The Rap Game UK: Winner LR Loose says genre 'can be like therapy'
- Published
LR Loose spoke about his mental health on the show, winning lots of admirers along the way
When LR Loose unleashed his final freestyle on The Rap Game UK, he wanted it to reflect his "thoughts, fears and desires".
"If you were to say who is LR Loose as a person, as an artist, it would be through that," he says.
And it worked.
After six weeks of intense challenges, clashes and performing in front of live crowds, the rapper from south London was crowned winner of series five.
Along with a £20,000 boost to his music career, his freestyle will also find a place on Radio 1Xtra's daytime playlist.
"It's a completely different world but I'm grateful for the opportunity," he says.
"Hopefully I can learn and reach the levels that I've been trying to reach."
'I had to look at myself'
Loose, 25, believes rap "can honestly be like therapy".
"It can allow you to express yourself and for others to connect with you," he tells BBC Newsbeat.
On the show, Loose spoke openly about his mental health and losing his dad.
"It was a crazy experience, to be that vulnerable. It wasn't something that I planned for, but I honestly went through an experience that kind of almost forced me to."
He describes having a "methodical and structured" process to "unlock" that level of vulnerability.
"That really benefited me because I've been able to evolve and use the same structure and principles I have for ages," he says.
Rap legends were on hand to guide aspiring stars
He says being in a different, unfamiliar environment also helped.
"A lot of things I probably learned about myself while writing that final freestyle," he says.
"Things I didn't really think about or even consider before writing.
"But obviously on a platform where I wanted to be open and vulnerable to everyone, I really had to look at myself first."
After opening up, he received messages saying it was "so courageous" to talk about his mental health.
"That was never the intention, although it's very nice," he says.
"It should be something that people feel comfortable doing. But unfortunately, we're not."
'The job starts now'
The show had top names acting as mentors, such as DJ Target, Ray BLK and Krept & Konan.
"Krept & Konan funnily enough were the reason I started rapping," says Loose.
"One of my friends introduced me when I was 13 and since then I thought they were the coolest thing."
He says his heroes were great to work with because they "were always positive and giving me very fair criticism".
"I didn't really take it all in at the time because everything happened so fast," he says.
"But they are honestly people that I've looked up to long before The Rap Game was even a thing."
Being born and bred in Lewisham, Loose is proud of his background and says he wanted to "represent south London".
"We're very big on where we're from, and being proud of where we're from and our culture," he says.
"But honestly, I represent myself first and foremost, I think that's really important.
"I want to spread the message about just being yourself."
As for what's to come?
"I'm already working and thinking of new ways to really make it," he says.
"The job really starts now. New music on the way that I'm hoping to get out really soon and just get the ball rolling. It's been a proper overwhelming experience."
All episodes of The Rap Game UK series five are available on BBC iPlayer here.
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