If there’s one thing universally certain, it’s that life isn’t easy, no matter who you are. Life is full of challenges, but you can overcome these obstacles and prosper with courage and optimism. Yes, there are instances when things don’t go as planned, but quitting is never the answer. Instead, you should learn from your failures and find solutions to your problems. A Japanese proverb beautifully sums up this notion saying, “fall down seven times and stand up eight.” Throughout history, people have proven that willpower, effort, and perseverance can make the impossible possible. One such person proving this statement true is Michael Nunez, the versatile rapper more popularly known as L-OH-L.
One thing is sure this rapper’s life story seems like something out of a Hollywood blockbuster. Born and raised in a broken home in Louisiana, he had a rough upbringing, especially since his father didn’t set the best example as a role model. However, his childhood experiences profoundly impacted him. After becoming a single father in 2018, he knew he had to be better than his own father when it came to family and parenting. He remained a single father until getting married in 2022. According to the versatile rapper, becoming a father was one of his greatest accomplishments. He credits his personal childhood experiences for helping him find his “groove” as a parent. Today he hopes the world will see him as “a humble man who will do anything for his family and someone willing to live and die for what he believes.”
Soon after turning 20, L-OH-L joined the military. He retired a decade later as an Iraq war veteran after being severely injured during active duty. His injury would result in a permanent disability, causing disability. Despite finally being home, life didn’t seem too bright for him. Having experienced the harsh realities of war coupled with his disability left this talented rapper disillusioned with life. These challenging circumstances prompted him to resort to a life of crime, theft, and drugs to cope with the trauma and his newfound reality. He went through several horrific incidents during this period, such as shootings, deaths, overdoses, and homelessness, leading him further down the path of self-destruction and misery. “My homies and I used to rob for a couple of dollars to gamble at the casino and try to buy a room and enough food for everyone,” L-OH-L reminisces. Unfortunately, he was stuck in his self-destructive ways and wouldn’t realize it until he was incarcerated in 2018, proving to be the turning point he needed to change his life for good.
During his time in prison, L-OH-L found God. “I was a horrible human being with money as my only care. God changed me. He found me in a cell and changed my heart. I’m proof that the Gospel is real and that God can save anybody,” he explains. He soon developed a firm faith in the Gospel and the fact that one day Jesus shall return, and everyone should be prepared for it. Staying humble and thankful for all his blessings, the artist considers his family, money, opportunities, and freedom as an act of God and himself as a product of grace. His mantra for success is “keep God first, ignore everyone else,” and he believes that if God wills something, no one on earth can stop it.
Ever since he was a child, Michael had always been passionate about rapping, which he has now turned into his profession. “When I was about 8 or 9, I used to rap in front of the mirror holding a brush or whatever I could find. I would tell my mom I will be a rapper one day,” he reveals. He initially began producing violent music as a secular artist but soon realized his values didn’t align with his music, prompting him to consider his old music trash. He further went on to say, “One of the first five singles I ever made ended up on FM radio. I was getting significant plays in clubs and venues. But, unfortunately, I just couldn’t stay clean. I’d get full of pride and go broke or get hooked on drugs and disappear.” Upon getting clean, he shifted his focus to producing peaceful, healing music for the lost ones, which he believes is more about leaving the streets and drugs behind. When asked about his target audience, he shares, “If you are in the church but have never really lived that rough life, you probably won’t understand me. My music is for gangsters, prostitutes, killers, and addicts.”
In just a few years, L-OH-L has already become a renowned name. He has been featured in multiple magazines, and his music has been added to radio and playlists. He prides himself on the fact that people in the streets turn off secular music and listen to CHH for a few minutes whenever his song comes on. His story is a prime example that you’ll persevere if you have willpower, no matter how deep you have fallen.
Today, L-OH-L is a part of a prison ministry called convicted to conquer and is currently enrolled in Hallmark University in hopes of a business Management Degree.
