That's a Rap Dublin hip-hop star Don Kobz shares how 2023 was the ‘best year’ of his career

A Dublin rapper has opened up about his songwriting process and hopes for 2024.

Hip-hop star Don Kobz "always had a very big passion” for the genre and tried his hand at writing his own music as a teenager.

Although he admits he was “too nervous” to show anyone his material for a few years, he took the plunge and released his first song in 2017.

Earlier this year, the 26-year-old, whose real name is Colin, joined Outstraight Records, a collective founded by Lewis Kenny that platforms ten other young artists in the capital.

Speaking to the Sunday World, Kobz says that joining the label has taken his career to new heights.

“We’ve been doing loads of gigs and we’re releasing loads of music next year, so things are looking good.

“There are about ten of us – producers, rappers, singers, DJs. We all collaborate too. We have an EP coming out early next year and it’s a compilation of different tracks with different people and then at the end there’s one with all of us on it.

“We wouldn’t have been able to do it without our label head, Aaron Connery. He’s been pushing us loads in the past year and helping us out in every way he can.

“During lockdown, I had a bit of momentum. I released a good few projects and singles but we couldn’t do any gigs. Then it kind of quietened down, I did a few gigs here and there, but this year was the main year. It’s been the best year so far for my music.”

Don Kobz also features in the latest episode of ‘Lyrics in the Local’ – an online series which showcases Irish hip-hop acts.

For ‘Lyrics in the Local’, a series of acts have been recorded performing in Dublin’s Barne Studio.   

The Outstraight Records gang took to the stage at All Together Now festival in Waterford last summer, which Kobz says was an “unbelievable” experience.

“I’ve always wanted to play a festival. It was very enjoyable, great craic. I played on the Friday too so it was a good way to start off the weekend. It was a small stage, but we got a decent crowd and it was still unbelievable.

“Electric Picnic would be a great one to play too because it’s the biggest festival. All Together Now is starting to shape up as people’s favourite but I’ve never played EP, so I’d love to play it.

As for what else is coming next year, there’s “plenty in the works” for Don Kobz.

“I have an album coming out at the start of February called Crisis on Hold. I’ve been sitting on that for a while now. I wrote most of it during lockdown but I added a few more tracks to it this year,” he says, adding that he also has an upcoming project with Pat Rice from Workin’ Class Records.

When asked where he draws inspiration in his songwriting, he admits that he doesn’t have a solid answer.

“I mainly just write about myself and my own struggles. Not everything fits into that though, sometimes I just write for fun. You can just rap about rapping.

“Sometimes you have fun songs where you’re just poking fun at yourself and are more punchy, and then you have other songs that are introspective and you’re writing about stuff that means something to you.

“It depends on the mindset you’re in and the beat as well. Most of the time, I’d sit down with one beat and whatever comes out, comes out.

“You have to dig through the muck to find the diamonds. You have to churn out a load of stuff before you can find something good.

‘Lyrics in the Local’ can be viewed on YouTube here or on Instagram here.

Sunday World