, and never give up on your dreams.
The studio
Where the music is made
A look inside the studio, where Upstormed Records sessions come to life.
The Upstormed family
One company, many voices
Upstormed Inc
The parent company.
Upstormed Shop
Fashion, home and his books.
Jonathan Anthony Burkett
The founder’s personal site: books, poems, music.
Upstormed Family Magazine
Culture, people, travel and life.
Press kit
Upstormed Records is the independent label founded in 2013 by Jonathan Anthony Burkett to release music with a message. It blends hip hop, soul and reggae with songs about faith, change and never giving up, starting with “One Life” featuring Ambelique in 2014 and continuing with “Changes” featuring Polancapop (2018), “Born To Make It” and the EP Life As I Know It (2024). The label is part of Upstormed Inc, headquartered in New York.
Key facts
- Label: Upstormed Records, part of Upstormed Inc
- Founded: 2013 by Jonathan Anthony Burkett; first release 2014
- Genres: hip hop, soul, reggae
- Selected releases: “One Life” feat. Ambelique (2014), “Changes” feat. Polancapop (2018), “Born To Make It”, Life As I Know It EP (2024), the 25-track collection (2024)
- Contact: contact@upstormed.com
In the press
- November 3, 2026: Upstormed launches UpstormedShop.com, one home for all ten Upstormed stores. TheBuzzBlast’s coverage report lists the release on 1,255 media outlets, including The Associated Press and FOX, NBC, ABC and CBS stations. Read more on upstormed.com
- July 2018: Hot Indie News reviews “Changes” feat. Polancapop. Read the review
Writing about Jonathan? His full press kit is at jonathanburkett.com.
Featured coverage
Stories about Upstormed Records artist Jonathan Burkett. Each link opens the story on the outlet’s own site.
New Music: Johnathan Burkett Releases Latest EP “One Life”
I Am Hip-Hop Magazine, August 1, 2019
The magazine announced the One Life EP, made with reggae artist Ambelique, with remixes in dub, EDM and house styles and a message of hope drawn from hard times.
Burkett Takes Personal Life Challenges and Turns Them Into Musical Motivation
HipHopOnDeck, September 2016
A profile of how Jonathan turned the hardest parts of his life into music, from the single One Life to his book about his childhood.
Every storm can be a starting point for growth.
Upstormed
