KTC Music Report: Dreebo Flexes on "In The Lab," Tre Capital Reflects on "TRE"
- Kick The Concrete
- 5 days ago
- 7 min read
Tis the season for thankfulness. We are grateful for so much good music and to have members of the Kick The Concrete family who are so talented and thoughtful.
Hip-hop might be in a low commercially right now. Last month, there wasn't a rap song on the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40 for the first time in a quarter of a century. But real ones know that the artform is alive and well.
This month, several friends of Kick The Concrete released powerful music in the forms of songs and full projects. Dreebo flexed all the elements of his artistry on his new album, "In The Lab." E.M.E showed the depth of his spiritual side on his "Cover Me" single. Bryce Savoy channeled his emotions on the dynamic "Just Keep Shining" album. Tre Capital showed fans his artistic growth on his latest project, "TRE."
We also just launched Kick The Concrete Memberships! If you'd like access to exclusive content from these artists, join today.
Here is the Kick The Concrete Music Report:
Dreebo — "In The Lab" Album
Dreebo has continued to establish himself as an excellent feature artist in 2025 with appearances on songs for Python P and Damian Lillard.
But the Los Angeles-based artist showed the world what he can do all on his own in the form of his "In The Lab" album. Dreebo wrote, produced and mixed all 15 songs on the project, which shows a great range.
"This project 'In The Lab' just me kind of stepping out there and putting my creative vision from start to finish, how I have grown and viewed the music and create music now," Dreebo told Kick The Concrete. "I kind of just came up with it one day while I was live streaming, just wanting to do more, like wanting to just put out a project where I produced it all. And then from there it was like, I might as well engineer it. Because I know how, and I've got better over the years. I wanted to try my hand in that and kind of see how my audience responds with that. So it's really just a project trying to showcase growth."
"In The Lab" opens with "The Source" driven by a distorted piano and encouragement for listeners to sit back and enjoy the ride. Dreebo exhibits a mumble rap that's reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar on "Practice." The mechanical "Iced Out Jesus Piece" shows a different aspect of Dreebo's vocal ability when he utilizes a high-pitched tone in the same vein as Lil Uzi Vert or Playboi Carti. And "Living Flagrant" is an especially strong reminder of how skilled Dreebo is at melodies. He can really sing!
There's also a variety of soundscapes. The bass-heavy "Practice" builds up nicely and has a snappy West Coast beat, as does "Long Distance." "Til It's Over," "Read Your Mind" and "After the Hype" all have an Afrobeats flavor with big bass and horns.
Content-wise, there isn't a clear theme on "In The Lab," but Dreebo offers a balance of bravado and humility. He flexes with lines like "I do the work while they play" on "Nito" and "Versatile, I do the shit these n*ggas could never do/They gonna try to sell you a dream, I'ma sell you the truth" on "Many Men." He croons"I've learned a whole lot of lessons, Life's been a blessing" on "The Source," and "Open Mic" is a reflective track expressing perseverance in the midst of life's hardships. He's also a loverboy with the vibey "Night Shift" and "Passcode."
It's impressive how Dreebo, who knows the importance of impressing as a guest feature, uses his platform for other artists to make their stamp, too. Ayilla is ethereal on "Til It's Over." El Niño shines in English and Spanish on "Long Distance" with bars like "No me llamo 2 Chainz, but eso diferente," which translates to "My name isn't 2 Chainz, but this is different," referring to the Atlanta star's hit song. Brookfield Duece, who connected Dreebo with Lillard in the first place, spits on "No Click Bait."
Dreebo is one of those artists that you've probably heard somewhere and might not even know it. Even though he's been making music for nearly a decade now, including a run of releasing 365 songs in 2021 (a track a day!), "In The Lab" is a great landmark project for all listeners to know who Dreebo is and what exactly he can do.
E.M.E — "Cover Me" Single
E.M.E made a splash this summer with his debut album, "Foreigner." But the Denver Afrobeats artist is not taking his foot off the gas.
He released a new single called "Cover Me" with a message that is bigger than himself. The drum pattern is smooth and soulful. E.M.E croons gently about seeking his own identity and turning to God in prayer. The song is hypnotic and hopeful.
