Culture
08 Aug 22

Limerick rapper Strange Boy shares new track 'Bronson'

Photo by Leah O'Sullivan.

Strange Boy's nostalgic new hip-hop track was produced by Danny Lanham.

Limerick hip-hop star Strange Boy (real name Jordan Kelly) has dropped a new single on Soundtrack, a thumping new rap anthem titled 'Bronson'.

"Cracked in the head like Bronson," the chorus mantra echoes. Mile-a-minute raps and a heavy bassline beat fuse for a headbanger track.

Church bell sounds are creatively infuses underneath the West Coast hip-hop beat, adding Strange Boy's unique trad flair to the layers. 'Bronson' is brimming full of clapbacks from start to finish, recounting his past battles and struggles to push through economic disadvantages and mental health issues.

"I just a brand new genre just so I could switch it/hmm, ha/some of you kings are drama queens," he declares.

Back in February, Kelly performed a track from his debut album, Holy/Unholy, on RTE's The Tommy Tiernan Show.

The album featured guest appearances from fellow Limerick rapper Hazey Haze, Strange Boy's brother Seán McNally Kelly and Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Moya Brennan. The music was composed and produced by Enda Gallery in Kilfenora, Co. Clare during lockdown.

“When I was working on this album and when Enda was brewing up the beats for me, I got a sort of anxious feeling like I wasn’t going to be able to do the concept we had justice. It was also the worst possible time for me to write an album as there was a lot of suffering going on within my family," Strange Boy said at the time of its release last year.

"Eventually though, through me being at mental rock bottom, the album revealed itself and the entire thing was writing within a month or two. I wouldn’t say I’m proud of it, I’d say I’m proud despite it. There’s nothing honourable or romantic about being in a bad place so I’m just glad that this album is finished. Regardless of whoever likes it or doesn’t it’s 100% my experience and there’s not much else to it. Just another one in a long line of humans talking about some sh*t that happened. That’s all."

Revisit Strange Boy's June 2021 interview with Hot Press here.