I think I would have heard about him first from my older brother who was very interested in American culture. He would have been the hero of the people that we would have been listening to, in hip-hop. Or any American artist. And I would have heard “I Have A Dream” through songs and movies. I was interested in that culture and what he did, so that would have been an introduction of his work. With people like that, you hear so much about them. They’re so embraced in culture and that never changes - look how much he’s impacted culture in America! There’s so much information for you to peel apart.

I’ve heard “I Have A Dream” of course. And my favourite quote of his would be… ”But we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation. So we've come to cash this check, a check that will give us upon demand the riches of freedom and the security of justice.”

He’s the pinnacle of what black people could become at that time; what someone of his background could become. Be a leader or a hero for people of that background to come together and rise up, for anyone who came from that background where they couldn’t, by law, get a degree or education. Nor could they ride the bus… Expected to be housekeepers or jobs like that. He was the sense of realisation for them, that they could do that. And that’s why it’s crucial to remember him! I don’t think he’ll ever be forgotten though, at least I’d hate to think that. I don’t think there’s as many people now who hear about him as much or learn about him? Because for anyone of an African American background, who pushed the same message, he’s still an icon. I think there’s definitely people from cultures such as Asian American and Indian American who had the same concept and message too though… But either way, MLK represents such positive change for African Americans. Anyone from a background of black culture can definitely consider him very important. That you can come from nothing and then deliver such an important message as he does.

Civil rights to me nowadays means everyone having access to basic rights really. Like equality because obviously the basic concept of equality is needed for everyone. Which we’re working on - the Repeal campaign, the gay marriage referendum a few years ago. It’s getting better here in Ireland and any part of the world shouldn’t have barriers to what those campaigns in Ireland represent elsewhere. We all need the same chances.

One of my favourite tracks that references MLK contains a sample of the “I Have A Dream” speech, is by Common. It’s simply called ‘A Dream’ and it was produced by will.i.am. It features this animated landscape of America and plays off topics that MLK spoke about in that iconic speech, with will.i.am as the main singer.

Read our commemorative piece on Martin Luther King here: hotpress.com/politics/wholehog