Born in Dallas and now based in NYC, EB Rebel chose to leave behind a legal career to focus on music—a decision that’s shaped their journey as an independent artist.
Blending intensity with playfulness, EB Rebel’s music reflects their versatility as an artist. Their breakthrough came in 2015 with a Black Lives Matter anthem that later appeared in a BET documentary alongside Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. Since then, they’ve gained recognition from outlets like Afropunk, BET, and MTV, racking up over half a million streams while staying true to their sound.
Their latest track, “Buenas Noches” is a high-energy release from their upcoming EP, Play At Your Own Risk, out this Friday (Mar 28).
In this Q&A, EB Rebel reflects on their journey, the realities of being an independent artist, and what ultimately led them to pursue music full-time.
You ditched law school to pursue music—was there a single moment that made you say, “Forget this, I’m all in” or was it a slow burn?
It was during the time I was applying to law schools that I realized my heart wasn’t completely in it, that I needed to follow my true passion. I did well on my LSAT, and had a good GPA, so I have no doubt that I would have been a good student. To a certain extent I was doing what made my family proud, a career that society as a whole respects. But that wouldn’t have made me happy, I would have always wondered “what if”.
Your music moves between intensity and playfulness—do you feel like you’re two different people when you write?
This is an interesting question, I’ve never really thought about this. I just go based on feeling, and the instrumentation. But I guess that is my duality as an artist. I tend to bounce between intense songs (rather high energy or political) to more chill music to vibe to. I think it’s important to have different vibes in your catalog, to reflect the human experience. I personally get a bit bored with artists who are one note, we need variety!
You landed on a BET documentary soundtrack alongside Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. Be real—what was your first reaction when you found out?
It wasn’t until the documentary aired that I knew they were also a part of it. Those guys are lyric geniuses that also use their music to make a statement, and are at a height I hope to be one day. So yeah, I was LIT lol. It was surreal to be in their company, especially Kendrick who has been a huge inspiration. The way he makes thought provoking music that has replay value is something I strive to do.
As an artist, what’s one thing you’ve sacrificed that people don’t talk about enough?
Ugh… money lol. Especially as an independent artist, all of the finances fall on your shoulders. If you want to be competitive, you can’t necessarily go cheap, you have to get the best within your budget. I’ve been told that the quality of my music and visuals are on par with major label artists, and I think that’s the goal. With what I’ve spent on music I could definitely have a nice cushion or a downpayment on a house. But music is my baby and I want her to be the best that she can be.
Describe your music in 3 words.
Daring
Innovative
Thought provoking
If someone’s hearing EB Rebel for the first time, what’s the one song you’d introduce to them?
Going back to an earlier question about different vibes in my music, it would depend on your mood. The most popular would be TEXAS COWGIRL, an upbeat southern hip hop song inspired by Solange’s “When I Get Home” rollout. She had cowgirl attire on in the visuals, and paid homage to Texas cowboy/cowgirl culture. I thought she looked dope af and it got the wheels of inspiration going.
A song that always makes me emotional, and that is very personal to me would be “Mama, I’m OK”. It’s about my mental health struggles, and also features my mom’s voice. I think that’s one of the songs that really highlights my writing ability. I was told by a music executive that it gives a folk/hip hop vibe, which is funny being that I named it after a Bob Dylan song.
What are you listening to right now?
I’ve been on a TDE wave lately. It just so happens that three of their artists (SZA, Doechi, Kendrick Lamar) have some of the best albums out right now.