LOKS PROJECTSMusic is a reflection of self. The sounds a person creates are manifestations of their influences, their passions, their desires. When you hear the music of the Loks Projects, not only can you feel the presence of musical genius, but you understand that greatness comes from where you least expect it.Born in Lisbon, Portugal, the Loks, a.k.a. Pedro Lelis , began his career in hip-hop in a slightly different manner than that of your run-of-the-mill American producer. After living most of his childhood in Cape Verde, Africa, Loks moved back to Europe at age 18. Growing up alone meant finding himself involved with the wrong types of people, desperate to find attention in a world filled with greed, hatred, and lust. Loks soon turned to Graffiti Art to channel his individuality and creativity. As he garnered more attention to his name, Loks soon found himself lured into local freestyle battles. He admired this art form immensely, but little did he know that these experiences would serve as bedrock for his career pursuit.A FRESH STARTLoks found himself drawn to this new idea, this hip-hop movement that had taken hold of the youth of America and Europe and which played such a pivotal role in giving his inspiration a positive outlet. It was in 1999 that the Loks met a talented collection of artists called “Wella Projects,†extremely fresh faces on the music scene, but a group who lacked a producer to create original music for them. Loks saw this encounter as a chance to not only help an immensely talented musical act, but a way to allow his own talent to shine. After humble beginnings producing music on a Playstation game, Loks eventually invested in a Roland Grovebox and got to work on the “Wella Projects†debut album. The 2000 record, entitled “Projects,†featured Loks as the exclusive producer on every track. “Projects†was a success on Portugal’s underground scene, thanks to its musical originality and lyrical content.The success of “Projects†afforded the Loks the opportunity to work with several bigger names in Portugal in 2001, including Forca Suprema, Chullage and Sam the Kid. With the opportunity to shine in his home country limited, Loks decided to move to the United Kingdom in 2003. A trying period in his life and career would follow, as being in a new and unknown country proved much more difficult than he had imagined; poor living conditions forced Loks to hustle for money in various ways. But what does not kill us makes us stronger; Loks’ struggles gave him focus, as he invested more time, effort and money into his music than ever before.Loks soon began recruiting artists for his own album, to be released via Loks Productions. After searching areas such as London, Nottingham and Newcastle, Loks worked with UK artists GarZ and Ljay on individual projects. Loks found the English public less appreciative of his American, African, and Portuguese-influenced, hip-hop sound. But through the beauty of the internet, this producer was able to expand to places he had only dreamed, places and people that take one listen to his beats and can hear hit songs instantly.EXPANSIONLoks utilized websites such as Soundclick.com and Myspace.com to network with artists thousands of miles away. Several talented Miami acts soon took notice of Loks’ distinct sound, and he soon began production with The Street Juggernauts, LMS, Candace, The Magic City Hustlaz, J-Dubb and more. Loks has also expanded his name to Canada with Jamila B., a talented singer who has opened for The Clipse.Loks brings a fresh sound to the table, influenced by various cultures and distinguished from other producers. His talent is undeniable and his music gives you the inspiration to reach out to every audience. Please listen to what this producer has to offer; you will not be disappointed.“The only thing that comes to a sleeping man is dreams.â€
- Tupac ShakurFor more information on the Loks Productions, please contact Loks at
[email protected], please make sure to check out these sites:www.soundclick.com/loksprojects or www.myspace.com/loksproductions.