Meet LL III

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful LL III a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

LL III , thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

First off I would like to say, I love these questions.

I have over come so much adversity throughout my career, and life in general I really can’t pinpoint it to one area. Truthfully my resilience stems from so many factors. From how I was raised to believe in myself, to how I self regulate myself. My community, my confidence to be optimistic with life. Setting realistic goals and achieving them. Setting unrealistic goals and sticking with them even if it takes years but still achieving them. if I had a bad day, week, month, year or longer, I’m still alive and breathing then nothing is impossible and it’s nothing I can’t overcome.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Hey! I’m Louis Lake III, I’m from Sunny San Diego— also known as “Daygo.” Since I can remember, I’ve been immersed in the world of theater, movies, sports, and music. My journey as a performer and creator started at home, where I loved crafting stories and diving into imaginary worlds with my toys, just like Andy from Toy Story. It was clear from the start that performance was in my blood.

Music was a huge influence on me growing up, thanks to my family. I spent countless hours dancing and singing along to my grandmother’s favorite artists—icons like Tina Turner, Sam Cooke, James Brown, and Michael Jackson. In our house, music was more than a pastime; it was a way of life. My grandfather Lou Lake and my mother Olivia Turner saw my creative spark early on and made sure I had the support and encouragement to explore it. Just like sports! My father and grandfather coached me through baseball, basketball, football, and soccer, helping me develop my love for competition and teamwork. Little did I know, my love for theater and football would later come together in unexpected ways.

My Grammie Tracie and mother enrolled me into Valencia Park elementary. It was there were I got my first taste of theater. I met my amazing drama teacher, Mrs. Ang, who encouraged me to audition for a school play. I was thrilled and immediately shared the news with my Papa Lou, who inspired me by sharing stories of legendary figures like Sidney Poitier, Denzel Washington, Frederick Douglas, and Muhammad Ali. He introduced me to the power of storytelling and resilience, showing me I could accomplish anything. When it came time for my audition, Mrs. Ang asked for my best evil laugh, and I gave it everything I had! That laugh landed me the role of Silas Scavenger in Rogue of the Railway—my first-ever play, and I was the second lead in the third grade.

From there, my love for the stage only grew. I received an award to study at the La Jolla Playhouse, where I performed Grease and immersed myself in the world of Shakespeare. Shoutout to my dad, Louis “Two” Lake, for driving me there every morning! Later, I had to make the tough choice between theater and football after suffering two severe concussions during high school and college. Choosing health over football, I went back to school for theater at Los Angeles Valley College, where I honed my skills and fell in love with every aspect of production—from stage management to lighting and set design. I realized that, like football, theater requires teamwork and dedication. As a stage manager, I became the quarterback, working alongside the director as our coach.

But my journey didn’t stop there. I’ve been fortunate to work as a stage manager outside of school. Which led me to working on set as a P. A. for movies, commercials, and TV shows. Still, my heart kept pulling me back to my roots: creating music and writing. I dove into music and poetry in college, reigniting a passion I’d first explored in high school. Now, I’m embracing my creative dreams fully, as both an artist and a musician.

Today, I’m making what I call “Feel Good Music,” blending authenticity with sounds that lift you up. Under my stage name, LL III, I released my single “Starlight,” available on all digital platforms, with a music video/mini movie on YouTube and Instagram. I’m working on my debut album, A Rebel in the Lake, with tracks like “Claiming Dreams,” “Twine,” and “Now or Never.” I also have a poetry book on the way, Untitled: A Series of Vibrations, and I’m incredibly proud of my brand, Respect Your Dreams/Respected Dreamers. Through this project, I’m sharing a range of products, from coffee mugs to athletic gear, all designed to remind people to chase their dreams and honor their ambitions.

Thank you for taking the time to learn a bit about my journey. To anyone reading this: Respect your dreams, explore the world, and cherish every moment with your loved ones. I’ll leave you with a quote from my Papa Lou: “Once a task has begun, never leave it until it’s done. If the labor is big or small, do it well or not at all.”

 

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Empathy: to be able to understand some one’s feelings and your feelings go hand to hand with the arts. I had to empathize with myself first and foremost to even be able to open up to others in this magnitude.

Networking: this is a skill I’m still working on with myself as we speak. You must network with those across from you as much if not more than those above you. If you’re working on set as a grip but your desire is to be a director. You need to ask some of the production assistants (P.A.) in camera department if they have a camera and want to be your director of photography (DP) if in music and you are a rapper, singer you must go to these shows and build a community with other local artists they could help you get into shows or open for a bigger Artist. You do not know who could help you with taking the next step in your career. They could literally be right next to you.

Learn to love the journey: this was a gem someone told me awhile ago. “You are made of particles from the sky.” You are literally a walking stardust. Do not dwell in the past nor stay too long in the future. Stay present, stay grounded. Believe that you can achieve any goal you set. Just don’t stop believing. If you’re going through something and it might seem heavy. Just remember it’s all temporary and apart of your journey.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

My Mother. This lady is a true wonder to this world the epitome of heaven sent. I pick her brain as much as I can. She is a fashion genius an a remarkable writer with music herself. She raised my sister an I with so much love and compassion. It shows for how we both show up for ourselves. Love you mom thank you.

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Image Credits

Geno Simmons, Willie Vazquez, Anamail

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