1. A Chr… Read Full Bio ↴There are multiple artists that perform under the name Pro:
1. A Christian hip-hop artist from Nashville, TN (Born: Derek Johnson Jr - see full bio below)
2. A hip-hop artist from Burlington, VT (Born Brian McVey - Pro is a Burlington Vermont based MC that has been releasing dependable boom-bap since 2005. As a co-founder of The Aztext, Pro collaborated with Mac Lethal, !llmind, Shuko, Craig G, Wordsworth, and Romanian emcee Doc. In 2018, Pro co-founded GOOD WTHR, which was named as one of Music Connection Magazine's Top Prospects of 2018.)
(Artist #1 Bio)
Pro recalls using a bunk bed as a mic stand before turning 21 and signing a record deal with an independent label...
The appeal of southern Hip Hop has long been country vernacular over crunk beats that keep heads bangin’ and bodies movin’. While the head bangers and dance anthems haven’t ceased, in recent years, authentic Hip Hop and true lyricism have taken a back seat to commercial success. In steps Pro; while not on a mission to resurrect real southern Hip Hop--having been redeemed and commissioned to influence the culture--Pro certainly brings a nostalgia for what was and a hope for what is to come, as part of a greater movement infiltrating Hip Hop with a powerful message.
Born Derek Johnson Jr. in Pontiac, MI, Pro relocated to Tennessee with his mom at a young age, which meant more distance between him and an already detached father. After moving, Pro and his new stepfather’s relationship was plagued by an ever-growing tension, as he had grown accustomed to being the man of the house and helping to raise his younger sister. Beyond that, he knew his step-dad was consuming drugs while Pro’s strict, devoutly Christian mother was juggling a rigorous work schedule and life at home. As Pro watched her struggle, he decided that, once he could, he would save money and become rich through education or music.
Music had always been a part of his environment growing up, as Gospel songs flooded the house and his mom sung in the choir and around the city. But it was Pro’s dad, a jazz musician, who would supply him with the inspiration to actually pursue a career in music. When Pro was 12, on a summer visit to his dad’s house, he started rapping about God and adolescence over beats his dad produced with his new ASR-10. That summer, he was also introduced to DJ Quick and 2pac and headed home with a stack of tapes filled with different beats--the stage had been set.
After a visit to Middle Tennessee State University at 15, Pro was convinced that he wanted to enroll in the music program there and someday make his ambitions a reality. His mom joined the cause by buying him his own production equipment; by the time he entered college, he was in a rap duo and had gotten a job to pay for studio time. In relentless pursuit of his dream, Pro recalls using a bunk bed as a mic stand before turning 21 and signing a record deal with an independent label. While on the label, he released a mix tape, but the company folded and life began taking a morbid turn. Removed from the dos and don’ts of his strict home, Pro reveled in the forbidden. Music, women and money became idols in his life until “the season of death” woke him up.
Within a short time span, Pro lost his grandfather, grandmother and godmother. As a result, he began to understand that life was fleeting; growing weary, he cried out to God and surrendered his life and talents. Some time later, after forming Reflection Music Group with his friend Doc Watson, he released his debut album The Black Out, on which he wrestled with being East Coast or Southern; and cocky, yet still Christian. The album wasn’t received well within Christian circles, so Pro took a break from rapping long enough to be challenged and influenced by two guys he met at his new church. “Lecrae and BJ challenged me to let the Gospel truly affect my heart,” he recalls, and as he did, his perspectives and artistic style were completely changed.
Since then, Pro has collaborated on several noteworthy projects and released PSA, a mix tape he calls his first full-length installment of mature Christian music; Redemption; and PSA Vol. 2. His second album, Redemption, debuted at No. 3 on the iTunes Gospel chart and No.8 on Billboard Gospel, while also topping other mainstream and Gospel charts. With the success of his sophomore album and the growing popularity of tracks he has either produced or been featured on, Pro has established a unique presence in CHH. As the opening act for the “Unashamed Tour” in 2010, Pro won over audiences around the country with his amplifying performances and gritty lyrics. His latest release, PSA Vol. 2, is the second installment in an ongoing series of topically diverse, sonically evolving and authentically Hip Hop music that also introduces listeners to upcoming Reflection artists.
A self-described blue-collar artist, Pro embraces his ability to get listeners amped, but ultimately, he wants them to feel and be inspired to pursue something greater than themselves. He currently resides in Nashville, TN where he is an active member of Fellowship Bible Church along with his wife. And while his popularity grows with each release, past experiences have taught him that, “Peace is more important than anything,” so his enduring ambition and motivation to continue making quality music is simply to glorify God with his life.
