Irish hip hop? You must be joking. Here in Ireland we are seeing a burgeoning Irish hip hop scene finally transcend its niche and move into the mainstream. Mirroring the appetite for the genre elsewhere, Irish hip hop has a generation in a chokehold and we’re finally seeing the fruits of these artist’s labour.
Here we talk to three prominent figureheads in the Irish hip hop world to give their insight into how the scene has changed and what makes an Irish rapper in the first place. One of the most successful rappers in Irish history, Rejjie Snow, shares his lived experience of his Black & Irish identity, as well as moving away from Ireland to pursue his dreams. Up and coming rapper, Curtisy, opens a window into the world of an artist trying to make it in a still repressed rap sphere. Finally, music journalist Dylan Murphy gives us an overview of how Irish hip hop has evolved to where we’re at today.
Presented and produced by: Dray Morgan. A School of Media production for TU Dublin.
Music Credits:
Rejjie Snow
Jay Electronica
Curtisy