Jafaris Spearheading Ireland’s New Hip-hop Generation

Dublin has produced a host of ground-breaking acts over the years, from Thin Lizzy to U2 and My Bloody Valentine. But guitar music aside, it’s the city’s burgeoning hip-hop scene that has got critics eyeing the Irish capital.

The city has seen a new and exciting emergence of talented rappers in recent times, including Rejjie Snow and BIMM Dublin prodigy Jafaris.

The hotly-tipped rapper is quickly making a name for himself on the circuit, following the release of his brilliant new single Love Dies – an artistic statement of intent which sees Jafaris deliver complex lines over an alluring neo-soul inspired instrumental.

“My sound is still pretty much under construction, I love soul/neo-soul, jazz, hip hop, etc. so I try to incorporate those influences into my music,” he told BIMM.

Jafaris, AKA Percy Chamburuka recently debuted the track at Dublin’s intimate Sugar Club, during last month’s Diffusion Lab live cypher event.

The open mic saw a selection of hand-picked rappers, poets and spoken word artists given just three minutes to debut their talents with the help of a live band. Reflecting on the event, he said:

“The cypher went extremely well. So much better than I expected. It brought so many artists not just from around Dublin but also Ireland; I think it gave everyone more of a mutual respect towards one another. It was a beautiful moment.”

But Jafaris isn’t just known for his ill flows, the talented MC has also shown prowess as an actor, following his big-screen debut in the hit Irish musical of 2016.

The BIMM Dublin rising star plays Ngig in Sing Street, a Dublin-based coming of age tale about a group of kids with ambitions of making it big in the music industry – a story that rings true with his own journey.

The young rapper later opened up about his own production techniques during a recent catch up with BIMM.

“Usually the beat is made as a collaborative effort between myself and the producers. As the keys are being laid down that’s when I usually come up with the melodies and lyrics for a song,” he explained.

It’s this brilliance, both on and off the screen, that has earnt him a reputation as an artist to watch. Charting his recent success, the local music magazine and blog Nialler wrote:

‘Percy Chamburkuka aka Jafaris is a rapper and singer with ambition and is part of the burgeoning new generation of hip-hop artists in Ireland. Formerly known as Profound, Jafaris is one of the most promising of the lot.’

We couldn’t agree more. If his latest release is anything to go by, Jafaris can expect a prosperous and fruitful career. He has taken the hip-hop format and made it his own. Watch this space!

Love Dies is available to download or stream on iTunes, Apple Music, Spotify and Amazon. Listen here.