In the vibrant world of hip-hop and electronic music, few artists are as dedicated, dynamic, and innovative as Louie Letdown. Seamlessly blending the worlds of rapping and DJing, Louie has carved out a niche that is both creatively his own and incredibly refreshing. In a scene overflowing with talent, Louie believes his uniqueness lies in his approach to performance. We caught up with him to dive into his influences, creative process, and the magic that happens when he takes the stage. He’s truly an artist to be watching right now. Trust us, he won’t let you down on this one!
Emily Lamoreaux, Electric Hawk: You move seamlessly between rapping and DJing so I’m curious…Who were your earliest influences on both sides of that coin?
Louie: I grew up listening to a lot of southern rappers like Gucci, Lil Wayne, Waka Flocka, Starlito, and many others. As I got older, I gravitated towards jazzier, more mellow rappers/artists like Mick Jenkins, Saba, Anderson Paak, and Joey Badass. I’m a huge Hip Hop nerd so there are many that I’m leaving off that list, but those are a few notable rappers that shaped my music taste.
As for DJing, or producing, Pretty Lights is easily my all time favorite producer. His music was a major part of my introduction to electronic music, and he has an extremely eclectic catalog. I respect the fact that he keeps his sets fresh and gives his fans a different show everytime. A few other producers that I really dig are Manic Focus, Homemade Spaceship, Swum, rSUN, and of course Marvel Years. ProbCause is also a big influence in both worlds; I’ve been listening to his music since The Recipe Volume 2.
EL: What has it been like blending the two?
Louie: I started off just as a rapper. I didn’t know how to DJ or scratch, but I had been rapping since I was a kid and always loved writing verses. I learned how to scratch during the COVID lockdown and discovered my love for mixing in early 2021. I combined my DJ and rap set for the first time in 2022 and never looked back. DJing has opened me up to so many gigs I otherwise wouldn’t have gotten the chance to play. That said, I’ll always be a rapper at heart. There’s no feeling that compares to sharing lyrics you wrote with a crowded room that cares enough to listen. Also, if you listen to my music on the streamers, it’s all rap.
EL: What do you think you do differently than most artists in the scene right now? Is it in the writing? The pacing? The live energy? Something else?
Louie: I truly believe I have a very unique set. There aren’t many rapper/DJs in our scene other than ProbCause and Def3 (whom I both love). If you listen to one of my sets compared to theirs, my beat selection and general sound is pretty different. I just try to be myself at the end of the day. A lot of my music has obscure, nerdy references, but I try to balance that with talking about topics that everyone can relate to.
EL: When people leave a Louie Letdown set, what do you want them to feel?
Louie: I want people to feel seen, whether it’s from a random reference, or a core value we share. I think shows are a really cool way to connect with people. I love finding out that I share niche interests with people in the crowd. I obviously want people to have fun, but what’s more important is that people get to know who I am as a person through my music.
EL: You just toured with the legend Marvel Years! What excited you most about that pairing? What do you think fans were surprised by with this collaboration?
Louie: It still doesn’t feel real. I’ve been a huge fan of his for over ten years. The opportunity felt like the culmination of so much hard work over the past eight years, so it’s honestly a huge honor. The opportunity to tour with Corey was one of the most affirming things that has ever happened to me in my music career thus far.
EL: What’s a risk you’ve taken recently that paid off?
Louie: I passed up an opportunity to headline a dope venue here in Denver a couple months ago. It was a tempting offer and at the time, I felt stupid for declining an offer that years ago I would have dreamed of. I held out because there was something else in the works that was even bigger. I’m so stoked to have recently announced the opportunity to co-headline Cervantes Other Side with Mikey Thunder on May 1st with Cofresi as our special guest! Mikey gave me my first opportunity to ever perform (which took place at Cervs). To get the chance to coheadline with him is a dream come true! My bestie Sarah Mount will be playing sax with us too!
EL: In a scene that’s constantly evolving, how do you stay grounded in your own voice?
Louie: I can’t help but be myself. Anyone who has listened to my music from the beginning knows the content hasn’t changed much. I believe my personal skill level and my beat selection has changed significantly, but the core tone and style will always be consistent. I love to talk about the things I love, and I’ll always use my platform to call out evil stuff happening in the world. I may lean into one side more than the other at times, but I’ll always be me.
Get tickets to see Louie Letdown at Cervantes Other Side with Mikey Thunder on May 1st
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