On our radar: Gaptoof

How did your connection with Soft Boy Records come about? 

GAPTOOF: It was all through SoundCloud originally. My friend showed me Kojaque’s stuff. I sent a few beats to him to record and work on. In 2016 I put out a collection of beats called Motorola. Since then I’ve been producing and working with them closely.

Was there a buzz for your music through SoundCloud?

G: I’ve had substantial interest in my SoundCloud for a couple years. But I had never crossed over to major streaming platforms. There’s so much there people aren’t picking up on (as much as they should).

Tell us about making Looks Like Rain. 

G: As a producer I’m always making stuff and sending it out. On the side I was making beats I wanted to put out myself, as a project, so I was fairly guarded on certain material. But I compiled all the tracks that stood without having another artist attached to them. Then, in the final hour, we decided on featuring guests – to get Kojaque, Kean, and a few other people on the project. The results speak for themselves.

Why do you think hip-hop is experiencing a massive surge in Ireland right now? 

G: Hip-hop and R&B is what I listen to naturally. I’d be slow to say that hip-hop lends itself to Irish culture. People tend to jump to that straight away, but hip-hop is part of the musical zeitgeist of the day globally.

After the EP is released, what’s next for Gaptoof? 

G: I’ve got a lot of production placements on the way. I have two on Chlobocop’s album. In 2020, I want to establish myself as having a varied production repertoire.

• Looks Like Rain is released in February.