Irish hip-hop has well and truly arrived and one act at the forefront of the surge is Tebi Rex, a duo consisting of Max Zanga and Matt O and whose back-catalogue includes their critically-acclaimed debut album from last year. More recently, you may have heard their music if you were one of the millions who binge-watched the hit BBC show Normal People. Their tracks have skyrocketed on Spotify as a result of appearing on the show’s OST, and now Tebi Rex return with a new single from their forthcoming mixtape. The self-declared “best live Irish hip-hop act” made a lot of noise last year in the run up to their debut album release. They marked their UK debut at the Great Escape and took to the stage later in the year at Ireland Music Week – where previous line-up acts have included Fontaines DC and Kojaque. Tebi Rex had entered 2020 in a justifiably buoyant mood and a scheduled slot at this year’s SXSW was stirring quite a buzz, before COVID-19 had other plans unfortunately. Never ones to lay down, Tebi Rex have taken the opportunity to spend time on new material, the fruits of which will feature on their mixtape this summer. The juggernaut hip hop duo show no sign of slowing down and this latest release looks sure to even further propel Tebi Rex to their destined heights.
Photo credit: @olutobii
“Chicken n Lickin is easily the best hangover food in the city. Greasy, crispy, delicious goodness. I recommend the chicken wings!” – Tebi Rex
“The book upstairs is my favourite place for coffee. It’s a cute little cafe sitting on top of an independent bookstore. It’s such a cosy spot with delicious coffee.” – Tebi Rex
“Grab a Franciscan Well, thank me later.” – Tebi Rex
Insider Tip: If you want to take a day trip to their beautiful brick and mortar brewery, it’s just a few short hours away from Dublin in the town of Cork. However, the beer can be found tap throughout local pubs in Dublin!
“For casual drinks you can’t beat WigWam. It’s a central location in the city with cheap enough drinks and a great vibe about it. The biggest draw however is the smoking area, great place for a chat with friends old or new. You get me?” – Tebi Rex
“George’s Arcade have many cool little boutiques if you want to purchase anything from records, vintage clothes to incense sticks it’s always a go to spot for us.” – Orchid Collective
“George’s street arcade is a great open air ‘shopping center’ of sorts. Lots of quirky and cool independent retailers down there where you can get all sorts of stuff. It’s very intimate though, feels more like a market than anything else.” – Tebi Rex
“My favorite place to shop is George’s Arcade!” – Joe Ballance, Vibe Manager