MabCast: Recent Episodes
Mabfield
This week, we welcomed Saul Duffin, founder of Belfast based music and culture magazine YEO to casa del mabfield.
In this episode we discuss the debate over accents in Irish Hip-Hop, and give our thoughts on this summers festival line ups so far.
This week, we welcomed Negro Impacto to Casa del Mabfield for an extensive chat.
The duo from Dundalk chat about meeting at a skatepark, bonding over their love of The Internet and following the duo blueprint laid down by Nxworries.
Also wanna give a big shoutout to Chi Chi after her time in hospital and we wish her all the best in her recovery ❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️🔥
Rising Dublin rapper Curtisy and producer, film maker and artist Rory Sweeney made their way to casa del mabfield this week for a long overdue conversation. We talked about taking inspiration from the growth of New York rapper WIKI, who they'd like to work with, their working relationship with the likes of Ahmed, With Love. and their forthcoming EP.
Rising rappers E The Artist and Ahmed, With Love. joined us to talk about who’d win in an Irish music scene royal rumble, how Ahmed moved back and forth from Sierra Leone to Ireland and the increasing camaraderie in the scene post-lockdown.
Belfast rapper Emby has really come to the fore after lockdown with performances at AVA, Plain Sailing Belfast and Crilli DNB. He’s been steadily releasing music of his own, hopping between rap, jungle, dnb and just about anything else he fancies. It puts him in the unique position where he satisfies both the pickiest hip hop heads and dance music die hards.
We talked about Ireland’s attitude towards art and creativity generally, working with Curtisy, Rory Sweeney and Ahmed, With Love. and the media’s propensity to box in black artists as “urban music”.
In episode 2 of Mabfield FM we're joined by London-based member of Nine8 collective Biig Piig! She's emerged as one of the most interesting artists in the lo-fi wave of the past few years with a blend of English and Spanish lyrics as well as her varied production choices. We chatted about how she's been coping with lockdown creatively, partying with Slowthai in Paris, performing on Jools Holland, the London underground scene and her sound going forwards.
Welcome to Mabfield FM ! Our brand new podcast series where we call up our favourite artists, creatives and friends of Mabfield to have a chit chat about how they are holding up in the most turbulent times of our life times.
Up first we have one of Ireland's finest RnB prospects in Erica-Cody. She's been busy leading Black Lives Matter marches in Dublin and we chatted about how the fight though emotionally draining is 100% necessary. She also talked about her dad's basketball career in Ireland and how lockdown has affected her productivity.
Why-Axis stopped by to talk about getting stuck in Amsterdam during the pandemic and a nationwide shortage meaning he has been going on treks to find the devil's lettuce. We talk what the future of gigs look like and how his video for 'BLOODSTAIN' has become a window into a period of time before lockdown when nights out were normal.
Soft Boy Records' Gaptoof chatted to us about working with Chlobocop, trying to get placements in the next year and what the next step is for him following the successful release of his 'Looks Like Rain' Project.
Lock in!
TrustItEnt's Evans Junior is somewhat a musical chameleon. Feeling as comfortable rhyming over trap instrumentals as he does providing earworm hooks on afrobeat cuts, he's carving a reputation as one of Ireland's most versatile artists. This sonic diversity is reflected in the release of his debut album 'Organised Mess'. The meat of the project comprises of catchy hooks and a stream of consciousness that's left to marinate in a number of different genres, with the first half being made up of more abrasive tracks followed by a distinctly different section of pop-leaning efforts. He chopped it up with international artists like S1 and Naira Marley and demonstrated on record that he's on par with some of the heaviest hitters from across the globe.
It's been around eight months since he dropped 'Organised Mess', but things haven't slowed down since then and the Longford native stopped by Casa del Mabfield to talk about his work, the artists breaking through glass ceilings and the need for more support from the higher ups in the Irish music industry.
