The Tallaght rapper Gavin Curtis aka Curtisy has collaborated with Ahmed With Love, Kojaque, Rory Sweeney, Typxeater, D*mp, Cbakl and more since he started releasing music in 2021.
Curtisy’s debut album What Was The Question (Brook Records) is the sound of a rapper coming into his own, with some of those same producers, rappers and friends providing beats and supporting verses.
Where most new artists breaking through in Ireland are addressing the socio-economic and cost of living and rent crisis this country is currently going through, Curtisy’s debut album is a different tack – more insular, more personal, addressing his own particulars.
“What if my shit just gets worse cos of what’s happening at home?” – ‘Landline’
We get lines about strained parental relations (“need the fam to intervene cause I don’t want to be me dad” – Last Time’ ), overindulgence and reliance on alcohol and drugs as coping mechanisms (“I’m the problem why’d I think I need different friends” – ‘Landline!’), growing up in Jobstown (“where I’m from you’re told to lower your hopes” – ‘Lower Your Hopes’) and promising himself in the cold light of day to not to rely on addictive substances so readily again (“all these sessions get depressing chap it isn’t a buzz / you said this shit doesn’t slap but it literally does – ‘Wok To Blackrock’).
The beats by Rory Sweeney, D*mp, Walshy and hikii lend the album a woozy Earl Sweatshirt-esque air.
“They put crack in this beat / have me chewing me jaw, has me losing me keys /has me losing phone,” – ‘Tree Sap’
Curtisy’s rapping is the key to this album, he can spit, and he can turn a phrase. He makes it sound effortless with every line, playful, precise, casual, coherent and a lot of fun to listen to again and again.
“Tonight’s the night he sussed out he was gifted.” – Don’t Listen
Curtisy has got through the feature days and made a solo full-length with pals that is a significant notch in his burgeoning discography. The boy’s only getting started – he has more features coming just this week with Rory Sweeney’s Carlos Danger hip-hop alterego album Irish Hash Mafia, and featured on Sloucho’s album NPC last week.
Like TraviS and Elzzz’s chart-topping Doghouse, Drimnagh rapper Fynch’s debut record last month and Wicklow rapper Balordabreen’s recent Fodhla mixtape, What Was The Question is another really Irish rap record from 2024 for the highlight reel.
Buy the album from Bandcamp on vinyl.
Curtisy on the Jobstown spots that influenced his new album What Was The Question
