Hip-hop and spoken poetry artist Mikey Cullen has released his new single. Rare Old Signs. We asked him the BIG questions . . .
"The song is written through the lens of taking a Dart journey along Dublin's coast, one I have made my whole life. While looking across Dublin's bay I was reminded of those beautiful days in youth I've had in my hometown and its coastal areas, which only enhances the current feeling of disconnection that I, and many of my peers, are feeling with our city.
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Mikey’s work has been has published in anthologies such as Dlúthpháirtíocht, Peace, Land and Bread and Void Magazine.
He has performed his poetry all over Dublin and Ireland at events and festivals including at Collins Barracks Saint Patrick Festival and he is a regular collaborator with Seanchoiche.
In March 2024 he made his international debut, performing in New York. He is due to play Feile Na Phobail, Electric Picnic and many more festivals in August 2024.
Tell us three things about yourself . . .
I'm a spoken word poet, lyricist/rapper and a qualified secondary school teacher of History and English.
How would you describe your music?
I would describe my music as lyric oriented, whether that's my hip hop or spoken word verses put to music. My background is in poetry and I am working with a different number of styles and genres. I will allow others to describe my music as sometimes I feel it is difficult to appraise oneself, the saying too close to the trees springs to mind.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Santan Dave, Tupac, Pete Doherty, Shane MacGowan, Nas, Sinéad O Connor, Potter Payper, Wretch 32, Mac Miller and too many more.
What was the first gig you ever went to?
I think it was the Cheerios Childline concert when I was a young lad brought by my parents. The first gig I went to myself was Avicii in Marley park as a teenager, great memories!
What was the first record you ever bought?
In primary school, I sang with a group of other students led by a teacher of ours during lunchtimes. We would cover songs and one of the songs we covered as chosen by the teacher was U2’s The Sweetest Thing, which was then featured on a U2 cover album. I remember the excitement of buying it in Golden Discs, I think I was around nine years of age.
What’s your favourite song right now?
I've been listening to a lot of Fontaines D.C. recently so it's probably their song Favourite.
Favourite lyric of all time?
From the song A Rainy Night in Soho by The Pogues. "Still, there's a light I hold before me, you're the measure of my dreams, the measure of my dreams."
If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be?
It would have to be Dublin in the Rare Old Times. It's the first song I can ever remember hearing when I was a child and it's one that is wrapped in nostalgia and memories of my Dad for me as he played it regularly. I sampled Luke Kelly’s chorus for this release as the sentiment expressed in my song and that which is expressed in my new song Rare Old Signs are very similar - finding one's place in an ever-changing Dublin. Although I don't write or perform Folk music, apart from in the pub at a session, it is something that inspires me greatly, the emotion evoked through the ballads.
Where can people find your music/more information?
Spotify under Mikey Cullen and my Instagram is mikey__Cullen.
Alan Corr
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