The phrase 'Urban artist', can be a problematic one as highlighted by Tyler, The Creator in his Grammy acceptance speech. However Evans used the term for the purpose of highlighting the lack of recognition for certain strands of music being made by black artists in Ireland. The end of the conversation gravitated towards examination of the lack of media coverage and festival representation for artists making 'Urban' music. Many of these artists use newer and less traditional methods of releasing and promoting music, such as Tik Tok, Triller and Youtube channels like Mixtape Madness. Despite the fact many have received hundreds of thousands of plays they are still being ignored by booking agents and traditional media outlets.
PX Music's Hazey Haze and Citrus Fresh joined us for a chat whilst they were in Belfast for their nationwide tour.
Following the release of our end of year podcast reviewing hip hop that year we felt that we needed to be more honest when it came to our assessment of music. The music scene in Ireland is in a relatively healthy place but there's been a bit of stagnation and that is in part due to the lack of honest criticism, for which we are also guilty of. In this episode we got it off our chest.
Wednesday 29th January 🗓 Queen's Film Theatre, Belfast will be exclusively showing 'Everybody's Everything', an inside look at the life of the late artist Lil Peep. Following the screening we will be hosting a live podcast with Andrew Moore. We'll touch on mental health in music and hip hop's relationship with drugs. It's a sensitive topic but one that needs explored. You can get your discounted tickets (£4) with the code 'Mabfield': https://queensfilmtheatre.com/Whats-O... FB EVENT: https://www.facebook.com/events/25574... _______________________________________________________________________________________This week in the wake of Mac Miller's new album we talked about posthumous albums and whether they should even be released...
We were joined by an absolute mega line-up of music heads for a round-up of hip hop in Ireland in 2019.
We've also got a live podcast in Queens Film Theatre Wednesday 29th January. Google that ! or check our insta bio, discount tickets with code 'Mabfield'
This week on the #Mabcast we have hip hop duo Tebi Rex. This was straight up hilarious. We talked about the importance of constructive criticism and later made some hot takes on hip hop in Ireland. Lock in.
Intro Music: Dubzeno - Know Your Place
This week we were joined by Galway's Celaviedmai! Mai has an insane work rate, she is consistently in between her hometown and Dublin for shows and studio sessions. She took a trip up to Belfast to chat to us and was very frank on her previous struggles and spoke about the impact music has had on her life. A genuine star in the making, the rapper/singer/songwriter talks about the support of her mum in her career and we got an exclusive on new music. She also recalled the moment she almost quit.
Lock in.
Hailing from Dublin, he spoke about growing up with ADHD and music becoming a cathartic force for him. We delved into pressures from family and getting the balance right when making music.
Lock in 🔒
Following a brief hiatus we are back! This week we locked horns on which Irish hip hop artists are on the rise and who we should keep an eye on in 2020. Including Skripteh, celaviedmai, Malaki, Jeorge II, Cob and Strange Boy.
This week two very talented artists made the long trip up from Tipperary and Co. Clare to join us. Speaking on their journey so far and how PX Music came about, the lads were very frank with their thoughts on the music scene and where they want to go. We also dug into the possible reasons for Limerick's existence as a hot bed for talented artists.
This week on the Mabcast, Jack and Dylan were joined by none other than Nonzus Magnus.
The MC, Director and all round creative dissected some of his earliest influences ranging from Michael Jackson to Kerrang. Citing his skating days paired with his early music channel choices as formative in developing his aesthetic and sound.
Discussing his latest release 'Fight Club', his love of film and much more in this episode gives an insight into the mind of one of Ireland's most interesting artists right now.
