How rap is breaking Belfast barriers brick by brick, song by song

Image source, Hotbox Studios

The young rappers are on a generational journey as they unite for a mixtape

"It's like the 90s - my dad told me back then with the whole rave scene that helped bring people together."

From rave then to rap today is the generational journey taken by over 30 young Northern Irish rappers.

They can be heard on a new mixtape called NI's Finest, which is about to be released on streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music.

A 21-year-old rapper known as Rich Smicks from east Belfast is one of those involved.

And his musical partner is a 21-year-old rapper called Durtburd from west Belfast.

"I grew up in west Belfast, he grew up in east so we did this project to kind of bring the two together and break barriers down, brick by brick, song by song," Durtburd told BBC News NI.

And according to him, rap is the ideal way to do that.

'That's calm' - Rapping across the divide

"I think it's truly working class music, it truly brings people together because everyone is united through the struggle.

"It's music that people can relate to.

"The name is Freedom Writers, we're calling it - it's basically about being brought together through music, things like that," added Rich Smicks.

And like the unifying rave scene in Northern Ireland that his dad remembers from three decades ago, Rich says "it's the same now with the rap".

"You've got people coming from east, west, north and south."

Like some other rappers, they wear masks when performing and their tracks are often hard-hitting, covering what they see and hear around them in the areas of Belfast in which they live.

"The main things would be focusing on the long-lasting effects of the Troubles, paramilitaries, life in Belfast today," said Rich Smicks.

"I would touch on corruption in the government, in Stormont, things like that as well as my own battles with depression and things like that.

"Just whatever I'm feeling - it depends on the song."

Durtburd also tries to capture "real life in Belfast" in his music.

"The struggles people actually go through like addiction, like juggling debts, like just trying to survive and keep yourself sweet," he lists as subjects for his lyrics.

"As well as the trauma that's been handed down to us from our parents and older generations from the Troubles."

A slogan about the importance of good mental health serves as inspiration to the artists who record at Hotbox Studios

But their music is varied, according to Rich Smicks.

"Me and Durtburd, we'd have room-shakers, the wee dance tracks, so we mix it up!"

Eighteen-year-old producer Kantuftw from Dundonald also has a track on the mixtape, the largest ever put together in Northern Ireland.

"My music varies in different styles but what I like about it is that some of the songs speak with you," he said.

"They're not depressing, not sad, but the words and lyrics would impact other people who are going through the same things."

Kantuftw is especially proud of some of his tracks that address things such as mental health.

"A lot of people struggle with that type of stuff and it's like if people listen to that music that will help them," he said.

"A lot of young people, if they do hear someone going through similar experiences, it's more like a coping mechanism to know that they're not alone and know that there's other people going through the same things."

Kantuftw is proud that those who listen to his music take solace from his lyrics

The NI's Finest Mixtape is the brainchild of James Ayo from Hotbox Studios in east Belfast.

It has also been supported by organisations like the PRS Foundation and the Rio Ferdinand Foundation.

"There's a lot of rap happening in Northern Ireland," James Ayo told BBC News NI.

"So I thought let's put this mixtape together to show how big it is.

"It's not just in Belfast - we have rappers from Derry, from Newry, places like that, and it's to showcase how serious it is to them."

James Ayo had the idea to bring together the best young rap talent for the mixtape

But even he was a little taken aback by the number of local rappers who wanted to be part of it.

"I was a bit shocked but at the same time this is our community, this is what we do," he explained.

"It's quite big already within the rap community in Northern Ireland but being recognised outside of that is a bit hard sometimes."

Durtburd and Rich Smicks are hoping that will change.

"We don't really get the recognition and it's only started out really properly but I always knew we were going to take it over," said Rich Smicks.

"The likes of Dublin, London... they're already established - we're not.

"Hopefully one day they will notice us, the world will recognise it."