Baltimore's 10-year-old rapping phenom Lor Xay Xay to perform at AFRAM

BALTIMORE - Lor Xay Xay, a 10-year-old rapping phenom, will take the stage this weekend in front of his home-city crowd at Baltimore's AFRAM Festival.

Xay Xay, also known as Xavien Lawson, will perform on Saturday, not long before big-name stars Big Daddy Kane and Busta Rhymes fire up the thousands expected to attend at Druid Hill Park.

He was into music at a real young age with a motivating father who used to be a rapper.

"We would go in the studio and make beats, freestyle and all of that, and I fell in love with music," Lor Xay Xay told WJZ.

The music happens in his makeshift studio in the dining room of his Baltimore home.

"When I hold the mic, it's like a new person comes out of me," Lor Xay Xay said.

Lor Xay Xay has owned the stage over the past decade, inspiring his fans with the wise words behind his music.

"The fact that I'm this young, I thought, I have all the time in the world, why don't I start now and grow up?" Lor Xay Xay said. "I just make the world better and better and better."

In trying to make the world a better place through his music, Lor Xay Xay is preparing for his next big act, playing at AFRAM, which he says is a dream come true.

"Like performing at AFRAM, like I'm really excited and grateful," Lor Xay Xay said. "Like, I'm 10 years old and I'm performing at the biggest event in Baltimore City."

And as Baltimore cheers Lor Xay Xay on, his biggest fans are those who call him big brother – a job this 10-year-old calls stressful – much to the humor of his mom and dad.

"He be like son, 'You have to stop stressing, they're not your kids, it's not the time yet," Lor Xay Xay said.

But what Lor Xay Xay also knows is that his family is his biggest supporter and he hopes to ride his youthful wisdom all the way to the top to give his family a better life through his gift of music.

"Trust me Zara, once I'm like 19 and everybody knows me, ya'll are going to be famous," Lor Xay Xay said. "I'm talking about Little Baby type famous. I'm going to get there one day."