A group of Cork teenagers are taking the rap world by storm after their new single has become a YouTube hit.
Da Lodge is a group of four 13-year-old boys from Farranree and Churchfield whose latest rap single, The Solution, has been seen online by more than 17,000 people.
The lads came together when they were pupils of Scoil Íosagáin Primary School after rapper Gary MacCarthy of GMC Rap Workshops gave rap classes at the school. Having been bitten by the rapping bug, the lads got together again in recent months with Gary who recorded the song with the boys at the Ógra Corcaigh Youth Centre, The Lodge, and shot the video at Touchwood Skatewood Park.
“The lads have been brilliant and it’s going down really well,” said Gary, aka GMC.
“This is a language they love and the kids on the northside love the track,” added the Cork rapper who has performed at Electric Picnic twice and who also penned the rap hits Sam Maguire The Bouncer.
Meanwhile the four lads — Kieran Pepsi (ok) Pepper, Darragh Healy, Shane Hendrick and Donal Cotter, who are students of the North Mon and Terence MacSwiney secondary schools — are enjoying their newfound success on YouTube.
“I think it’s going grand. We just love doing it and we’re getting a great reaction. Even my grandparents love it,” said Pepsi.
“It’s really taking off and rapping is something I’d love to do when I leave school,” he added.
Da Lodge are now busy preparing for their next gig which goes ahead at the LiveStyles HipHop festival at the Pavilion on June 2.