Sir Louie Finds Strength in Small Steps on “Concrete”

The Montreal rapper turns a message to his younger self into a song about perseverance on his collaborative EP with Ricardo Manuel.

Sir Louie is putting the focus on steady progress with “Concrete,” a song built around encouragement, self-belief and the work of moving through challenges. The Montreal-based rapper and freestyler joins producer Ricardo Manuel on the track, which opens their collaborative EP, A Few Reps. Released on August 28, 2026, the project brings that personal outlook into a compact five-song collection.

At the center of “Concrete” is a conversation across time: Sir Louie wrote it as a message to his younger self. Its purpose is to encourage listeners to remain true to themselves and recognize the small steps that make growth possible. That gives the song a clear emotional starting point, connecting the uncertainty of an emerging artist’s life with the patience needed to keep developing.

A Few Reps places “Concrete” alongside “Life’s The Best Professor,” “777,” “No Time” and “Material Waste Yutes.” Apple Music lists the release under PALA Sound, with Sir Louie and Ricardo Manuel sharing the artist billing. At three minutes and 14 seconds, “Concrete” is the longest track on an EP that runs a little over eight minutes, giving its message room within an otherwise tightly framed set.

Behind that recorded work is a performer with more than 150 shows to his name and a career milestone at the Montreal Jazz Festival in 2025. His live history also includes a full-band visit to CKUT’s music office, documented in the station’s January 2024 feature on his Made to Love material. The archival session below offers a look at that earlier chapter, with guitar, bass, keys, drums and accompanying vocals surrounding his role as MC.

The idea of getting better through repetition predates the EP. In a 2022 Recording Arts Canada interview, Sir Louie, whose name is Tyrus Facey, traced his beginnings to freestyling with friends in high school around 2012, followed by a more serious commitment around 2017 and a full-time pursuit in 2020. Discussing his development after graduating in fall 2021, he said, “There’s always more learning to do and more ‘reps’ to get.”

That commitment has taken him through a range of stages and settings. His performance history includes the Northern Bars showcase at Atlanta’s A3C Festival in 2018, an opening slot for Killah Priest in 2022 and a Sofar Sounds show in Toronto in 2025. More recent appearances include FestiVoix in Trois-Rivières and a Montreal Mural Fest performance at Le Belmont in 2026.

Community remains part of the same story. Sir Louie has hosted recurring, improvised PALA Jam events in Montreal from 2024 through 2026, creating another outlet for his freestyle and performance work. His broader artistic mission centers on Power and Love, with music intended to encourage personal growth and uplift listeners mentally, physically and spiritually.

“Concrete” brings that mission back to an individual level: the younger person who needs a reason to continue, and the artist still putting in the work. The song is available on Spotify, with the full EP available on Apple Music. Sir Louie shares more of his music and performance activity through Instagram and YouTube.

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