Dublin hip-hop artist Beano has released his debut album, Unsolicited Beef. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
Released on Irish label Outstraight Records, it follows his debut track Marju and features the single Ellenfield Park Flow.
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"That track is a time capsule of milestones and memories from my childhood right through to today," Beano says.
"The creative process for Ellenfield Park Flow was a cathartic one for me - as I got to revisit a number of locations and experiences that are very close to me in a local and artistic setting."
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I rapped on stage with Ghostface Killah in The Button Factory, Dublin in 2017. I've just released my debut album Unsolicited Beef. I am a part of Dublin based record label Outstraight Records.
How would you describe your music?
My music is probably different to every person that listens to it. Depending on what way I'm feeling at the time of making it depends on the outcome. Often it can probably be described as on the more energetic and hard-hitting side of the scale, but at the same time on the new album there’s a blend of that type of stuff and more introspective and reflective tracks. All of my work is an embodiment of the type of person I am and I try to keep it like that. Sometimes I can just be describing a scene that comes to my brain when I turn on the beat and other times like in Ellenfield Park Flow I can be talking about my everyday life and things that shaped me and still do. Each track is just a glimpse into what was going on in my brain around the time of trying to make something new. I like getting feeling and energy from whatever I’m listening to and I try my best to replicate the same thing in my own work. I feel that there’s a track of mine for any type of mood someone might be in.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Early on when I first heard hip-hop it would’ve been the likes of Eminem and 50 Cent, when I was only really getting familiar with rap music. As the years went on the boom bap sound from New York heavily influenced me. The likes of Big L, Nas, Wu-Tang and Big Pun are all in constant rotation. Then as I got slightly older and more entrenched in it, seeing the likes of GI, Costello and Lethal Dialect amongst others doing the same thing but in a Dublin accent was a bit mind blowing and spurred me on towards making my own attempt at it. I think anyone who I’ve mentioned here went into a melting pot and I took a bit of inspiration from all of them and made a style which is uniquely mine and put my own stamp on it. That’s what hip-hop is to me, anyway, paying respect to those that came before you and taking influence from them but not copying it.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
50 Cent in the RDS in 2007. In and around the time I was a massive 50 Cent and G-Unit fan. This was my first proper gig I remember going to. I was eight at that stage and 50 Cent was on top of the world at the time. This was in and around where I really began diving into the genre more.
What was the first record you ever bought?
G-Unit’s Beg For Mercy album. This is the first record I bought and really my earliest memory of hip-hop altogether. This started me on a spree of buying albums whenever I’d saved enough money and hasn’t stopped since. Whenever I was out driving with any family members I’d put this album on straight away and have it looped until we got back home. I still know all of the lyrics from it back to front, it’s ingrained in my brain at this stage.
What’s your favourite song right now?
Rome Streetz - Mud Into Moet. Probably my favourite artist out right now. The work rate is off the charts and definitely something that inspires me and I try to implement myself.
Favourite lyric of all time?
My favourite lyric of all time is probably from Big L’s track Put It On. "You can’t kill me, I was born dead." Although it mightn’t seem like much on the surface, I think the fact that he and many other hip-hop artists have died young gives the line more life than was maybe intended when he was writing it. The way he’s alluding to the fact he can’t be killed reinforces how many artists who have passed, are immortalised through their music and still live on to this day. For me that’s what makes music special and why I try to make timeless art that can be listened to now as well as 40/50 years from now. I have the lyric tattooed on myself so it’s definitely one I’ll never forget.
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Nas - One Love. If not my favourite track of all time. It’s definitely up there with the best. I never get bored of listening to it and it brings back memories any time it comes on. The storytelling is unmatched, this is peak Nas and to me the epitome of hip-hop in general.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Spotify and Instagram.
Alan Corr
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