The Concrete Boys’ breakup will forever stand as one of our generation’s biggest “what ifs.” Head member Lil Yatchy assembled the group sometime in late 2021, including artists Camo!, KARRAHBOO, Dc2trill, and Draft Day. With their debut album, It’s Us Vol. 1, out and the group splitting within a year, it begs the question: was there more in the vault? Over the past decade, few musicians have shown the versatility and talent Yatchy has, but is his most true and consistent form of success to be only found behind the spotlight?
We hadn’t seen a group like “Crete” in nearly 20 years, as they brought a distinct image and sound reminiscent of Young Money’s rise in 2005, with members like Drake, Nicki Minaj, Tyga, and founder Lil Wayne. Concrete Boys first made their unified group presence known by launching their Instagram on Feb. 7, 2024, fueling anticipation for their debut album months before its release. One of the biggest things that set the group apart besides their flow and production was their individual rapping strength. Every last one of their songs sounded like a group project where everybody pulled up prepared. They mastered the blend of sounding so cohesive yet distinct—a breath of fresh air in the rap scene.
Rap is evolving with the emergence of many new subgenres, heavily influenced by the iconic sounds of the 2010s — a decade widely regarded as one of the most impactful periods of hip hop, shaping the careers of some of today’s most prominent artists. The 2010s guided names like Lil Wayne, Kendrick Lamar, Drake, J. Cole, Tyler the Creator, and sounds of the like into the next echelon, cementing their legendary status and opening up the ground spots for new talent. In the mid-2010s, a new sound was born with the rising popularity of the streaming platform Soundcloud, birthing names like Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, Lil Uzi Vert, Ski Mask the Slump God, and many more. If you were tapped in during that era, you would know how unprecedented and chaotic this time in music felt — loud booming basses and raw, unpolished styles popularized. Although this era produced several standout solo artists, it lacked the formation of any notable groups
Concrete Boys mastered blending the classic 2010s rap production with a fresh, laid-back flow that seems to chase the beat. Their style draws comparisons to Detroit rap, characterized by a relaxed cadence and quick delivery, contrasting with the aggressive snare drums and hard-hitting basslines. This created a perfectly unique sound where their distinct and chill flow seamlessly interacts with the intensity of the underlying production. This approach aligns with Yatchy’s 2021 Detroit-style album Michigan Boy Boat. Their almost monotone delivery combined with trap-inspired, classical, and jazz-influenced beats was setting the stage for a potential new genre, pushing boundaries of what rap could sound like.
It should be acknowledged that Karrahboo was the only one in the group who had no prior rapping experience. All the other members had already begun their careers by the time the group debuted on YouTube. Although Yachty was clearly the headliner, the potential for each member’s solo success was already in motion before they came together. Their appearance on On The Radar Radio was the beginning of it all, spawning the “On the Radar Concrete Cypher” in October 2023. Not long after the YouTube release, clips of the performance started going viral on the internet. Karrahboo’s verse was most viral at the end of the performance, with the slowed saxophone solo ushering in some of her best bars of the group’s short-lived career, including the trademark Karrah bar: “It’s KARRAHBOO, I’m not the two, you gotta know I’m up.”
This was the breakthrough Concrete needed, and the public embraced it wholeheartedly. Their raps and image merged fluidly, forming a tight-knit, unshakeable family — truly “solid to the bone,” with a bond evident from the beginning. Their catchphrase, “It’s us,” which appears in many of their songs, symbolizes staying true to oneself while coming together as one family at the end of the day. During a Spotify interview with Rap Caviar, Yatchy explains the phrase as “we’re all independent artists, but it looks like and feels like a rap group under one name.”
On Dec. 15, the group dropped a Christmas single, “MO JAMS”, with the distinctive and viral sound they had mastered on the cypher — the effortless integration of snare drums, boom bap, and classical hip-hop chords. Once again, they used the tried and true sequence of nonchalant cadences with hard bars having Karrah’s verse last, which was another instant hit. It’s crucial to remember that Karrahboo debatably had the strongest verse on the track when they were on their run, dropping singles. Her lyricism and wordplay were second to none. It seemed like the group had endless potential, and this was just the beginning. A few months later, in April of 2024, the group dropped their debut album, It’s Us Vol. 1. I remember hearing the album for the first time and instantly falling in love with the sound. It was fun, youthful, and flagrant but not overproduced or artificial. It featured several standout tracks, including their first viral hit, “ON THE RADAR CONCRETE CYPHER”, as well as “WHERE YO DADDY?”, “DIALED IN, NOT DA 2”, and “2 HANDS 2 EYES 10 WHIPS/RENT DUE”, with nearly all of them featuring Karrahboo. Tracks like “2 HANDS 2 EYES 10 WHIPS/RENT DUE, MY LIFE”, and “DIALED IN” mainly showcase their skillful fusion of jazz and trap elements in their beats. Tracks like “NOT DA 2” and “POINT ME TO IT” highlight the group’s modern interpretation of beatmatching.
