01Profile
A Louis VI Photo
Louis VI
Musician — London
03Interview
Describe your style in three words?
Misfit Mafia Soul.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
D’Angelo at Hammersmith Apollo. Was actually like going to a church of soul. Everyone came dressed in their best clothes, it was all seated but everyone was standing up, me and my DJ Chux were dancing, singing along and some guy comes a stands to my right, joining in with us and I look casually to see wagwan, and do a double take cose it’s only Mos Def aka Yasiin Bey. I then needed a piss and was worried I was gonna miss a banger like Spanish Joint or something so I ran, just as D’Angelo came out into the crowd and I ran right into him. That’s musically one of my biggest inspirations so that was propa effed.
If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Nirvana and Outkast.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
Khalil Joseph films, Until The Quiet Comes changed my life and put my mind in a new planet that I’ve never come back from. The subculture of Jazz, not just the music but the dark, maroon and greens smokey room. I don’t know if you call it a subculture but the natural world. I’m someone that is happiest outdoors, in awe of something wild and natural.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Andre 3000, I have a lot to ask him. Like how many times does it take him to record and does he have just one writing method or a thousand. How does get himself in the place to write the best verse on any track he touches.
Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
Jazz Café because even though it’s a big audience it feels intimate, you feel like you vibrating with everyone there and the atmosphere now they done it up glows. It’s like that Jazz culture aesthetic I was talking about. Atmosphere and sound is everything for me when I perform. It’s never not been a vibe and that’s my home turf venue as a C-town brotha.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Roots Manuva - maybe the most unique and genre reinventing rapper to ever come out of the UK. He was the first to be British to the bone, but true to hip-hop on the mic, he brought Brixton London Caribbean vibes to hip-hop.
Louis VI, one half of hip-hop group OthaSoul and a born and raised Londoner. Louis taught himself to play multiple musical instruments, ranging from trumpet to keys and jazz drums all of which influenced his rapping technique and production style. His latest single 'Confidence' Feat. Nubya Garcia is out now.
02Playlist
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
'NY State of Mind' - Nas. I know every lyric.
A song that defines the teenage you?
'Spaceship' - Kanye West
One record you would keep forever?
'Illmatic' - Nas. I’ve been listening to it as a kid and still learning more from it. There’s not one song on there that doesn’t mean something to me.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
"A lousy job, how's he God if he lets Lucifer let loose on us?
That noose on us won't loosen up but loose enough to juice us up
Make us think we do so much and do it big Like they don't let us win, I can't pretend
But I do admit, it feel good when the hood pseudo-celebrate
Hence, why every time we dine we eat until our belly aches
Then go grab the finest wine and drink it
Like we know which grape and which region it came from
As if we can name 'em, hint hint, it ain't, um, Welch's"
- André 3000 in '16 Ain’t Enough'
A song you wished you had written?
Outkast - 'So Fresh So Clean' or Kendrick Lamar - 'Ignorance Is Bliss'
Best song to turn up loud?
'What’s Yo Phone Number' - Erykah Badu or '07 Levitate' - Kendrick Lamar
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow' - The Soggy Bottom Boys (Oh Brother, Where art thou?)
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
James Brown - 'I Got You (I Feel Good)' - Extended Version
Best song to end an all-nighter?
'Red Rum Melody' - Tiffany Gouché
Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Really Really like J.I.D and EARTHGANG at the moment.
J.I.D - 'NEVER'
EARTHGANG - 'Artificial'
03Interview
Describe your style in three words?
Misfit Mafia Soul.
What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
D’Angelo at Hammersmith Apollo. Was actually like going to a church of soul. Everyone came dressed in their best clothes, it was all seated but everyone was standing up, me and my DJ Chux were dancing, singing along and some guy comes a stands to my right, joining in with us and I look casually to see wagwan, and do a double take cose it’s only Mos Def aka Yasiin Bey. I then needed a piss and was worried I was gonna miss a banger like Spanish Joint or something so I ran, just as D’Angelo came out into the crowd and I ran right into him. That’s musically one of my biggest inspirations so that was propa effed.
If you could be on the line up with any two bands in history?
Nirvana and Outkast.
Which subcultures have influenced you?
Khalil Joseph films, Until The Quiet Comes changed my life and put my mind in a new planet that I’ve never come back from. The subculture of Jazz, not just the music but the dark, maroon and greens smokey room. I don’t know if you call it a subculture but the natural world. I’m someone that is happiest outdoors, in awe of something wild and natural.
If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
Andre 3000, I have a lot to ask him. Like how many times does it take him to record and does he have just one writing method or a thousand. How does get himself in the place to write the best verse on any track he touches.
Of all the venues you’ve played, which is your favourite?
Jazz Café because even though it’s a big audience it feels intimate, you feel like you vibrating with everyone there and the atmosphere now they done it up glows. It’s like that Jazz culture aesthetic I was talking about. Atmosphere and sound is everything for me when I perform. It’s never not been a vibe and that’s my home turf venue as a C-town brotha.
Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
Roots Manuva - maybe the most unique and genre reinventing rapper to ever come out of the UK. He was the first to be British to the bone, but true to hip-hop on the mic, he brought Brixton London Caribbean vibes to hip-hop.
Louis VI, one half of hip-hop group OthaSoul and a born and raised Londoner. Louis taught himself to play multiple musical instruments, ranging from trumpet to keys and jazz drums all of which influenced his rapping technique and production style. His latest single 'Confidence' Feat. Nubya Garcia is out now.
04Playlist Notes
The first track you played on repeat?
'NY State of Mind' - Nas. I know every lyric.
A song that defines the teenage you?
'Spaceship' - Kanye West
One record you would keep forever?
'Illmatic' - Nas. I’ve been listening to it as a kid and still learning more from it. There’s not one song on there that doesn’t mean something to me.
A song lyric that has inspired you?
"A lousy job, how's he God if he lets Lucifer let loose on us?
That noose on us won't loosen up but loose enough to juice us up
Make us think we do so much and do it big Like they don't let us win, I can't pretend
But I do admit, it feel good when the hood pseudo-celebrate
Hence, why every time we dine we eat until our belly aches
Then go grab the finest wine and drink it
Like we know which grape and which region it came from
As if we can name 'em, hint hint, it ain't, um, Welch's"
- André 3000 in '16 Ain’t Enough'
A song you wished you had written?
Outkast - 'So Fresh So Clean' or Kendrick Lamar - 'Ignorance Is Bliss'
Best song to turn up loud?
'What’s Yo Phone Number' - Erykah Badu or '07 Levitate' - Kendrick Lamar
A song people wouldn’t expect you to like?
'I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow' - The Soggy Bottom Boys (Oh Brother, Where art thou?)
The song that would get you straight on the dance floor?
James Brown - 'I Got You (I Feel Good)' - Extended Version
Best song to end an all-nighter?
'Red Rum Melody' - Tiffany Gouché
Any new bands you are into at the moment?
Really Really like J.I.D and EARTHGANG at the moment.
J.I.D - 'NEVER'
EARTHGANG - 'Artificial'