Irish rapper Rejjie Snow's not-so-straightforward climb to success

Irish rapper Rejjie Snow tells Ed Power about his thoroughly modern music career

REJJIE SNOW could be Ireland’s next music superstar. He’s toured with Madonna and is a close friend of Johnny Depp’s model/actress daughter Lily Rose (she’s even appeared in one of his videos). Plus he’s knocked Kanye West off the summit of the iTunes charts and is signed to one of the world’s hottest hip hop labels. It’s an impressive list of accomplishments for a 23-year-old from humble origins on the north side of Dublin.

Still, the journey to the top hasn’t always been straightforward. As a rapper in Dublin, the artist found the city’s tiny scene restrictive. But abroad in the US and Britain, he has had to confront prejudices against Irish people making urban music. To many, the concept is simply unimaginable.