Music helps Jaydablay escape

At first glance, senior Jayden Le’s long hair and large glasses might seem abnormal amongst others his age, but, like every other student in these overcrowded halls, his true story is much more than meets the eye.

With his deep-seeded Vietnamese roots in the projects of Kansas City, Section 8 housing is where he called home growing up. Though many might see this as a considerable disadvantage, especially while growing up, Le uses his life experiences to fuel his creative talent. 

Known as “Jaydablay” on music streaming platforms like Soundcloud and Spotify, Le’s music career has served as his prime escape from the emotionally draining reality many kids his age experience on a daily basis. He has grossed over 100 followers since his beginning, and since then, his musical horizons have expanded tenfold. 

“I’m always trying to experiment with new things, trying to reach a wider audience, especially outside the Kansas City area,” Le said. 

The impact of Le’s ability to express himself musically has already impacted his life considerably. 

Before this year, Le went to Winnetonka High School, a school different from Oak Park’s tight-knit community. Despite starting this year with not a lot of close friends to call his own, Le’s music as helped him meet a wide variety of new people, some of which he considers some of his closest friends today. 

Le’s artistic and musical abilities haven’t even come close to peaking yet, as he plans to continue his journey into the competitive world of new-age hip-hop as a future career after high school.

If Le’s heartwarming upbringing is to tell you anything, it’s that everybody in the halls of Oak Park has a story, no matter how minuscule or obscure someone might feel.