Monroe’s Live to rock to Irish rap ukulele-style

The Original Rudeboys play an all-ages show in Monroe’s Live this Sunday, October 11. The Dublin trio’s combination of rapping and pop hooks has won them a committed fanbase. Robert Burch is the band’s lead vocalist and guitarist, and Seán Walsh plays ukulele.

The three lads all have a hand in writing songs, with Neddy Arkins responding to the melodies they come up with rapped verses.

“I’ve got me laptop and a notebook that’s littered with all sorts of lyrics about everything,” he says. “So if the guys come to me with a hook and it’s about, for example, falling in love, I’ll scrape through the notebook for anything that relates to it.”

It’s fair to say that writing pop songs with a ukulele and an Irish rapper is unusual. Perhaps, then, it’s no surprise to hear the OriginalRudeboys formed almost by accident. An impromptu session in Neddy’s flat would eventually find the lads playing in the 02.

“Walshie popped  in to buy a Playstation game or something ridiculous like that,” says Neddy. “He said he had a ukulele, and came around with it. Our other friend that was there, we were fortunate enough that he wanted to record it. He got that on camera, and that was the video for Stars In My Eyes. That’s where it all started from.”

That video clocked up hundreds of thousands of hits and Original Rudeboys have had a loyal following since then.

Doors for the show are 5pm and tickets are €15.