Rising musician Michael Nunez, also known as L-OH-L, from Lake Charles, Louisiana, is a disabled veteran from the war in Iraq who has experienced a challenging journey. He was involved in gangs, drugs and was even homeless at one point in time. Despite these hurdles, L-OH-L has turned his life around and is now a single father and a member of a prison ministry called ‘Convicted to Conquer’. Moreover, he is currently enrolled in Hallmark University, working towards obtaining a business management degree.
When it comes to music, L-OH-L shares that his musical influences include Aha Gazelle, Dee-1, and Xay Hill. According to the talented musician, their music is relatable and made him realize there is value in his own story. However, L-OH-L’s greatest achievement in music is that thousands of people listen to his songs, even though he is relatively new to the music scene.
Before making his way into the music industry, he faced many struggles, but he never gave up. He was so passionate about music that in order to pay for studio time, L-OH-L used to donate plasma. This is not all! Even when he was homeless and addicted to meth, people loved to have him over because of his talent for rap and freestyle. He has been through many shootouts, deaths, and overdoses and has faced a lot of pressure to fit into the secular music scene. Despite initial success, L-OH-L fought back to stay clean and often disappeared due to drug addiction. However, he has now found his true self and makes healing music, soulful music about leaving the streets and drugs behind.
L-OH-L’s journey through addiction and homelessness is not unique, but his drive to make a difference in the lives of others is. “I want to open a rehab for drug addicts and provide a safe space for them to begin their journey towards recovery,” L-OH-L shares. “My own experiences with addiction and the struggles that come with it have led me to understand the importance of having a support system and a safe environment to begin the healing process,” he adds.
By opening a rehab facility, L-OH-L hopes to not only provide a space for recovering addicts to begin their journeys but also build a supportive community for them to continue on their way to recovery. L-OH-L claims that a coffee shop and a men’s home would provide some normalcy, a sense of community, and the opportunity for recovering addicts to learn job skills they may not have had before. The coffee shop would not only offer a way to support the men’s home but also give recovering addicts an opportunity to develop some skills and boost their confidence, which would help them find a job in the future.
In addition, L-OH-L’s involvement in a prison ministry and his enrollment in a business management degree program demonstrate his commitment to making a positive change in the lives of others. He wants to use his experiences and business skills to create a sustainable organization that can help as many people as possible. Being a member of ‘Convicted to Conquer’ also shows that he wants to reach out to people who are still incarcerated and provide them with support and guidance that can lead to positive change in their lives.
As far as music is concerned, L-OH-L is not content with just creating and performing. He wants to use his platform and success to bring about a change in society, as he firmly believes that music has the power to heal. In fact, his message is important for those currently struggling with addiction and anyone who has ever encountered obstacles in life. He wants to be a positive influence, not just in the music industry but also in the wider community. “My greatest achievement with music is the fact that I have thousands of people listening to my songs. I don’t get caught up too much in streams, but the fact that in a year, I went from unknown to now a thousand streams on the first day of my song’s release is remarkable,” L-OH-L expresses.
L-OH-L is a musician who has overcome many challenges in his life. From drug addiction to homelessness and from going through prison time to being all alone, he has come a long way. He has a unique perspective on addiction and homelessness and a deep desire to positively impact the lives of others so that they don’t fall prey to the same mistakes he made. He is a true example of turning one’s life around and making something positive out of it with willpower and passion.
