Where do I start? Above are condemning lyrics by “rap” group Versatile on their summer 2017 hit “Dublin City G’s” that launched them on to the scene. Versatile are known for their comedic flows and huge engagement from adolescents across Ireland. So that’s why it hurts for me as an Irish teenager to read these lyrics.
As a black teenager, its almost draining having to constantly go back to the recurring topic of racism. In 2019 we have crowds of teenagers screaming this song at festivals and concerts. Picture yourself as a black youth listening to these harsh lyrics ” all my side bitches are dark-skinned…licking my dick”. Not only is it racist, but its also misogynistic. This song was first released in 2017 along with their song ‘Scorching again’ which features unnecessary homophobic slurs in it ” Stop being f*ggots and cause a nuisance”. Since then Versatile have gone on to sell out multiple headline shows, perform the main stage at numerous festivals and raking in millions of views and streams, yet not once have they taken responsibility for their lyrics. The most troubling factor for me is that two years have passed since the song was released, yet I and many other black teens in Ireland were only made aware of these lyrics this week. The fact that music, media and production platforms, and their fans have not castigated them for these lyrics in the space of two years, shows how casual racism is normalized in Ireland.
This article isn’t like any of my previous ones. I felt a deep urge to address this matter as others have refused to. At what point will we stop and realise that racism is still a big issue in Ireland. It’s shameful to still see this type of behavior in 2019 and the only people mindful enough to address it are minorities, as the likes of Aiken, MCD and other booking agencies remain ignorant to it along with even news outlets who refuse to discuss it. The Irish Sun released a detailed analysis of the song and video yet not once did they mention the lyrics.
I love to see Irish artists prosper and do big things. ‘Ketamine’ was a huge hit and was on constant repeat for my summer 2018. Versatile just sold out the 3Arena and that’s something not many artists can say they have done but at whose expense should they be excelling at. Minorities? The stereotype, racism, misogyny and simple crudeness are what has accelerated Versatile to where they are now. The leaders of Irish rap.