'It's like therapy for me' - NI rappers use music to grieve

They never thought that they would be writing songs of grief about losing their own.

Yet that is what young rappers and musicians who meet in Belfast are now doing after the deaths of two of their community.

Woodzy, real name Adam Woods, died in 2022, while Rich Smicks died in July 2024.

Both were rappers from east Belfast and were 21.

Rich Smicks made a number of tracks with 23-year-old rapper Durt Burd from west Belfast.

"He was like a brother to me," Durt Burd told BBC News NI.

"All I can do now is try my best to carry on his legacy the way I feel he would have wanted it."

As well as making music together they were friends and Durt Burd misses him every day.

"I'd be answering the phone and I'd be thinking that he's ringing me."

"We really managed to be an authentic voice for our communities even though a lot of people would have seen those communities as being juxtaposed.

"For other people the east and west thing meant a lot but for me and him, we were just mates - just muckers," Durt Burd added.

A new hard-hitting track and video, Tear the Walls Down, by Durt Burd, Jun Tzu and Manchester's Prose pays tribute to Rich Smicks.

Rapper Wee Joe, 22, from Lurgan in County Armagh, feels the losses too.

"Woodzy and Rich Smicks were two talented amazing rappers," he said.

"The story that they portrayed in their music was amazing and the stuff they did for the community was outstanding.

Rich Smicks was a good friend.

"He's from east Belfast and he was one of the first Protestant guys I started talking to from around Belfast.

"Him passing was just heart-breaking.

"The only way I can deal with it is writing more," Wee Joe added.

The rappers are part of a musical community who meet, write and record at Hotbox Studios and the Yes U Can academy in the Argyle Business Centre in west Belfast, run by James Ayo.

As well as music, Yes U Can teaches young people music production, DJ-ing and videography.

Twenty-year-old artist FSJ is from Belfast and records his music in the studios, and he said that "everyone has had a reaction" to the two deaths.

But he said that music was "like therapy" for him.

"You'd have the beat on, relaxing, going away with writing your tracks, writing about how you feel at the moment, writing about something that you want to talk about," FSJ said.

East Belfast musician Evo, 26, also told BBC News NI that he wrote music about his own emotions.

"Being an artist in Belfast and making music has also really helped my mental health," he said.

"I started writing songs as I've lost people in the past and that's what I put my energy towards.

"A lot of people tend to lock their emotions away, say in Pandora's box, and they don't look at the issues they're facing.

"Just getting it out there helps you process it and helps you deal with it," Evo added.

The musician known as Sqxire is 19 and from Belfast, but has been making music since he was a young teenager.

"I like to write about how I'm feeling in the moment, whatever that is," he said.

"I love making R'n'B, I love making pop music, I want to be a writer for other artists as well."

He said the loss of Rich Smicks "has wrecked me."

"Whenever we met each other it was instant, straight away making music, having these deep conversations.

"He was a mentor and an older brother figure.

"It almost feels wrong, in a sense, doing this without him, but I know I have to," Sqxire said.

Many of the musicians look up to James Ayo, who runs Hotbox Studios.

He admitted losing Woodzy and Rich Smicks was "very hard."

He said they "had so much passion for music".

"They used music to talk about what they were going through."

James Ayo has been trying to offer comfort to the rest of the young community who gather in the studios.

"I'm only one person, I ain't got all the answers," he said.

"Sometimes it is very hard, I don't know how to deal with it."

He said he had encouraged the musicians to write about their feelings.

"I always try and get them to talk from their heart and what's going on in their minds and what they're suffering with," he said.

"For men, as you know, a lot of guys don't like to talk sometimes.

"They've found this space and this is what they use to get whatever is on their chest out there," James added.

Hotbox Entertainment has organised a two-day Hip-Hop conference and festival at Argyle Business Centre in west Belfast and Alibi nightclub in Belfast on 7 and 8 November.

It can be a challenge to find venues to perform in.

"Belfast doesn't offer much support for young artists - especially young rappers, it's urban music," Wee Joe said.

"When it comes to venues, we don't get a chance a lot."

Sqxire mentioned similar frustrations.

"I've probably done about six or seven performances which is still good to have and I appreciate every one of them," he said.

"But we need to get more."

If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, help and support is available at BBC Action Line.

If you live in Northern Ireland, you can also call Lifeline, external, a 24 hour helpline on 0808 808 8000.