MC Bucky: Cork's young rapper loved his Late Late Toy Show experience
MC Bucky holds it down while backstage at RTÉ for the Late Late Toy Show. Pic: Garry McCarthy/GMCBeats
The Late Late Toy Show continued its tradition as a showcase for the country's young talent, and Cork wasn't left wanting. Knocknaheeny musician and rapper MC Bucky, aka Aaron Hennessy, took to the stage to contribute a few bars to an ensemble cover of Lizzo's 'About That Time', that took place early in the show.
It was no bother to an aspiring musician that got his start on the bodhrán at St Mary's on the Hill NS in Knocknaheeny via the Creative Tradition programme, before getting his start on hip-hop at the nearby Kabin studio, run by local music producer and educator Garry McCarthy, aka GMCBeats, as part of MusicGeneration Cork City.
"I've always loved music, and then in school, they started teaching instruments, and I started playing the bodhrán - I just love learning new instruments.
I've always loved songs, like, on the radio or YouTube - I heard about the Kabin, then, and decided to join. Over time, you just start to learn how to [make music], you just keep writing and Garry will help you, or you get it yourself. It's the best thing, it's a good way to do something - and it's very fun."
Every year, the Toy Show's producers issue a call-out for young talent around the country to converge on RTÉ's studios in Dublin 4, and when the announcement happened earlier this year, the young wordsmith wasted no time in putting his name in the mix.
"I made a song called 'Determination', and I sent it in [to the producers].
"They liked it, so they rang my mam, invited me up to Dublin for another audition - they rang my Mam later, then, to say I got in. I was very nervous because I didn't know if I was going to get in or not, but on the day of the actual show, I wasn't nervous."
That's great confidence to bring to a big broadcast like the Toy Show, and producers on set worked with Aaron and other young performers in the run-up to the big night to make sure everything was ready before the madness kicked off.
"They were sound, everyone was sound - at the rehearsals, they told us how it was going to happen.
"[On the night] we went to the studio, into the green room and got ready. About five, or ten minutes later, they took me and a girl called Juliet out to practice. Then the show started, we just went backstage and got mic'd up."
The Toy Show itself was its usual concoction of cheesy humour, precocious kids, celebrity appearances and heart-warming moments, from Emma Watson's video shoutout for young CaitrĂona, to Liverpool goalie CaoimhĂn Kelleher's last-minute substitution during the soccer-toys demonstration.
But for MC Bucky, as the bright lights shone on his big moment and RTÉ's biggest audience of the year was watching, it was all about the music.
"In the actual moment, I didn't know what I was doing or what I was saying. It was just like, my mind just went... it was mad, it was probably the best experience of my life."
- The Late Late Toy Show's annual charity appeal has, as of last announcement, raised over €3.5 million for charities which provide essential support, healthcare, well-being, play and creativity. All donations help to change children's lives for good - to donate, click here.
