Prolific rapper Tre Loaded makes evocative trap music that reflects the reality of the streets. Born and raised in East Memphis, Tennessee, the MC learned early on to keep his head on a swivel, because of his particularly harsh environment. “It’s taught me how to survive, how to be aware of my surroundings,” he says. Though he wouldn’t know it until later, music would become an escape for him. For years as a kid, Tre Loaded would go to his uncle’s house after school—that uncle was none other than Memphis rap pioneer Don Trip. At the time, Tre Loaded was more focused on playing basketball and being outside, but growing up around music planted a seed of curiosity. In addition to his family ties to hip-hop, Tre Loaded also delved into the genre by listening to respected MCs like Future, Lil Wayne, T.I., and Kevin Gates. As a young teen, he began freestyling in the car with his friends, where they would record themselves on the Voice Memos app. “When they would play it back, they’d be like, ‘Shit, you don’t sound like us. You need to rap forreal,’” he recalls. “So I started taking it seriously.” By 18 years old, Tre Loaded fully embarked on his creative journey, recording songs and uploading them independently. “When I first started, I just wanted to get to the point where I can live off of music, and I ain’t gotta do nothing else,” he says. “Then, it got to the point where I can do more than that, and I can take care of more people.”