Memphis’ rap scene is going insane at the moment, and there’s always someone new on the scene worth checking out. Right now Tre Loaded has my attention as he embodies the raw energy that Memphis music is notoriously known for.
I had the opportunity to break bread with Tre Loaded before he dropped his long-awaited project, “Loaded” and you can check out our Q+A below.
How do you feel like being from memphis affected how you make music and who you are as an artist?
I think being from Memphis helped my sound. Being from the city helped that.
Can you give me your Mount Rushmore of Memphis artists? It can be from the current generation or the past.
You know I gotta put (Young) Dolph on there. If we being honest, you gotta put (Yo) Gotti on there. I’m not old, so of course Three Six Mafia, but i’m not old so I’m not gonna put them on there. Probably (Pooh) Shiesty and Moneybagg (Yo). No cap. They put folks on and changed the game.
Not even just from Memphis, but what artists did you grow up on?
Future. 21 Savage. I don’t really listen to that type of music anymore, I really only listen to old sh*t. Like Anthony Hamilton and Bruno Mars, sh*t like that.
What artist would you say has been the most influential to you?
That’s hard. I feel my generation, that I’m in is more influential. Listening to a bunch of different music help me find my sound.
How did you get your rap name, Tre Loaded?
When I first dropped my first music video, I dropped it under Tre Murda. My n*ggas was like, “That sh*t not marketable. You need to change it to Tre Money or Tre Loaded.” And that’s where Tre Loaded came from. Loaded for life. I’m glad I had the right people around to even tell me.
Speaking of people being around you. I know your uncle is the OG, Don Trip. Do you think if it wasn’t for your uncle, Don Trip would you still have been an artist?
Yeah, because I don’t think him rapping wasn’t the reason I began rapping. I’m not gonna say he didn’t help me, but I had to get it on my own first.
With you rapping since you were 17, how do you think have changed and evolved as an artist since then?
I feel I’m getting my sound. Not saying it wasn’t my sound at first, I was experimenting more. But now I know how I want my sh*t to sound. I feel like it’s just perfecting the sound, that I already had.
Do you feel like that’s been your hardest creative hurdle to get over?
My biggest problem is being patient. Because I know that sh*t gonna come, but sometimes it’s like, “Is this sh*t gonna happen?” It’s about being patient and staying consistent. I feel like this is the hardest part for everybody. You gotta stay consistent and keep going, regardless of what’s going on.
What can you share about your upcoming mixtape, “Loaded”?
It’s finna be the tape of the summer, no cap. We got a lot of hard songs on there. I’m finna get a lot of visuals and a lot of content. This gonna be (filled with) summer turn-up songs, that’s one hundred percent of the tape. If you getting money and like fast cars, this is all you gonna be playing all summer.
Are there any features that you care to announce?
I got some features with some big artists. I’m just tryna wait til the right time.
How long has “Loaded” been in the works for?
It’s only been a month and a half or two months. Been getting the beats together since November. I didn’t start recording til January.
Did you have any hardships while making “Loaded?”
I have producers that I’m locked in with. I used to just get my beats off of YouTube. So I had to figure it out. I feel like that’s the hardest part.
What are your goals for the rest of 2024?
Do more shows and getting out there more for my social media presence. Get seen more out(side) and doing more, industry sh*t. Have a single make the Top 40 on radio.
Coming from where you’re from, do you feel like it’s harder to play by the industry’s games and loopholes?
I ain’t all the way in there, but I’m in there. You can see that a lot of sh*t is weird. But you gotta know how to adapt.
Have you run into any rap politics so far? For example, someone might want you to kiss their ass for their approval.
Not really just rap politics. I feel like people don’t really be about they business. You gotta want this sh*t like you want anything else. I don’t look at rapping as a hobby, I look at it like a career. People don’t be looking at it the same, especially when they got a name. They joke around and play around.
Now that you approach it like a business and career, does that take the fun out of it?
I feel like making money off of music is the funniest, that it’s gonna get. This sh*t fun. Of course, you get to doing shows and sh*t like that. But I feel like making money is the fun part, it’s fun to me. I have fun with this sh*t. I don’t let the business aspect get in the way of me having fun.
So it hasn’t reached the point that it feels like work?
Yeah, because I be having meetings and interviews. It’s cool, but it do get tiring. It’s fun though, this what I been waiting on. This is something I been praying on, no cap.
Last question. Where do you see yourself in the next three years?
I want to be signing people in the next three years. Loaded for Life Record Label, that’s my LLC. I want to have my own boutique (label) by then, that’s under a label and sign people under me.
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