Rapper Louis Blaises a trail

DON T complain about life, think of ways to change it – that s the motto of 19-year-old rapper Louis Blaise. Louis, who grew up in Plaistow and Dagenham, hopes his positive outlook on life can be an inspiration to other young people. He explains: I m a

DON'T complain about life, think of ways to change it" - that's the motto of 19-year-old rapper Louis Blaise.

Louis, who grew up in Plaistow and Dagenham, hopes his positive outlook on life can be an inspiration to other young people.

He explains: "I'm always putting pressure on myself to be better and do things differently. I'm lucky because music has given me a focus."

"Sure, some of the younger kids look up to me because I'm getting somewhere with my music, but when I was growing up there were music projects that I got involved in, community centres and youth clubs that had embraced music, and I'm not sure that's always been available."

Brought up on a diet of grime music and acts like Roll Deep Crew and Pay As You Go, for Louis that meant the Youth Awareness Programme (YAP) in Barking Road, East Ham, where he was encouraged to express himself through music.

"Those clubs are important when you're growing up. It keeps a lot of kids off the streets and gives them something to aim for."

He continues: "My dad wasn't around when I was growing up, but I started talking about that when I was rapping and hopefully that has helped develop me as a person and got me to the place I am now."

School life began at St Anthony's in Plaistow, before he relocated to Dagenham with his mum and older brother. His primary school there was St Vincent's, before he moved up to All Saints Catholic School and Technology College in Terling Road.

At 16, Louis enrolled on a music course at Redbridge College, and three years on, has just started a music technology degree at Thames Valley University in Ealing.

When he's not studying there, he's recording and producing at the Starmix studios in Camberwell.

He explains: "It's all about the music for me. I've signed a deal with Starmix, so I will be releasing my own material, but hopefully producing other people too.

"I come up with all my own beats, using Logic and Reason software, and I'm studying hard at uni to learn as much there as possible as well."

And Louis has big plans, adding: "Eventually I want to own my own label and really get involved in the business side of things.

"I look up to people like Kanye West, Calvin Harris and Tynchy Stryder because they're involved in so many aspects of music."

In the mean time he has an EP, Pre Season featuring the electro pop of Neon Rocks, with a Calvin Harris sample, the smooth jazz of A New Day and autobiographical track, Closer.

Don't complain about life, think of ways to change it" - that's the motto of 19-year-old rapper Louis Blaise.