Raffy L’z returns with raw honesty in “John Doe,” confronting addiction from both sides. In this interview, he reflects on growth, responsibility, and the lived experiences shaping his bold new voice.
1. Your new track takes on addiction from two opposing perspectives — the addict and the dealer. What inspired you to approach the story from both sides, and how did you balance honesty with responsibility while writing it?
I’ve personally seen both sides, first hand. It’s something I grew up around.
I wanted to tell the story from both sides because that’s the reality I came from. I’ve seen the addict’s world up close, and I’ve also lived the other side of it — the side people don’t usually talk about without sugarcoating or sensationalising it. Writing ‘John Doe’ wasn’t about glamorising anything; it was about showing the cycle for what it really is: two people trapped in different versions of the same struggle. I balanced honesty with responsibility by focusing on the emotions and consequences more than the lifestyle. It’s a reminder that everyone in that situation is fighting something, and that’s what I wanted the song to capture.
2. You’ve been creating since the MySpace and pirate-radio days as Mr L.KiD. How has the journey from that era to now shaped the tone, confidence, and maturity in your storytelling?
Coming up in the MySpace and pirate-radio days as Mr L.KiD gave me a foundation you can’t really manufacture. Back then it was raw — no strategy, no marketing, no second takes. You either had something to say or you got swallowed by the noise. I was just a kid finding his voice, running off pure instinct and energy.
The years between then and now forced me to grow in ways music alone couldn’t. Life happened — the mistakes, the lessons, the consequences, the rebuilding. All of that stripped away my ego and left the honesty. So when I write today, the tone is different: it’s more focused, more intentional, more truthful. I’m not trying to impress anyone — I’m trying to tell the story properly.
The confidence you hear now doesn’t come from bravado; it comes from surviving everything that shaped me. And the maturity in my storytelling is just me finally having the life experience to really mean the things I’m saying, instead of just trying to sound like I do.
3. After stepping away to build your life and family, you’ve returned with a noticeably sharper, more grounded voice. What personal changes or experiences most influenced this new version of Raffy L’z?
Stepping away from music forced me to grow up. I went through things that most artists don’t talk about — rebuilding my life from scratch, becoming a dad, taking care of my responsibilities, and learning what actually holds value. When you’ve lived real life outside the studio, it sharpens you. You stop trying to impress people and you start telling the truth. That’s why this new version of me sounds more focused and grounded: I’m writing from a place of experience now, not ego. Everything I’ve been through — the losses, the lessons, the small and big wins — it stripped away all the noise and left me with a clearer voice and a much deeper purpose.
4. The production is dark, stripped-back, and almost cinematic. When building this track, how did you decide on the raw drum-kit approach and heavy bass to convey the emotional weight behind the subject?
For John Doe, I knew the story itself was heavy enough — addiction, power, survival — so the production didn’t need to be dressed up. I wanted it to feel raw and uncomfortable, almost like you’re sitting in the room with both characters. That’s why I went for a bare drum-kit feel and a heavy, dragging bassline. The space in the beat lets every word hit harder, and the bass gives it that sinking-stomach feeling that comes with the realities I’m talking about. The whole point was to strip away any gloss and let the truth of the story do the talking. The production had to feel like where I came from — cold, minimal, and honest.
5. You describe this record as a statement rather than a trend-chasing track. What message or understanding do you hope listeners walk away with after hearing it?
At the core of this, I want people to walk away with a sense of reality, not glamour. Whether you’re the one buying or the one selling, drugs pull you into a world that looks tempting from the outside but destroys you from the inside. I’m not trying to preach — I’m showing both sides exactly how they feel: the addict desperate for relief, and the dealer trapped in a role that eats away at you long-term. If someone hears this track and it makes them pause, even for a second, before getting mixed up in that life — then the message landed. That’s all I really want: for people to understand the cost.
6. Your music often comes from real life — pressure, reflection, and lived experience. How do you navigate the line between protecting your privacy and telling the truth with the kind of clarity and emotion that defines your sound?
I don’t need to overshare for the story to hit. I paint around the edges — the feeling of being in too deep, the choices that change your life, the weight that stays with you. As long as the emotion is real, the message lands without me exposing every chapter of my past. That balance keeps the music honest, but keeps my private life protected.
Chris or L’z. It Depends. (@redefinethismess) • Photos et vidéos Instagram
Copyright © 2025 The Inteviewist