"We all walk through battles, some visible, others carried quietly in our hearts, but in the midst of the chaos, my hope is that we choose to lift one another up and remember we’re never alone," E.M.E explained on Instagram. "My new song 'Cover Me' was created from that hope. (It’s) my prayer for you, wherever you are and whatever you’re facing. May God be your strength, your shelter, and your peace."
Bryce Savoy — "Just Keep Shining" Album
Bryce Savoy released his ninth project with "Just Keep Shining." He continues to process the loss of his father, Big Bryce, and the album is full of dark, looming moments to give a stark backdrop for the message of the album, and his motto as an artist.
"I been through a lot & I’m still going through a lot, but the pressure has only made me stronger, wiser, & lighter," Savoy said in an Instagram post. "No matter how dark life may feel, God keeps giving me the capacity to JUST KEEP SHINING."
"Just Keep Shining" opens with woozy drums on "Neighborhood Grammys" featuring ear-catching transitions within a single song that also serves as a potential awards speech. "Mr. Clean" has an eerie backdrop and "Worldwide Steppin" has a dazed feel to it. Savoy shows the strength of his pen on the latter with lines like, "Killa with these rhymes like Shonda no Scandal."
The features also bring their A game. Ashlen Jordan utilizes an effortless flow in the same vein of Snoop Dogg on "East Oakland Hov" and he flexes his ability as a storyteller on "Ashlen's Interlude." On "Draft Day," Savoy incorporates references to LeBron James and Magic Johnson as he discusses persevering in his journey as an artist. But Robbie Isn't Living makes a statement with, "I found value in making fair 0s/I'm not an Egyptian." Get it? Fair 0s, Pharaohs. Sheesh!
The emotive title track serves as a fitting conclusion for the project. It exemplifies the duality of dangling in the darkness and choosing to grasp the light. Savoy's voice cracks over the stripped back soundscape with his reflections of loss and the weight of his mission. But he remains confident in "All I know is I'ma keep on striving/No matter how hard it gets, I'ma keep on shining."
Tre Capital — "TRE" Album
Tre Capital is riding high off his feature on Xzibit's "Kingmaker." That project is now Grammy-nominated. But Tre isn't relying on his father's fame to make a name for himself.
His own project, "TRE," is a statement of who he is as an artist. And he makes a splash in only seven songs. The album title is not only an affirmation of ownership, but also stands for "The Rarest Ever," a statement of how special his talent is.
"The music hits harder when the truth gets to shine bright," he raps on the sunny, funky "Original Back." The song opens "TRE" and sets the scene for Capital's authentic storytelling and a sonic journey through his Los Angeles, which isn't defined by a single sound.
"I feel like the music has matured a lot," Capital told Kick The Concrete this spring about how he's grown as an artist, and as a person as he turned 30 years old this summer. "... I feel the same damn near, but I can tell that the subject matter and the things I want to listen to, I'm playing more oldies now. Playing a lot of vintage retro shit. I'm tapping into specific timelines and eras of artists more than a lot of newer stuff. I'm still tapped in, but I think my music is, the new stuff I'm working on right now is evolving. I'm trying to go back and listen to just whatever was inspiring me back then and trying to find the new pulse of that now."
The project is very rappity rap and full of bravado. On the racing "Chopped Down," Capital raps, "Lotta y'all should work at Disneyland for being straight Goofys." There are deejay scratches on "My Birthday's in June" and "Bushido Blade Flow" is head-knocking boom bap. Capital spits lines like, "I done proved the point already like the end of a sentence" and "These n*ggas idolizing dollars and ignoring their senses."
Capital has experienced a lot in his career. The conclusion, "How Much Higher Can We Go?" asks that exact question over a cinematic soundscape by Richard Moore with strings and a smooth drum pattern. Capital reflects on the advice his mom gave him to "Let shit be" and offers to pass it along to his fans "hope it sets you free."
This project proves Capital exhibits confidence in himself and his abilities, not because he's cocky. But because he wants to show others that they can overcome, take the pressure off themselves and live their dreams, too.
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