Don Lifted: Flying High

Lawrence Mathews III, better known by his stage name Don Lifted, is a Memphis born, raised, and based musician, lyricist, and rapper whose latest debut album titled 325i has brought him much critical acclaim in the Hip Hop industry over the last year. Today, he performs, produces, and writes music in what he has termed a genre-agnostic way, whereby he creates atmospheric productions that bring together his diverse musical influences such as Bon Iver, Radiohead, and some of the biggest names in Hip Hop.

While he has become well known as a musician and songwriter over the last year, those who know Don Lifted know him to be an experienced multidisciplinary artist whose visual art has been displayed in galleries and museums across the mid-south. His visual art pieces portray the diffuse struggle-filled narratives of the African-American experience of living in America.

Today. Mathews is the Gallery Director of an art gallery and non-profit organization known as TONE, which is dedicated to providing platforms for Memphis-based African-American artists. His work for the African-American artistic community in Memphis has earned him the position of a community figure, as many people see him as a beacon of hope and inspiration.

While growing up in Memphis' Shelby County, Mathews began writing poetry and lyrics in middle school. His family encouraged him to become an artist at an early age. His diverse range of artistic influences soon manifested into his musical and visual art enterprises and projects. After experimenting with various artistic pursuits, Mathews eventually came into his own and began creating work ranging from music, film, performances, art installations, and visual art.

Mathew's artistic pursuits' multidisciplinary nature is also reflected in his musical pursuits, which cannot easily be constrained to a single genre. Today, under the stage name Don Lifted, Mathews brings together a diverse range of genres to express his musical standpoint, including alternative rock, Hip Hop, R&B, and electronic music. Meanwhile, his lyrical style is emotionally mature yet vulnerable, as he weaves his words as if he is telling a story through his songs.

In 2017, Don Lifted founded his own music label, which he called "Stonington Drive Records," under which he released his debut Alero, an album that stands as one of the bravest and most important contemporary attempts to forge a Hip Hop album by a young Memphis-based artist.

In 2021, Don Lifted released his second studio album titled 325i with Fat Possum Records. The ambient rap album features a refined version, both sonically and lyrically, of the Don Lifted that fans had come to recognize through his previous musical pursuits. Although his previous musical influences still come through in 325i, the artist has sharpened his sound and voice, showing himself as a mature producer and songwriter.

Don Lifted has certainly proven himself to be a young artist worth watching out for. As he continues to immerse himself in his multidisciplinary artistic pursuits, many expect the future of Don Lifted to present a highly sophisticated yet experimental artistic journey for many years to come.