Exclusive: New Video By Malaki Recalls Breakthrough By Hozier

Rising Dublin rapper Malaki has just released a new video. It is for the track ‘Paper Prophesies’ – the opening gambit on his debut EP, Butterfly Boy, released last week.

The video comes hot on the heels of a sell-out Malaki show in Academy 2, which signalled the arrival of a hot new Irish hip hop talent, with real – and growing – fan appeal. Butterfly Boy is reviewed in the Christmas issue of Hot Press, which hits the streets all over Ireland today. "Butterfly Boy, the debut EP of Dublin rapper Malaki is a thing of rare appeal,” says Joey Molloy in his assessment, going on to praise the introspective lyrics, immersive production (courtesy of Malaki's producer Matthew Harris) and urgent performances, before concluding that this is “a thrilling listen.”

Watching the video, you can see – and hear – exactly why.

The video – credited to Feeetzy – is a powerful piece that touches on themes of youth alienation, mental health, bullying, racism, and the search for love. Reminiscent in moments go The Streets’ Mike Skinner at his best, it powerfully captures the overall sense that in Malaki resides a taut, urgent need to express, an artistic life-force which has characterised his work to date.

It may well be that in 10 years time, we will remember the release of the Butterfly Boy EP as the moment when Ireland’s biggest ever rap star first announced his presence. For the moment, here at Hot Press, we recommend that you sit back, take a look and admire. From its opening, spoken word delivery on ‘Paper Prophesies’ is a powerful track, the impact of which is heightened by the bruising realism of the video, in a way that is not dissimilar to the visceral impact of the original video for Hozier’s 'Take Me To Church'.

To read the review of Butterfly Boy, pick up your own copy of the Hot Press Christmas issue, in all good stores now, or available for purchase below.