Ronan O'BrienLimerick rapper DATQIDEXCEL announced himself to the music scene with his debut mixtape, The Qid From South. A local artist that somehow escaped me, I was delighted to discover this hidden talent of late.
The Man Behind The Comb
DATQIDEXCEL is a name known to few, but not for long. The young Limerick man is a star in the making, and it’s evident to see from the offset. Introducing himself to the global stage in 2021 with his debut single, “Time Will Tell“, EXCEL’s flow was the defining feature. Two years later, the maturity and growth shown in his follow-up single “Daily Thoughts“ became a new beginning. Coupled with some fantastic production, the poetic lyricism EXCEL displays is second to none.
A love and natural knack for poetry is apparent after a single listen to EXCEL in full flow. This love was attributed to his early school days and subsequently nurtured by his mother, who EXCEL names as his main inspiration. Years worth of tracks, some of which have been released separately as singles, comprise the content of his debut mixtape, The Qid From South.
DATQIDEXCEL With a Q
The mixtape opens with some fantastic production in “From The Top“. A fat bass accompanied with nineties style drums provide the backbone of the instrumental. Over the top lies a bright yet mellow guitar which loops a hypnotic melody that’s so enjoyable. From the offset, EXCEL is on his game. Relaxed and unhurried, he bounces through bars with some beautiful wordplay. The song is not only an introduction to the tape, but to many an introduction to the artist himself. And what a first impression it makes.
“What’s The Name?“ follows up with another luscious beat. A bright, house-inspired melody with some thumping kicks, it provides the perfect environment for EXCEL to move through his flows. Lyrically it serves as another introduction, but this time an affirmation. His dreams are big, like “headlining and goin’ on tour” but he trusts himself to succeed. The song almost acts as a place where he can spill his thoughts onto paper and serve this vulnerability in the most artistic form.
Switching to a jazz-rap style that can rival Kendrick Lamar, “Irish Americano“ is one of the highlights of the tape. The groove is so smooth, with sax and horns that become so addictive. Again, EXCEL’s flows are immaculate. With little gems like “This Americano bitter, but the bitter sweet”, it’s evident he enjoys the hustle and strife that comes with attaining success.
Who Do I Wanna Be?
The jazz style spills over into “Southside Pistol“, with an instrumental so laid-back it sounds at home in a speakeasy. Still unhurried, EXCEL rasps through the bars with some stark warnings. Whether these are self-affirmations or pieces of advice to the listener, they ring through regardless.
EXCEL finally stamps his mark with the humble “Excel Type Beat“. A smooth piano melody trickles along with some crisp drum beats. But the focus is on EXCEL for sure. For the first time, he’s looking back at where he’s come from, not just ahead. From the beginnings of “I started with Shiloh Dynasty beats I still posted with 0 on the gram” to the forward-looking “For the sake of my mom / Imma buy that house”, EXCEL is grateful but his hunger for more is admirable.
“About You“ opens with another brilliantly-produced house beat that causes my head to bounce ceaselessly. Heather Hayes provides the hook with sumptuous vocals which sets the energy from the offset. EXCEL matches this wonderfully, hitting every bar. The song is a duet in reality, which feels like an argument between lovers. True to character, EXCEL’s side is focused on his own success and goals, with Heather playing the part of the neglected partner. And here I am dancing to it.
The vibe changes completely with the drill-type beat of “Who’s Gonna?“. The bass and drums are big, almost eerie. Lyrically EXCEL revisits the same themes of working towards success. An old lyric springs up in “Just tryna get my green fat like Cee-Lo” which I love. Tapping into the UK style of hip-hop works a little less for me, but to each their own.
The Qid From The V94
Another drastic deviation comes with“Sonnet From 16“. A spoken-word piece from the young MC with no backing, just deep reverb. Whether the namesake of this piece comes from the age or the year it was conceived, it serves as a potent reminder of how poetic EXCEL was from a young age. A reflective and sombre piece about life itself, it’s as beautiful as it is touching.
The emotions continue in the smooth “Adore“. With spoken-word and backing provided by Ava Ryan, there’s a very different EXCEL on this track. To a very mellow instrumental, he pours his heart out and shows some rare vulnerability. It’s simple yet effective. A love letter perhaps? Or an apology. Either way, it works beautifully.
Smashing through the silence comes another drill-inspired track in “Of Course“. A sustained synth melody is accompanied by more strong bass and drums which provides the perfect soundscape for EXCEL to strut his stuff. Again, the UK-inspired stuff isn’t to my taste, but the familiarity of some local dialects cut through in great style.
Finishing off as strong as it started, the finale comes in the shape of the fantastic “V94“. A homage to his home city, EXCEL name drops inspirations. From local talent like Hazey Haze to global superstars like Jay-Z, the beat sounds like one heard from the latter. Just in case it wasn’t iterated enough, the track finishes as another introduction to the man behind it all.
Final Thoughts
Local artists are constantly in my rotation, but for some reason I completely missed DATQIDEXCEL. And what a loss that would have been. Discovering such fresh, young talent is always a treat, but to have it stem from the same city as I’m writing this is even better. While we must do everything we can to support local artists, DATQIDEXCEL is much more than that.
The production on this mixtape was the first thing that hooked me. But what really stole the show was the flow and poetry from this young artist. What’s even more evident is his determination. Echoed over and over throughout this mixtape are his dreams for success and his unwillingness to stop until he achieves that. While not every child achieves their dreams, I have a strong gut feeling that we will be seeing a lot more of DATQIDEXCEL in the future.
Watch this space.
