Kojaque, 'Town's Dead'

As we near the year's end, #NowPlaying recommends songs that slipped through the cracks, but remain in our headphones.

Born and raised in Dublin, Kojaque has watched rapid gentrification, government austerity and exploitation of Ireland's tax laws make the city all but uninhabitable for the working class. With a frenzied, droning beat sampled from Girl Band's "Going Norway," the 26-year-old rapper captures the bitterness and frustration of being unable to create a future in the place you grew up. But even as things teeter on the edge of chaos, the song still holds onto something close to hope; when Kojaque declares, "My town's not dead, it's just dormant," there's an understanding that, even amidst the rising rent and corporate interests, the heart of the city is still there. A tribute rather than a eulogy, "Town's Dead" is a celebration of Dublin and all its imperfect splendor.

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