2022 was the year when some of Irish rap’s most accomplished heroes put out the greatest singles of their already impressive careers. 243’s KY, 243’s EMZ and L36’s A5 all gave us literally world-beating single, But, already, it’s looking like 2023 will be a year that is dominated by newcomers.
There’s an exciting new wave of rhymers and they don’t necessarily adhere to one particular style or subgenre. Where previous years were ruled by one fixed strain, the new gen consists of drillers, road rappers, conscious rhymers, futurists, and artists who don’t fit into any of that. Tribalism and gate-keeping is out and there’s an energized wave of chameleons and experimentalists waiting in the wings, ready to shake things up and smudge the boundaries. In short, 2023 is the year of the individual.
Here are 3 Irish rappers to watch.
243’s KY x EMZ
Hailing from Co.Galways in the West of Ireland, rising rapper KY and vocalist EMZ joined forces to create duo ‘243’. The name of the group originated from the country code of Democratic Republic of Congo where both members were born and raised before migrating to Ireland as pre-teens. Their sound is a representation of their culturally enriched upbringing reflecting their time in Ireland and DRC. Blending a mixture of realities of their upbringing, grief and relationships and successes, 243’s music is often described as raw, authentic and versatile. Often showcasing trilingualism as they experiment with Trap, Drill, Afroswing and RnB.
Today they kick the season of love and introducing us to a new take of ‘Relay’ by Iyaz, Is Galway duo 243 unveiling their newest track “Melody”. Taking an unconventional twist to the playbook of pop KY and Emz showcase their trilingualism effortlessly weaving between English, French and their mother tongue Lingala. Enchanting and delighting us with slick bars and a sensual tone before landing at the smooth sailing chorus on pop production laced with a subtle bassline and warming touches, the rapper rides the beat with ease. Taking inspiration from artists like Drake, Bryson Tiller, Bppba, La Fouine and Niska to create and encapsulate the mood of the track.
The duo expressed “The story behind this track is based on the concept of love. As much as everyone wants companionship, it all comes down to vetting who is the right person for you and who is
using you for what you have to give” On the creative process for KY shared “I came across this beat on YouTube and passed it onto Emz, he messed with it so we decided to make a track out of it. I’m still shocked at the outcome, I’m still shocked at the outcome, I’m not gonna lie”. Emz added “KY and I usually write songs outside or in new environments. It is so much more genuine when ideas for a new track are coming from a clear space of mind. We then sat down and listen to a beat we both vibe to and he magic just goes from there”
Let’s dive into each individual artist from the track “Meolody”.
KY
Describe yourself as an artist and what you have accomplished this year, did you achieve your goals?
I’ll be completely honest, this hasn’t been the best in my career but nevertheless it’s been a year that’s thought me a lot about myself but also why I do what I do, I’ll keep it short and I’ll let the music speak for itself.
What are your plans for 2023 and explain why you feel it would help you?
-Focus
-Establish a solid fan base
-And most of all gain as much exposure as I possibly can
Has Ollys TV helped you in your career? If not explain, if so explain too.
They have helped me throughout my career numerous times but the most memorable collab we’ve had to this day would be the press release with when dropping dropping foreign, the song has accumulated over 30000 views and to me that’s been a great achievement in my career
What track are you proud of so far in your career?
KY – Minuit
Explain why it is your favourite and why it stand out from your other songs
It’s all in the melody and the story behind the lyrics I’ll be honest I put in a lot of effort into this song and I personally relate a lot to it
EMZ
Describe yourself as an artist and what you have accomplished this year, did you achieve your goals?
I like music I like making good music where people can relate and connect to I write my music from the pain I live everyday I’d like to tell people they gunna be alright no matter what and my goals , I only wanna make my music heard no cap
What are your plans for 2023 and explain why you feel it would help you?
I wanna release more music and be consistent if I can do that then that’s gunna help me get where I wanna get until happy of my accomplishment
Has Ollys TV helped you in your career? If not explain, if so explain too.
I’ve released melody and it was promoted by Ollys TV as a first song I think it did good because we didn’t promote it like that Ollys TV did help I won’t lie.
What track are you proud of so far in your career?
It’s not released yet but I got couple one of them it’s released melody so far I think I’m proud of all of them
Explain why it is your favorite and why it stand out from your other songs
I’d say pardon is of the song I wrote in the studio it’s about trust and I struggle with that, workin on it.
Debobby
Describe yourself as an artist and what you have accomplished this year, did you achieve your goals?
I’m a versatile artist i would love to work with any artist, and i have a passion for music, its what i enjoy doing.
What are your plans for 2023 and explain why you feel it would help you?
My plans for the year 2023 is to be more consistent and show the world my talent.
Has Ollys TV helped you in your career? If not explain, if so explain too.
Yes i have received support on all their platforms.
What track are you proud of so far in your career?
Dimensions
Explain why it is your favorite and why it stand out from your other songs
I feel like this is the best track I have out by far and it shows how I have progressed as an artist if you listen to my previous songs.
Ollys TV – Music Conpany
Ollys TV is a company, a music company(private held) that was formed in 2019 by Olly Gazal.
The “Ireland’s Best Artists awards” were introduced into the world by Ollys TV in 2020. The prize was presented to the artists who had demonstrated the most significant amount of dedication throughout that year’s work. It is the longest list of artists from Ireland dedicated to Irish urban music that has been auto-ranked by popularity based on views and interactions with Irish urban music genres such as drill, hip hop, Afro, freestyle, and grime, among others.
Ollys TV is a backbone for music artists’ development and helps them gain recognition and reputation.