The Soul Rebels

The Soul Rebels are a pivotal eight-piece brass ensemble from New Orleans that redefined the 'brass band' genre by integrating contemporary hip-hop, funk, and soul into the traditional second line framework. Formed in 1991 by Lumar LeBlanc and Derrick Moss, the group emerged from the storied New Orleans jazz funeral tradition but sought to incorporate the sounds they heard on the radio.

Their sound identity is built on a foundation of 'heavy funk' where the sousaphone replaces the electric bass and the snare/bass drum duo mimics the breakbeats of hip-hop. Over three decades, they have evolved from local favorites to global ambassadors, collaborating with a staggering range of artists from Nas and GZA to Metallica and Katy Perry. This cross-genre fluidity has made them a staple at major festivals like Bonnaroo and Jazz Fest. Critical consensus views them as modernizers who preserved the spirit of New Orleans music by refusing to keep it in a museum, instead pushing it into the spheres of pop and alternative rock. Their influence is seen in the rise of 'brass-hop' and the global popularity of contemporary horn-heavy ensembles.