Having spent his early teen years listening to Southern rappers like T.I. and Slim Thug, Loui grew up in the College Park region of Atlanta with a love and pursuit of basketball for a time, before later turning his full attention over to music. In 2019, Loui dropped the viral hit, "Shake Dat,” which caught on in a major way via social media, largely due to a TikTok-specific remix that featured Lil Jay.
Muzikscribe: ‘No Distractions,’ featuring NLE Choppa — Tell me about this particular track; how did it actually come to fruition?
Loui: My producer sent me the beat to ‘No Distractions,’ and I just got into the moment and started freestyling about my story…and then ‘No Distractions' was conceived.
Muzikscribe: ‘No Distractions’ follows on the heels of the Saweetie assisted ‘Talkin Bout‘ — Talk to me a lil bit about this composition…
Loui: I work closely with Louis Burrell; he was the mastermind behind the song and brought Saweetie on board because he believed she would be a perfect fit for it.
Muzikscribe: As a lyricist, when you sit down to pen your rhymes where do you draw inspiration from?
Loui: I typically freestyle most of my raps. My inspiration mainly comes from my everyday experiences; I live much of what I rap about. So, my environment serves as my primary inspiration. When I hear a beat, I instinctively step into the booth, tailoring my flow to suit the vibe of the song.
Muzikscribe: Reflecting, tell me your whole inception into music -- When did you first become interested in it? And, how did it all begin for Loui?
Loui: I never really saw myself doing music. Initially, I was interested in basketball, but surrounded by friends who were into rapping; I would often join in and jokingly create raps with them. As time went on, my passion for music grew, and by the time I reached 12th grade, I started seeing rapping as a career path for myself.
Muzikscribe: Now you’re a native of Atlanta, GA, correct? So growing up in ‘A-Town,’ who all did / do you consider to be your strongest musical influences?
Loui: Growing up in Southside Atlanta had a significant impact on me. Local artists in Atlanta like T.I. and Young Booth played a major role in influencing me to pursue music.
Muzikscribe: Having said that, how do you classify your overall sound and / or style?
Loui: My sound is uniquely me, it represents my life and what I go through.
Muzikscribe: Switching gears here, what exactly do you want people to get from your music?
Loui: What I want people to get from listening to my music is the ability to listen to it anytime, anywhere, regardless of their mood or circumstances.
Muzikscribe: If you could collaborate with any one artist, living or dead, who would it be and why?
Loui: Billie Eilish and MJ; I like the versatility of their music.
Muzikscribe: If you could play any venue in the world, which one would you choose and why?
Loui: I don’t have a dream venue…I wanna headline at a major music festival.
Muzikscribe: On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of Hip Hop?
Loui: I really don’t try not to get into the current state of Hip Hop, but I got serious about rapping about five years ago, and since then, it feels like everything's shifted. Hip Hop just isn't the same as it used to be.
Muzikscribe: What do you feel has and will continue to be the key to your longevity?
Loui: Being Consistent, and always have content to share with my fans.
Muzikscribe: Do you have any other outside / additional (future) aspirations, maybe even completely away from music?
Loui: I have a streetwear clothing line called RealDealPlaya, that's something outside music I am passionate about. Basketball and gambling.
Muzikscribe: To date, what has been your biggest career moment(s), at least thus far anyway?
Loui: Participating in Wild 'n Out stands out as a significant milestone for me. As someone who grew up watching the show, I remember sitting with my cousins at my grandmother's house, watching the show. It was truly surreal and marked a special part in my journey.
Muzikscribe: What’s an average day like for you?
Loui: On an average day, my routine typically involves spending quality time with my kids, heading to the studio to work on projects, catching up with friends, and managing my clothing line business.
Muzikscribe: Please discuss how you interact with and respond to fans…
Loui: I interact a lot with my fans through social media. They could DM and they would be surprised when I reply back to them.
Muzikscribe: What is your favorite part about this line of work? Your least favorite? And, why?
Loui: My favorite part about my line of work is the relationships you can build. I work with producers, videographers and other rappers and each relationship I build can potentially lead me closer to my aspirations from where I started.
Muzikscribe: What advice would you have for someone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Loui: Make sure to leverage your connections because in today's landscape, talent alone isn't enough. It's crucial to tap into your network and resources. Stay consistent, keep creating, and capture content.
Muzikscribe: Looking ahead, say five or maybe even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?
Loui: With a Grammy or two.
Muzikscribe: As for the immediate, what's next for you, Loui?
Loui: I’m still recording and making music. I'm constantly looking ahead to see what's coming up next, and what comes after that.
Muzikscribe: Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention?
Loui: No.
Muzikscribe: Lastly, any “parting” words for our readers?
Loui: Find me on social media:
Instagram : instagram.com/koolasloui
Twitter: twitter.com/koolasloui
YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Loui41
