Pepsi in the Fridge – Tallaght rapper returns to making music

A Tallaght rapper returned to making music with the release of his new single ‘Pepsi in the Fridge’ this month.

Rob Byrne, 34, who releases music under the name Nucentz, is considered one of the forefathers of Irish hip-hop and was a regular on the live circuit in the early 2010s.

While his output slowed down in recent years, as he focused on his family and working outside of music, the lockdown prompted him to delve back into his passion for making music.

“I was really actively making music for years when I was in my 20s,” Rob, who is from Millbrook Lawns, told The Echo. “But then I had a family with two young kids.

“In my early 20s, music was all I could think of, but I realised that no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t make a living from it.

“But, with Covid, I had more time in the house, so I set up a studio and made a few singles. I really enjoyed the whole process of writing and recording again.”

The Irish hip-hop scene is thriving compared to when Rob started out, with musicians like Hare Squead and Jafaris seeing success both at home and abroad, and the past pupil of Old Bawn Community School is excited to get back into it.

“It’s good to see that there’s so many fans of Irish rap now,” he explained. “When we first started gigging, it was like we had to convince people that it was okay for them to like Irish rap.

“I’m just looking forward to getting out and doing gigs to see the reactions from people. My last gig was two years ago.”

Rob’s new single, ‘Pepsi in the Fridge (feat. Kelly Thornton)’ recently went to number two in the iTunes chart, and he’s happy with how it’s been received.

“There are times over the years where I’ve had a good inkling about a song,” he said, “so I was quietly confident about ‘Pepsi in the Fridge’ but it’s always about the process – whether it gets played on radio or added to playlists.

“I’m delighted with the response it got. It’s very encouraging.”

The new single offers a taster what listeners can expect from an as-yet-untitled new album that Rob has been working on over the past few months.

At the time of going to print, he told The Echo that he had two songs left to finish in order to complete the album.

“I would like it to be well received, off the back of how the single is doing,” Rob said. “I’ve always done singles, but I want to show consistency through a good, cohesive project with this album.”

‘Pepsi in the Fridge’ is out now on all streaming platforms.

For more information visit nucentz.hearnow.com, or follow Nucentz on Twitter and Instagram.