Shortly after their debut album, the group announced a small nationwide tour that began in early summer. By mid-July, after a few shows, Karrahboo posted on Instagram that she wouldn’t be able to attend some upcoming dates, sparking speculation about a possible breakup. Just over a week later, Yatchy went live on Instagram to confirm that Karrahboo was no longer part of Concrete and stated he would not comment further on the split. In the live, he emphasized how he wished the best for her career and that there was no bad blood between the group and Karrah. However, his explanation was insufficient for the internet, and rumors of the group bullying Karrah started to spread on social media.
It wasn’t until Karrah started publicly accusing the group of bullying her and claiming that the group owed her money that all hell broke loose on the situation and sparked the end of Concrete Boys as we know it on Aug. 22, 2024. Yatchy went live and exposed Karrah for her abusive behavior, rude attitude, and overall disrespect towards others, particularly those who were not in positions to stand up to her. He highlighted that this behavior persisted throughout the entirety of the group. He mentioned how she had been verbally abusive and rude to his security team and record label on more than one occasion. He also addressed her allegations that the group owed her money by accusing her of being over $900,000 in debt to the label. Crashing out on Instagram Live, he revealed the most damaging truth for the group, particularly for Karrahboo. He confessed that he had been orchestrating the group’s entire image, from styling their outfits for every public appearance to writing all of Karrahboo’s raps. He specifically mentioned the “On the Radar Freestyle,” explaining how he wrote her verse and made her rehearse it the night before to ensure she wouldn’t mess up during the live cypher. To provide undeniable evidence, he uploaded a recording of himself rapping her verse word for word from his iPhone voice memos. The hype of Karrah was shattered when clips of the Instagram live started surfacing on the internet over the next few days.
Following the online dispute, Karrah has largely avoided directly addressing the allegations made by Yatchy. Instead, she has focused on performing and promoting the songs she has written herself. To those who have closely followed the situation, this chain of events appears to signal the end of Concrete Boys, leaving fans like me to only speculate about what might have been.
Throughout the group’s short-lived run, it was clear to any Lil Yatchy fan that he was instrumental in shaping their creative directions, branding, sound, and image. From their fashion choices to music videos, every detail bore Yatchys unmistakable style, leaving his mark on every part of their work. The title of their debut album, It’s Us Vol. 1, even hinted at plans for long-term collaboration. Considering Yachty’s invested effort in assembling the group and dedicating his time, money, and resources, it’s hard to believe he intended for their career to end within a year.
It’s important to note that this isn’t Yachty’s first time trying to start a group, and it backfired on him. In 2016, Yatchy began a group called Sailing Boys, including Kodie Shane, Burberry Perry, and Jban$2Turnt, but they gained minimal traction as a group, and Yatchy decided to try his hand at a solo career. Later that year, he achieved his first charting hit, “Broccoli” – a 7x platinum song co-written and performed with the artist DRAM. Since 2016, Lil Yachty’s sound and abilities have expanded significantly. He’s released several albums and has been featured on various tracks, exploring a wide range of genres, including trap, Detroit rap, psychedelic funk rock, indie, EDM, hyperpop, and almost every conglomerate in between.
He has found the most consistent and long-standing success as a writer. Being accredited for co-writing iconic, genre-shaping hits like “Act Up” by the City Girls, “Gucci Flip Flops” by Bhad Baby, “From the D to the A” by Tee Grizzley, and “iSpy” by Kyle. Yatchy is also credited on several hit songs off the 2022 Drake and 21 Savage album Her Loss, including songs “Circo Loco”, “Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin”, “Major Distribution”, and “Pu**y and Millions”. His burgeoning success as a producer began with his 2023 experimental psychedelic funk rock album Let’s Start Here. This album solidified Yatchy’s multifaceted musical capabilities, proving to disapproving voices that he was more than just a rapper. Some of the most streamed and popular tracks, like “the BLACK seminole.” and “drive ME crazy!” were produced by Lil Yachty.
Yachty’s tumultuous history of trying to start collective careers leads even the most avid of fans to question whether his greatest and most consistent success lies behind the scenes. The rapid rise of the Concrete Boys can be attributed to not only their musical talent but also to their branding, showcasing Yatchy’s affinity for merging music, visuals, and culture in a way that resonates with a broad audience. As branding becomes increasingly crucial in the music industry, Yatchy’s role as a creative director, writer, and producer may have matched, if not surpassed, his role as a performer. His profound impact on Crete — evident in their distinct sound and compelling image — strongly suggests that his greatest influence could indeed be his skill in crafting and guiding the creative vision of those around him. While his musical talents are incontestable, could his true genius lie within his capability to craft the image and direction of others?
