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TOMOCOCKO, formerly known as TCXL, is a rapper and producer from Johnstown, Navan, county Meath. Having released two albums, Sounds and Noises and I Am Bollixed, alongside singles such as (Wicklow Bitch Give Me) Bray Head and Da Price featuring Jobstown rapper Curtisy and Drimnagh native Fynch, TOMOCOCKO has risen from strength to strength since he starting making and releasing music at the age of eighteen. On Dec 6th, TOMOCOCKO played his last ever gig with his previous pseudonym, TCXL. We met TOMOCOCKO on October 21st to talk about his musical journey, about being from Johnstown, county Meath and to talk about the struggles of being a musician not living in Dublin but performing there.

TOMOCOCKO is the only artist we interviewed for this particular evolution of SetteeSounds, sleeping on the settee, which intends on highlighting the struggles that come alongside being a musical artist from outside of Dublin, and the difficulties alongside finding accommodation to stay in after gigs, the cost of transport outside of the city, especially when living in another county and most importantly, although we are Dublin focused, to branch out of our comfort zone (Dublin 1-Dublin 24 and maybe a bit of Wicklow.)

**A quick PSA before beginning, from May onwards, setteesounds is going to look and feel different. Nothing bad, nothing good either. Stay tuned. Or don’t. Doesn’t matter really. We will be here regardless because setteesounds are always listening.**

TOMOCOCKO, also known previously as TXCL, has been making music since 5th year of secondary school and chose a pseudonym to release his music under. “I needed to come up with a rap name…moreso the shit I was rapping about back then, I wasn’t really living my raps. They were just a bigger version or imaginary version [of me].” Evolution is something that comes easily to him, and this is so clear when reading through and listening to his discography. He notes the evolution of his name and how it impacted his rapping, ‘As it went on, the meaning evolved into saying things I felt I couldn’t say to people’s faces and shit like that.’ TOMOCOCKO has been making music for over ten years now, which explains the ease in which he continually gets better and better, ‘I started playing around with keyboards and pianos when I was like ten, and I got GarageBand on my school iPad when I was 15, I think and I just started recreating songs and making beats with them.’ Tom says he didn’t start rapping until he was eighteen, ‘[Rapping] was always my goal; I just didn’t want to pay for beats…I literally could not afford to pay for beats so I said fine, I’ll learn how to make them myself.’ Tom recorded his debut EP Da Bollix in his Grandad’s house in Finglas, and released it on St. Patrick’s Day, 2020, when he was eighteen.

When talking about inspiration and influence, ‘it’s all kind of bits and pieces with rap, like cause I had a Tupac compilation CD when I was 8, I had Kanye West Graduation on my PSP so I was always going towards different parts of rap, like it could be the fucking Pitbull song in a verse! Or the Juicy J verse in a Katy Perry song!’ Tom then mentions when he was 14, or 15, he started listening to more rap concept albums and widening his horizons, ‘I started listening to people adjacent to Kanye and then more regional people, I started listening to Nas, I started listening to Odd Future and like, Earl Sweatshirt. It really is just bits and pieces from everywhere.’ TOMOCOCKO has his own unique style of rapping and he comments on this too, ‘I feel like my rapping is its own organic thing, I don’t feel like I copy anyone’s style of rapping. Obviously, I’m influenced but I try not to listen to too much rap, especially Irish rap. I feel like if I listen to Kojaque all the time, I’d end up listening to Kojaque, do you know what I mean?’ When the timely conversation of Spotify wrapped 2023 came up, Tom told me, ‘Young Lean, Bjork (his favourite Bjork song is Venus as a Boy which is a top tier choice in my humble opinion), me, shit I actually can’t remember.’ 

TOMOCOCKO is from Johnstown, Navan and mentions it quite frequently throughout his music. (Up Navan, up riding.) When speaking about the music scene in Navan, Tom claims it to be non-existent, ‘I’ve never played a gig in Navan, or Meath. I want to play the Palace, which is like the only nightclub in Navan. It’s kind of full of kids all the time, downstairs is the piano bar which is full of people stuck in like 2007…really depressing vibe.’ When speaking about dropping Navan throughout his songs, Tom mentions that he, ‘likes the curiosity people have about it, what’s going on in Navan? Like what is going on with this place? There’s a bit of mystique to it, I think it’s funny. [People from Navan] think it’s funny too, they don’t take me seriously at all, they wouldn’t seek it out.’ Tom moved up to Dublin a few years ago, saying he was like ‘a moth to a flame, I’m trying to migrate to where there’s actually something.’ When the question is brought up of whether or not it affects him, travelling up and down from Navan to play gigs, he responds that, ‘it does and it doesn’t. Like, I’m so used to hopping on a bus and sitting there for two hours, it doesn’t bother me. It’s kind of an issue that definitely extends past Navan. Dublin is where shit is happening, you’ve got the infrastructure, you’ve got the Luas or whatever. When you’re in Navan, you have none of that; you’re detached. And you can get to Dublin on this one bus, the NX. Loads of people moved out to Navan, because it’s so close to Dublin but now, like, the bus does be wedged. So it can be difficult.’

We discussed at length, both on the recording for the interview and while we sat there with no recording, the place and position of rap music in Ireland at the minute, and how things might change. ‘I mean, it has no mainstream support. You have the question of what is mainstream support? Like, is it a grant that lets them keep shitting out 2Johnnies videos and songs? I don’t know. I think there are really talented artists in Ireland, like obviously you have Gav, you have Fynch, Jordan Adetunji has a song with Lil’Baby, KNEECAP have a fucking film. Sweet Lemondae is tough, she’s so good.  It’s weird because Irish rap obviously exists and it’s coating everything that we are doing, but it still seems kind of insular and unfocused. I don’t think it’s for lack of trying but you get tired trying to do the shit all the time. Most of us have full time jobs, some of these men also have kids.’ It’s clear that there is no governmental support for the arts. What’s new there?

What is next on the cards for TOMOCOCKO? When I met him back in October, things were different to the way they are now, the world is always turning. He was on the cusp of going from his former alias to his current one, and was getting ready to play his last gig ever as TCXL. On his Instagram, he stated, ‘some people have asked me why [I’m changing my name] and it’s because you all keep getting my name wrong hahahahah… I’ve been called TCXL, Tickle, TOXIL, everything except my fucking name so I have to change it now…I’m working on a new album right now and it’s very good, I am enjoying it.’ His upcoming album is called LEETLE, and the tracks I’ve heard are absolutely banging. ‘It’s difficult because I’m not the only one invested in this shit, my friends made my website, my friend Connor mixed the record for me and he did an amazing job, Robbie shows up and DJs for me. I’m having a great time but the difference is, this isn’t a hobby for me. It’s the only thing I think about when I wake up, so.’

Speaking singularly about Irish musicians, Tom says, ‘I don’t think there’s anyone on the island, in the country, that can outrap Gav Curtis right now. I think he’s amazing and works so hard, he has his shit together in a big way. I’m biased, I know. I’m gonna put these three into one number; (we were ranking top 3) Murdog, that cat is crazy. His homie, J_Meffods and OKRA, who is making the beats. Murdog doesn’t even write down his raps, he just raps.I love that kid. Max Turner too. Lethal stuff. The third one, Tosan, show some love to him. Everything he has put out is so tight.’

This is SetteeSounds and we always ask for a fun fact. Tom told us that genuine leather is the lowest grade of leather. He also got a hernia when he was seventeen when he was boxing and roofing at the same time. 

Keep an eye out for his new album, LEETLE and a remaster of an absolute banger, TAKE IT BACK, dropping tomorrow, March 21st.

setteesounds are always listening. x