Limerick was labeled as “Stab City” for decades, and the people continuously work to live down the bad branding. Irish artists are now dedicated to modify the unpleasant label and change it to “The Rap City.” The rappers and producers are reinterpreting the American rap styles that gave birth to Irish own PX Music. Limerick is now Ireland's rap scene center of the music industry as more and more artists create and produce “Gaelic Bars.”

Hip-hop Music and Industry in Ireland

Hip-hop is a music type that has emerged in the global industry way back a number of years. However, in Ireland, it has bloomed a little late in the last two years. Although Irish people used to listen to American hip-hop music, they didn’t produce their own raps with an Irish twang. Because for them, rap jams that incorporate rural Irish accents are ridiculous. However, the thinking did not stop a few Irish artists from proving that rustic accents can also work well with raps.

Hip-hop popularity becomes the stepping stone for the Irish artists to surge in the music scene. Hip-hop has become the lead genre in Ireland music today. Although it is not yet at its peak of success, it is already moving the country’s hip-hop industry. The shift from American music artists to own Irish crafts is now the new trend in Limerick. With national headlines finally talking about them, will they use every tool to their advantage to go global? Will they buy SoundCloud plays on their best hits to force our collective ears on their music?

Limerick’s Rap Collective

PX Music is Limerick’s rap collective music that is currently the centerpiece of its music industry. For the past two years, artists under PX music have produced quality hip-hop music. Sean created PX Music. He was invited to a radio show while he was studying Music technology at LIT. PX music becomes popular on Wired FM, a student radio station based on the Mary Immaculate College Campus.

From then on, Irish Rappers inspired different artists to enter the industry and produce their music. The music created by the PX artists is featured in Hip Hop Nation, Wired FM’s weekly hip-hop radio show. Thanks to the manager Ray Bourke who supported the PX music.  

Here are PX Collective main rappers that significantly contributed to changing the game of Ireland’s music industry:

Hazey Haze

“Fuck stab city, fuck stab city, this is rap city.” These are the words that Haze squealed in his debut album.

Before Hazey Haze reached fame in PX, he first worked as a rap trio member, the Same D4Ence. Haze has also released six Eps in two years before his famous “Is Mise” project. Haze is also considered the most productive PX’s performer. 

Is Mise has 19 tracks that tell a story about his life in his hometown in Ireland. One of the most touching tracks was his grandmother's story, who peddled drugs and died without seeing a judge. According to an email, Haze explained that “Is Mise” is an Irish phrase for “It’s me.” The project aims to show that he is a proud young Limerick man, an Irish rapper, and proves that Ireland is the home of world-class artists.

In 2018, Haze, with his track ‘What’s That’ brought attention to his rapping skills. This track led him to be featured in a documentary about the hip-hop industry in Somewhere in Ireland.

GavinDaVinci

GavinDaVinci is known to be the most free-formed PX rapper. He has unique frightening squawks. DaVinci usually self-produces his music. With his diverse styles and talent in ad-libs, he has produced music with enduring freedom. 

DaVinci’s 2019 piece, Superscumbagmode, was PX’s breaking hit. In his music, he talks about issues that are happening around us, such as mental health. DaVinci also proves that Soundcloud Rappers can use rural Irish twang in rap.

Strange Boy

Strange Boy uses hard, striking, and thought-stimulating lyrics with his music. He also has a great talent for flow mastery that makes him one of the well-known rappers today. Strange Boy started his journey at Make Move Festival in Limerick. He worked on his debut mixtape, Passionate Example, with Naive Ted and Rusangano Family. 

In 2019, he was featured on “Delush’s” single that led him to enter a contract with Welcome to the New World, a record label based in Berlin. 

Citrus Fresh 

Citrus makes music with spontaneous verses about modern love, morality, Irish weather patterns, friends, and strangers. His best track, entitled “DiCaprio,” is a lo-fi hip-hop song that talks about the break-up. This track has taken the forefront of his Early Days/Late Nights EP release. Citrus typically produces music that paints the picture of a post-break-up tragedy.

 

Among the tracks in his Smile EP is “Brains,” with a verse where he is sitting in the back of a car splattered with Princess Diana’s brains. It has a warm jazz beat that flaunts his rapping skill as a centerpiece of the song. 

Mankyy

Mankyy is considered the PX’s resident beatmaker and Ireland’s leading producer. In 2017 he released his Character Development EP that makes way for his name to list Irish hip-hop producers. 

In 2018, he released his concept project, “The Lonesome Planet Man.” This music talks about our future’s story with a theme – “From the far horizons of the unknown come tales of new dimensions in time and space!”

Aswell

Aswell started his career in the 2017 “Character development” feature. Then, a year later, he released his solo EP, Ambiguous. His monotone and modest delivery perfectly complement his discreet and jazzy beat.

The highlight of his career was “Dejavu,” where he raps unpredictably about the feasting on the corpse of a police officer, Garda. He was also featured in Haze and DaVinci’s album in recent months. 

These brilliant artists work with each other to release quality music intended for festival slots as collective and individual performances. Naming one is Féile na Gréine or the Festival of the Sun. It is a city-wide festival that features underground artists across their country. Limerick claims to be the “Ireland’s capital of Underground Culture,” with emerging artists in Limerick proving that they are a city with overflowing local DIY ability.

Date: March 4, 2021 / Categories: Getting Discovered, / Author: solmae