This week on the Mabcast Dylan and Jack are joined by Belfast's Jordan Adetunji. After his recent nomination in two categories of the Northern Ireland Music Prize the rapid fire MC opened up on his experiences as a rapper in a city not traditionally receptive to hip hop. Detailing his latest track 'Questions' and the subsequent music video, Jordan explains some of the conceptualised thinking behind much of his work, later expanding this into some of the doctrines he lives by. "Do you what you like, do you what believe in and see through your vision. You'll find other people that will organically gravitate towards you, you can go really far off your own vision" Citing influences ranging from Michael Jackson to Chipmunk and incorporating a blend of funk, rock and grime into his music, Jordan embodies what it means to be a modern hip hop artist. Not suffocated by traditional limits of what rap music should sound like, the London born, Belfast based artist champions his approach to making music and noted the importance of his friends, family and team for his growth and success. Having recently featured in a BBC documentary providing an insight in to one of Northern Ireland's biggest festivals - Stendhal Festival, its clear Jordan is destined for big things, catch the interview before everyone else eventually catches onto one of the north's musical gems.
This week on the Mabcast Clonsilla's Nealo joined Jack and Dylan for a chat.
The former hardcore front man made the transition into rap music last year with his acclaimed 'October Year' EP and he hasn't shown any signs of slowing down since.
Young artists often face teething problems initially and Nealo notes his experience in the music game has allowed him to avoid such issues second time round. Recounting his experience touring America and Europe, the recent Diffusion Lab signee winds back the clock to give an insight into his work prior to 'Nealo'.
Discussion gravitates towards Nealo exploring adding some of the more aggressive elements of his previous output into his new music and the potential difficulties of creating a wide ranging yet cohesive sound. These new challenges in music are coupled with his recent steps into fatherhood - a genuinely interesting stage in his life that is adding layers to his already accomplished sound.
Minus the poor reception of 'The Big Day', there are similarities drawn between Nealo and Chicago's Chance The Rapper. With both currently going through similar life changes, there is dialogue noting that despite the parallels between him and Chance its the tone and approach that differs, presenting the Irish rapper as a currently more interesting character.
There is a refreshing honesty to Nealo's approach and he isn't afraid to talk about the impact of drugs in his life. Acknowledging he made 'macho shit' in his 20s he notes there is no room for posturing anymore.
A recurring topic in many of the Mabcast interviews is the importance of singles versus longer projects and Nealo is pragmatic in his approach, ensuring he stays active with singles whilst steadily working towards dropping an album.
Taking a brief pause from music talk, there is discussion of the current housing crisis in Dublin and a decline in the number of spaces that encourage underground culture.
"We don't need more hotels, we have enough hotels for tourists. We need culture. If you don't have culture in the city there is nothing to visit. Its a plastic city"
There is recognition that the talent in Ireland's rap scene is not limited to Dublin, with Limerick among other cities presenting a hotbed of lyrical talent. With interest in the genre in Ireland being more widespread than once believed, the importance of building a nationwide community in Ireland is woven throughout the conversation.
Keen to shout out his long time collaborators INNRSPACE, Adam Garrett, Molly Sterling, Nealo notes some of his most exciting live performances that included the live band such as the support slot for YG.
Drawing inspiration from Brockhampton, collaborating with rappers from across the country and the success of 'Wisdom Is Misery'. The Mabcast has its first return guest this week in the form of esteemed producer CBAKL.
The Portrush beatsmith has had an incredible trajectory since his last appearance on the Irish hip hop podcast and recently dropped his album 'Wisdom Is Misery', to widespread acclaim.
In his first chat on the podcast, CBAKL was keen to grow his presence as an artist in Ireland, ensuring that he develops a solid following at home that can complement his already invested audience online. During his reappearance he confirmed his progress on that front with a stellar new EP with cult favourite Craic Boi Mental 'Last of the Summer Wine' and his ambitions to work with other established Irish acts.
The success of the 'Class Craic Beat Tape' evidences his desire to create a sense of community and awareness amongst Irish artists and producers. The tape itself contains many of the finest producers in the country and provides perhaps one of the only places to source the majority of the Emerald Isle's greatest producers.
The conversation develops and Dylan, Jack and CBAKL discuss the growth of punk rap in recent months and how it is developing against the political landscape, breeding new more socially engaged artists. These emerging trends alongside a bourgeoning Irish scene will only encourage an increasingly eclectic sound coming out of Ireland and beyond.
