Pronto Valid is an alternative hip-hop artist from Chicago whose music blends honest storytelling with sounds pulled from all corners of music. His lyrics are personal, vivid, and often rooted in both his own experiences and the world around him — shaped in part by his Bosnian-American background and deep love for conscious rap.
He started writing lyrics at eleven and began performing at school talent shows not long after. By fifteen, he was recording and engineering his own music, figuring things out track by track. That hands-on approach stuck with him — today, he still records, mixes, and even produces much of his own work.
Over the years, Pronto Valid has released a number of singles, EPs, and full projects. He’s also built a solid live performance resume, opening for artists like Afroman, Kstylis, PnB Rock, Twista, Gorilla Zoe, and others. Whether it’s a small club or a larger venue, he brings the same energy and intention every time that he hits the stage.
Outside of music, he runs a podcast centered on mental health, using his platform to have real conversations that often get left out of the spotlight. With a background in Music Business and a deep commitment to his craft, Pronto Valid is still growing — and still carving out his own space.
With “UK V!BES” out now, we took some time to hear from Pronto Valid. Read below to learn more about Pronto Valid, the story behind “UK V!BES,” and what’s to come.
Hi Pronto Valid! Let’s start with how did you get your artist name?
I got my artist name from being in a group called ‘Pronto Clique.’ I went by just the name ‘Valid’ at the time, and we were trying to do something similar to the A$AP group. Eventually I ended up being the only artist left in the group, so I stuck with the full name, ‘Pronto Valid.’
What city are you from and where are you based now?
I am from Chicago, IL and am still based there!
At what point in your life did you decide to pursue a career in music? How did you get started?
I always knew that I wanted to be involved in music since hearing hip-hop music for the first time as a kid. I must have been about eleven years old when I first started trying to get involved with music. I used to play trumpet in band and taught myself how to play piano and other instruments to an extent. Shortly after, I started writing lyrics and have stuck with it ever since!
Has your upbringing played a role in shaping who you are and defining your sound today? If so, how?
It has played a big part in both. Being a first generation Bosnian-American, my upbringing was very different from that of my peers. I was born in the aftermath of the Bosnian genocide after my parents moved to the U.S. from living in refugee camps. Their stories of war and what life was like before gave me a bit of a chip on my shoulder, so I’ve always felt like I have something to prove, no matter how far I’ve come.
How would you describe your sound to readers who may not be familiar with you?
I would say my sound is conscious hip-hop with a new school flair as well as experimental. I often mix elements of different genres with hip-hop on the production side and always make sure to throw in some punchlines or wordplay of some sort, even on songs where I’m not being that serious and just having fun with it.
Do you have any hobbies outside of music? What do you do to stay creative?
Quite a few! I’ve always been into sports – basketball and MMA in particular. I used to play basketball and stopped shortly after my freshmen year of high school to pursue music more seriously in addition to working, so I could fund the marketing spend behind it. Now I just shoot hoops every now and then for fun. I’m also a gym rat, and love going hiking in mountainous terrain or forest preserves. In addition, I’m a dog lover (I have three of them) and love animals. Taking a break from music to do any of those things is essential and keeps me from overthinking or stressing over things, and allows me to more comfortably get into a creative head space.
Who are some of your main musical influences?
My biggest influences would have to be J. Cole, Vinnie Paz, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, Immortal Technique, Wu-Tang Clan, Eminem and Lupe Fiasco, although there are many others.
Who would be a dream to collaborate with?
A dream music collaboration for me would be to work with Rick Rubin. He’s all about the artistry of it and has an immaculate ear, and I feel like I could learn a lot from someone like him.
What’s one of the proudest moments of your music career so far?
My proudest moment of my music career so far has to be one of the times that I’ve opened up for bigger artists like PnB Rock, Afroman, Gorilla Zoe, Yung Bleu and others. It’s tough to really pick one, but sharing stages with bigger names in music always makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something while simultaneously giving me something to work towards.
What would you say are the greatest lessons that you’ve learned so far?
Always stay true to yourself and keep good company around you. If you hang out with losers, you will most likely become one, so try to be around successful, like-minded people who you want to see win and who also want to see you win.
Now onto your release, ‘UK V!BES.’ What inspired this song?
Honestly, I had been wanting to rap over a house beat for quite a while and one day, my friend Zeelaa sent over the beat, and I was instantly hooked. I really just wanted the song to be fun and care-free.
How did the collaboration with Zeelaa come about?
I have known Zeelaa for quite a while now. We have worked together on-and-off for nearly a decade now. He was actually the first person to give me pointers on how to start producing my own beats. We were introduced to each other by a mutual friend of ours who is also an artist, Zach Balance. I’ve always told him that he can send me a beat whenever, and I would get something to him ASAP. ‘UK V!BES’ was much the same.
What was the creative process like when making ‘UK V!BES?’ How long did it take to complete ‘UK V!BES?’
It was very quick in comparison to most of my other songs. Usually, I’ll make a beat or record something and then sit on it for a few weeks until some inspiration hits me again. For this song, it was almost instantaneous. I heard the beat after Zeelaa had sent it to me and it took me less than 2-3 days to send him back a final version.
What do you hope fans take away from your music and from ‘UK V!BES?’
I hope that they just have fun listening to it. There isn’t really any huge message behind it other than having fun and letting go of stress.
What’s next for you? Are you working on any upcoming projects, or do you have any upcoming shows that we should be on the lookout for?
I have a few shows lined up. I will be performing at the Piazza in Aurora, IL for the ‘Songs in The Sand’ event, which will be my first live outdoor show. In addition, I have performances coming up in August in Milwaukee, WI and Chicago, IL (exact dates and venues TBA). You can find tickets on bandsintown.com! Other than that, I have another single that I am planning on rolling out with fellow artist Javon 773, as well as a boom-bap themed EP some time in September.
Where can we follow you on social media?
You can find me on everywhere @prontovalid (Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, etc.). This is my Linktree where you can find the links to all of the above and more: https://linktr.ee/ProntoValid.
Thank you for the great interview; wish you much continued success!