Man Up Anthem
Pro Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Momma want some more Obama in me
The hood want PAC hip hop
Wanna see the Common in me
And since it's a senseless contradiction
I end up a misfit trying fit in
This ends when I stand up
Holy is the lamb (Holy is the Lamb)
Now we holding you to man up 'cause we were made
In his image start looking at what you came from.
Right after Adam every atom in our anatomy had to make
Adamant after what Adonai is against
Let me take you back to the tree and Eden,
If you read it you'd see that Eve was deceived,
But Adam's the one who let her eat it (Man up)
Standing leading no, we ain't leading we (Bump that)
Basically little boys with muscles and a mustache!
The femininity, we need a remedy that God made a
100 percent masculinity
We the last, yeah
Where the men at, seems like they all lost,
None of them are on the scene, seems like they died off.
They extinct but my dream is to rise up,
We chasing the prize of the King, the divine boss,
But we fell away, now we ungodly
We lose and we really got the blues like Navi,
I want to celebrate the dudes that's beside me.
Fellas let's elevate, we through with the lies man.
They lie, go ahead say boy get your shine on
If a sucker try to block you get your 9 on
And what I heard you gotta do to be a man now,
Stand up for yourself so I took it in my hands now.
And that's the problem man we busy trying to solve it
All the while we walking dead man somebody bring the coffin, boy drop
Peach fuzz now you think that your a man 'cause you feeling yourself
You need to man up!
Sex and models and tippin' bottles
Pack a pile of excuses right next to your bottle caps
A Rolodex filled with names that you aim to please
Next to the stack of money buildin' up a heart of greed
Ice on his neck, givin' jokers the cold shoulder
You drunk off pride plus you loving the hangover
You gotta whole lotta stuff that won't amount to gain
Life will never make sense because you never made change
We got it twisted, sick like a fever
Lil' man live to stack dough, Keebler
Man up, get up out of that treehouse
Leave them cookies alone, it's time to eat meat now
Tryna show you a new way to live now
No charge, you can call it a freestyle
Without Christ you won't know what a man is
You a boy in a man's body like Tom Hanks in Big
Being a man got nothin' to do with age
You can be a boy 'til the day you lay in your grave
None of us behave like the image of who we're made
'Cause we fallen the ways it's better known as depraved
Running from responsibility really we crave
The easy way out of places that call us to pull our weight
Man they blowing through every day decisions are made
Responding to the call God's giving 'em from the gate
Man up!
Let the process begin, separate the boys from the men
Man up!
Doesn't matter how you started partner, it's about how you end
Man up!
Jesus is the model follow us we go follow him
Man up!
We-we the last of a dying breed it's time that we
Man up!
"Man Up Anthem" by Pro is a call-to-action for men who have lost their way due to societal pressures and lack of guidance. The song criticizes the contradictory expectations placed on men, such as wanting them to be more like Obama, Tupac, and Common simultaneously. Pro argues that true masculinity is found in following the example of Jesus Christ and embracing responsibility, leadership, and self-sacrifice. Pro also acknowledges the tendency of men to fall into sins such as greed, pride, and sexual immorality, and encourages them to repent and turn towards God. The song calls for men to "man up" and take control of their lives, relationships, and destinies.
Line by Line Meaning
Momma want some more Obama in me
People want me to be like someone else instead of being myself.
The hood want PAC hip hop
People expect me to conform to a certain stereotype in my music.
Wanna see the Common in me
People want me to fit their idea of what a man should be.
And since it's a senseless contradiction
Trying to fit into others' expectations will always be a losing battle.
I end up a misfit trying fit in
By trying to fit in, I forget who I truly am and become a misfit.
This ends when I stand up
Freedom from others' expectations begins with standing up for who I am.
And see the hands that are standard
I must look to God's standards for guidance.
Holy is the lamb (Holy is the Lamb)
God is holy and His standards are what truly matter.
Now we holding you to man up 'cause we were made
In his image start looking at what you came from.
As humans made in God's image, we need to focus on our true identity and live according to His standards.
Right after Adam every atom in our anatomy had to make
Adamant after what Adonai is against
Since Adam's sin, we must be intentional about avoiding sin and following God's ways.
Let me take you back to the tree and Eden,
If you read it you'd see that Eve was deceived,
But Adam's the one who let her eat it (Man up)
We need to take responsibility for our actions, instead of blaming others or leaving them to take the fall.
Standing leading no, we ain't leading we (Bump that)
Basically little boys with muscles and a mustache!
Many men may look like adults, but they act like children and lack true leadership qualities.