Across genres collaboration has always been both inevitable and necessary. However in hip hop perhaps there is a tendency to spread the myth of the lone wolf approach. The 'hustle' and the 'come up' are intrinsically valuable in the story telling of the genre and many successful artists are keen to point out they made it on their own.
In reality hip hop is built on collaboration; Greats such as Outkast, Pete Rock & CL Smooth and Wu Tang Clan have benefitted from friendships under collective names. Artists such as Kanye West have less overtly utilised collaboration; working extensively with long term collaborators like Mike Dean.
This week Jack and Dylan look at some of the collaborative approaches of artists and collectives in Ireland. The DIY ethos is a common feature of much of the hip hop output in the country at the moment and many are replicating the model utilised by the likes of Odd Future and Brockhampton.
Collectives like Gxrlcode and Rejektz Media are made up of not only musicians but graphic designers and videographers. The old adage 'Many hands make light work' proving convincing in the case of both rapidly growing groups.
In the bigger picture the media is quick to fabricate competitive divides between minority and/or female artists such as Cardi B and Nicki Minaj. Being part of a forward thinking collective can further a sense of community and respect, halting any attempts to cause unrest.
All this and more is discussed in the latest episode.
The Mabcast is back and features a guest for the first time in a number of weeks. DJ, rapper and all round creative Dena Anuk$a dropped by Casa Del Mabfield for an in depth chat on her journey thus far.
As the first female guest on the show, it's only natural that the conversation gravitated to the lack of female representation in the hip hop industry in Ireland. Right from the get go, things are tough as a female in the music industry; The lack of representation is evident, the scarce number of female hip hop artists to look up to is disheartening and the lack of opportunities is a real challenge. Couple these issues with the difficulties faced as a minority and it'd be more than fair to say that the odds are stacked against Dena.
Despite these challenges she is releasing quality music, Djing at major festivals like Longitude and encouraging and inspiring other females to put their art into the world. Much of this work in channeled through Gxrlcode - a female collective making waves across the country. Dena talks of her aspirations for the Belfast branch that she heads and upcoming shows they have planned.
Much of the confidence needed to carry through her vision stems from intimidating open mic nights in Istanbul - where she lived for a short time and the support of her friends.
Comparisons are made between the scene in Dublin and Belfast and despite the north's capital being in its infancy it's clear there is an opportunity for it to be moulded into something special.
Welcome to the latest instalment of the #Mabcast where Dylan is joined by Jack to talk all things Irish Hip hop.
Following the previous week's discussion on Versatile and their so called 'Satirical' content, it feels natural to gravitate towards a conversation surrounding humour in hip hop music in Ireland.
KNEECAP have been storming festival stages across the country this summer and with another nationwide headline tour coming in September, they have become one of the most exciting acts in the country. What makes them so enticing is their use of the Irish language and humorous punchlines littered throughout their tracks.
This humorous approach to music is present with other acts such as TPM and like KNEECAP they have been racking up tens of thousands of views on youtube. These commonalities raise questions surrounding 'viral' tracks and whether this style of witty hip hop will be the first wave of Irish hip hop to break ground internationally.
The episode reflects on rap and especially the more comical takes from the aforementioned acts as a response to political shortcomings. At times the self depreciating humour that is present frequently in Irish hip hop feels like the complete polar opposite to American rap's 'Flex' culture.
It then begs the question; Rather than a distinctive sound as such, is it actually the attitude sprinkled across much of the country's output that will be it's unique distinction when compared to contemporaries in other countries?
All this and more is discussed in the latest episode.
Welcome to Episode 018 of the Mabcast where Jack and Dylan discuss the topic on everyone's lips at the moment - Versatile. The Irish rap duo have created a racism row resulting in numerous social media spats between supporters and critics. The Dublin rappers have sold out a date for the 3Arena and in doing so created history by being the first Irish rap act to do so; however their controversial lyrics in songs like 'Dublin City Gs' has led to widespread criticism. The discussion in this week's episode centres around the debacle and Jack and Dylan have their take on the controversy including chat about other responses from artists in the industry.
