Maynooth-based hip-hop duo Tebi Rex is an up-and-coming Irish act who have been stirring the pot as part of the Word Up collective. Comprised of singer Matt Ó Baoill and rapper Dafe Orugbo, Tebi Rex is part of a new wave of socially conscious yet fun-loving groups in Ireland. Following a well-received set at the recent DU Players Ball, I sat down with Orugbo to discuss the trials and tribulations of being both a student and a musician, as well the difficulties in trying to stay true to his music.
Comparing Player’s Ball to other gigs, Orugbo feels that “student events are a lot more fun to do, but they can make you very nervous. It can be weird seeing your friends and your peers at one of your shows. It’s different to festivals, where people are patient”.
Orugbo continues: “If students like you, it’s way more fun. If not, they make that very clear, and it’s natural to be nervous. Students will tell you to get off the stage. It’s a trial of your peers.”
Based in Maynooth, and with a lot of Ireland’s new music being based in Dublin, Orugbo feels it can be trickier to break into the music scene. “You are more disconnected. Dublin’s a small space, artists like Rejjie Snow or Hare Squead knew each other. When you’re not in the thick of that, it can be difficult to reach people.”
Tebi Rex has no plans on moving, however, saying “most of our listeners are outside of Ireland – the majority are in London. A move would have to be to somewhere outside of Ireland – we got what we needed in Kildare, we’re pretty involved in Dublin now but when we really need to make a step up, it’s a move to London or maybe even Paris”.
Orugbo speaks about managing a burgeoning music career while being a full-time student. “It was a lot easier as an undergraduate”, he admits. Orugbo is currently studying for a master’s degree at Maynooth University. “When you start out, you record every couple of months, and maybe do a monthly show. But it’s best not to jump in too much at the start, and pace yourself.”
Tebi Rex is known for being very socially progressive with their music. Songs like “Men Are Trash” take a very different approach to the theme of relationships. This wasn’t necessarily planned. “We were always big fans of being honest in our music”, Orugbo says. “We weren’t trying to be woke boys, even though ‘Men Are Trash’ is very like that. I found that a lot of songs we were writing took a ‘his fault/her fault’ approach. Instead, we thought here’s how we can be the problem sometimes, why a relationship breaking down can be our fault. It’s not trying to be socially conscious, it’s just us admitting we can be the problem.”
Honesty is a big part of Tebi Rex’s music, dealing with heavy topics such as suicide in the song “Ducks All The Way Down”. “The main point is about being honest”, Orugbo explains.
“The outro of ‘Ducks’ is my friend Cora’s story. The main rap, and everything else in this song, made me feel very vulnerable and weird when I recorded it. It’s a very hard thing to do, but a lot of what we see in music, and especially in rap, isn’t very honest. It doesn’t paint a true picture of the artist. We think it’s good to expose yourself in a way.”
Tebi Rex will be releasing a new EP, alongside a launch party in the Workman’s Club on March 12th. Tickets are €11 and available online.