The femininity, we need a remedy that God made a
100 percent masculinity
God created men and women to be different, and we need to embrace the masculinity He designed us to have.
We the last, yeah
Where the men at, seems like they all lost,
None of them are on the scene, seems like they died off.
True men seem to be rare these days, and many have abandoned their responsibilities.
They extinct but my dream is to rise up,
We chasing the prize of the King, the divine boss,
Our goal should be to become true men who follow God's standards instead of conforming to worldly expectations.
But we fell away, now we ungodly
We lose and we really got the blues like Navi,
By abandoning God's ways, we lose sight of our true identity and feel purposeless and unhappy.
I want to celebrate the dudes that's beside me.
Fellas let's elevate, we through with the lies man.
We need to encourage and lift each other up as we strive to become true men who follow God's ways.
They lie, go ahead say boy get your shine on
If a sucker try to block you get your 9 on
And what I heard you gotta do to be a man now,
Stand up for yourself so I took it in my hands now.
The world tells us to be aggressive and violent to prove our manhood, but true manhood involves standing up for ourselves in a way that follows God's ways.
And that's the problem man we busy trying to solve it
All the while we walking dead man somebody bring the coffin, boy drop
Peach fuzz now you think that your a man 'cause you feeling yourself
You need to man up!
We are so focused on trying to fit in or impress others that we forget who we truly are, and we need to remember to stay true to ourselves and God's ways.
Sex and models and tippin' bottles
Pack a pile of excuses right next to your bottle caps
A Rolodex filled with names that you aim to please
Next to the stack of money buildin' up a heart of greed
The world encourages us to chase after pleasure and materialism, but these things only lead to emptiness and lack of true fulfillment.
Ice on his neck, givin' jokers the cold shoulder
You drunk off pride plus you loving the hangover
You gotta whole lotta stuff that won't amount to gain
Life will never make sense because you never made change
Focusing on superficial things like pride and material possessions will only lead to heartache and lack of purpose.
We got it twisted, sick like a fever
Lil' man live to stack dough, Keebler
Man up, get up out of that treehouse
Leave them cookies alone, it's time to eat meat now
We've allowed ourselves to be deceived by the false idea that chasing after pleasure and comfort will bring us fulfillment, but true manhood involves sacrificing comfort for the sake of true purpose.
Tryna show you a new way to live now
No charge, you can call it a freestyle
Without Christ you won't know what a man is
You a boy in a man's body like Tom Hanks in Big
True manhood comes from following Christ's ways and finding purpose in Him, rather than conforming to worldly expectations and pursuits.
Being a man got nothin' to do with age
You can be a boy 'til the day you lay in your grave
None of us behave like the image of who we're made
'Cause we fallen the ways it's better known as depraved
True manhood has nothing to do with age, but rather it involves following God's ways and living according to our true identity as His creation.
Running from responsibility really we crave
The easy way out of places that call us to pull our weight
Man they blowing through every day decisions are made
Responding to the call God's giving 'em from the gate
Many men try to avoid responsibility and take the easy way out, but true manhood involves accepting responsibility and leading by taking action in response to God's calling.
Let the process begin, separate the boys from the men
Doesn't matter how you started partner, it's about how you end
Jesus is the model follow us we go follow him
We-we the last of a dying breed it's time that we
Man up!
We need to start the process of becoming true men by following Jesus' example, regardless of where we started. It's time for us to man up to become the last of a dying breed of true men who follow God's ways.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., MUSIC SERVICES, INC.
Written by: Amisho Baraka Lewis, Andrew Aaron Mineo, Derek Johnson, John Williams, Kevin Elijah Burgess, Le Crae Devaughn Moore, Tedashii Anderson, William Lee Barefield
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@xavierclemons337
Reach Records LOVE IT!
@arieslordzodiac9473
Reach Records i loved lecreace book so deep spoke to me
@gamerbeast1012
Reach Records #116ForLIFE!
@candicehayes9601
Correct, subscribe!!!!!!!!!@
@YKIMPetje95
follow us, We "can" follow him? wierd text, just saying
@tone5037
Heard this for the 1st time in prison, serving a 25 year bid, a lot of these Christian artists have great messages, definitely helped me thru some serious shit, God bless
@mike4real935
Hope your doing well my brother
@jesuschristlivesforever7380
The Lord's love conquers all. Romans 8, 2 Corinthians 1 + 2.
God bless you.
@threwest6076
Amen that is great brother. I never knew christian music existed. God's anointing is on christian music and the lyrics come back to us sometimes when we go through hard times. Could be the right lyric that changes everything and pulls us out of the devil's trap.