Welcome to the latest episode of the Mabcast featuring Jack and Dylan. Frequently focusing on the artists and creatives involved in the scene; the latest episode takes a more narrative approach that relies on examples of Irish artists to demonstrate the concepts in question.
The episode continues to provide the critical feedback to up coming Irish artists, with the episode opening with the track reviews featuring reviews on tracks from the likes of Alex Gough.
Using the most common method of music consumption - streaming, as the crutch through which to base the episode on; the Mabfield boys examine the importance of singles in comparison to albums. It's no secret that singles are becoming an increasingly more viable way to gain serious traction in a short amount of time. With viral hits such as 'Old Town Road' or 'Gucci Gang' launching the careers of Lil Nas X and Lil Pump respectively.
However much can be said for the cultural importance of larger pieces of work. Albums provide longevity in a way that singles can't and the debate on the different types of releases gets deep in this episode.
Spotify playlists are an excellent method of quick distribution and immediate exposure to a large amount of consumers. However the argument can be and is made that these playlists do not generally develop genuine relationships between artists and those listening.
This combined with the never ending debate of authenticity in rap makes for an insightful episode that provides much food for thought.
They touch on shorter eps becoming the increasingly more important - encouraged by Kanye West's summer of 2018 where he produced many 5 track albums for artists. The ever decreasing attention span of audiences encourages the single culture perpetuated by Spotify.
Welcome to the latest instalment of the Mabcast where Dylan is joined by the new co-host Jack Rapanakis.
Irish hip hop is in an interesting time; The interest has never been higher and the DIY ethos is encouraging, however the recurring question remains how do the artists within the country gain an international platform?
This is the question that governed the latest episode and with this in mind Dylan and Jack examined recent prominent events in Ireland through this lens.
Longitude is arguably the biggest hip hop oriented festival in Ireland and gives slots to upcoming Irish acts. Though throughout the episode the point is made that Irish artists are still underrepresented and are given unfavourable time slots. Acts such as Nealo, Why-Axis and KneeCap in particular defied the odds and played to sizeable dedicated audiences.
The argument for an all Irish stage is presented and the conversation evolves into an examination on the growing dialogue around hip hop using the District Magazine launch party as the crutch. Many of the topics probes on the numerous panel discussions were again brought to life throughout the podcast.
As per all non guest episodes the boys critically review new tracks submitted to them and suggest new listens. One of the more insightful episodes that attempts to tackle the questions that haunt up and coming musicians – how to make a living.
Welcome to a very special episode of the Mabcast. This week we linked up with Soul Doubt magazine founder Shane and SoundGuyOran alongside the creator of the 'Up Next' Irish hip hop documentary Bobby Zithelo. 'Up Next' was screened at the Workman's in Dublin alongside a live panel discussion and live performances to celebrate the 52nd episode of the Soul Doubt podcast. We got a chance to have a really chilled out conversation about the beginnings of Soul Doubt magazine and where it stemmed from. We spoke to Bobby about the inspiration for his documentary and where he is going next with the project. We even got into where the name 'Mabfield' came from and the work that goes into creating the episodes.
This week Dylan is joined by Colm aka Hausu Record’s self proclaimed ‘PR Rat/Not a Manager’.
Hausu can be best described as a Cork are collective of artists. Despite Colm’s assertions that he is not ‘industry’, his experience working with Hausu has ensured he is more than capable of navigating the music industry’s numerous hurdles.
He shares his experiences in PR and gives simple applicable advice for artists looking to get their music into major Spotify playlists and national radio.
The chat focuses on things such as creating the perfect press release, getting your name out there and how to network. Colm highlights organisations such as First Music Contact that can give artists sound, free advice regarding their music.
Dylan and Colm share their initial experiences of getting to know others within the Irish music scene and how you can tastefully get in contact with those who hold influence.
