Trailblazing Against All Odds; Dena Anuk$a Talks Gxrlcode, Growing Up A Minority & Confidence - #Mabcast 020

08/11/19 • 37 min

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.

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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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Previous Episode

Irish Rap's Distinct Sound; Is Humorous Rap The Next Wave? - #Mabcast 019

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.

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Next Episode

Camaraderie, Collaboration and Breaking Down Barriers To Entry - #Mabcast 021

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.