With Irish hip hop continually growing, the genre bending outputs that Hausu have facilitated come to the fore front of the conversation. With the likes of Pat Lagoon collaborating with Hausu’s Ghost King is Dead to create eclectic tracks.
This week on the Mabcast Dylan is joined by producer and wordsmith Shane Richardson. Shane Richardson is making his name as a conscious rapper with very deliberate lyricism. Off the back of his latest album 'The Bigger Picture' the MC talks candidly about his respect for the late Mac Miller and his other inspirations. A great chat, Lock in.
Welcome to the latest episode of the Mabcast where Dylan is joined by Eric Davidson of District Magazine and Adam Nolan from the team at Knockanstockan. With festival season fast approaching we dig into some of the lineups and discuss the rise of hip hop and how it is reflected on the bills.
Welcome to episode 10 of the #Mabcast where Dylan is joined by Derry's Hyfin. Hyfin is at the core of the new wave of young Irish rappers blending their overseas inspirations with their own indigenous twist to bring genuinely spellbinding sounds. The Mc is building a reputation for himself as one of the most talented spitters north of the Border and he came through to chat about his recent ascension. Lock In.
Welcome to episode 9 of the #Mabcast! Dylan and Nik talk about the upward trajectory of Softboy Records and the refreshing approach to their music, rap 'beef' in the Irish scene and also the tracks that have been sent in this week. Lock in!
Welcome to the 8th instalment of the #Mabcast where Dylan is joined by Rusangano Family's God Knows. Irish hip hop pioneers Rusangano Family made waves with their 2016 album 'Let The Dead Bury The Dead'. The subsequent RTE Choice Award triumph was a hugely significant moment in cementing hip hop's credibility in Ireland. God Knows came for a chat and spoke about his latest single 'Crown', where he claims to be the best MC whilst simultaneously bigging up many of his contemporaries. A real legend in the game, the conversation demonstrates his raw passion for the music and selflessness. A really genuine and candid talk, lock in!
Welcome again to the Mabcast, this week Dylan chats to Zimbabwe born, Belfast based mc Leo Miyagee. Hot off the back of his new album 'FFDLC', the charismatic wordsmith describes his musical journey and reflects on this coming of age project. The episode features candid conversation on the stresses of being an independent artist and the cathartic power of music. Not one to be missed, lock in.
Welcome back! This week had the pleasure of having the 'Young OG' Rebel Phoenix on the #Mabcast. He discusses his come up, shooting a video in NYC and his upcoming album 'Global Warming'. A great chat for any young creatives as Rebel drops knowledge throughout!
Welcome to another very special episode of the #Mabcast where we are joined by NxGen's Daniel August. The Jamaican born singer/rapper has a very candid conversation about his influences, his friends, his goals and aspirations and even how Bob Marley was a family friend! Lock in!
Welcome to the 4th installment of the #Mabcast where Nik and Dylan give their thoughts on the latest tracks, detail Jafaris album launch party and discuss the Northern Irish hip hop scene. Lock in !
Welcome to Episode 3 of the Mabcast where we are joined by a guest for the first time. Renowned producer and head honcho of Class Craic Records - CBAKL has a chat with us. The Portrush musician talks his inspiration, the vision for his new irish based collective and shares stories such as working with Brockhampton's Merlyn. This is a must watch.
We are back with episode 2! We talk the latest tracks, the growing drill scene in Ireland and its potential consequences and the brilliant Somewhere In Ireland event we attended. Lock in!
Welcome to the first official episode of the Mabcast where we talk about the latest Irish hip hop tracks, the controversy surrounding Azealia Bank's latest visit to Dublin and the best hip hop producers in Ireland.
Welcome to the introductory episode the #Mabcast. We discuss our aims for the Irish hip hop & culture podcast and discuss the current climate in the scene. We want to provide honest feedback on projects, shows and events throughout Ireland and encourage any artists to send submissions. Artists that get a shoutout this week include, Fynch, Bitteroc, Pat Lagoon and Kojaque.
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