Show Notes
We're so pleased to get to speak with the relentlessly prolific underground Irish hip-hop artist and producer Craic Boi Mental. As well as being one half of Whip Mental (his project with his wife, Whip Girl), Craic Boi has released countless tapes, tracks and music videos under a multitude of distinctive hip-hop aliases such as Oscar Benso, Yung Gowl, Dudewithswag, Mili$, and King Flora. Humour, hooks and vibes abound! Craic Boi also pioneered the $quick movement, a supportive community platform for underground and uncategorisable rural-based artists in Ireland. Craic Boi Mental talks to Rebel Matters about being diagnosed with autism in his late teens, his personal creative process, and how to deal with the haters. Dismissed and rejected for years by national mainstream music circles for being too outside the box, even the Gardaí couldn't hold Craic Boi Mental back. Despite existing on the fringes of Irish hip-hop for years, Craic Boi has always had a devoted international online cult following. Now he is thriving and surviving in deep West Cork, trying to find a balance in life as an autistic activist, a hit-maker, a G, and a champion for neurodiverse people everywhere. Ferociously DIY and never afraid to call out ableism and misogyny in the scene, Craic Boi's constant musical evolution stretches back from those early diss track days, to a personal hip-hop that is far more conscious, critical and vulnerable. It's high time we caught up with this enigma, to see what he might do next!
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Rebel Matters is a completely independent podcast and 100% supported through Patreon. I am working hard at the moment to get the show to be financially self-sufficient so that we can continue to produce episodes and have important conversations. If you want to help us keep the show on the road and are in a position to do so, please consider becoming a valued Patron at patreon.com/rebelmatters.
On this week's episode we speak to Mary O'Hagan from the Save Lough Neagh campaign that is fighting to save the biggest body of water in Ireland from ecological disaster. The Lough is suffering from the spread of a green algae that is destroying wildlife, the natural beauty of the Lough and its surrounding areas, and is having a devastating effect on the local communities. Lough Neagh also supplies 40% of the drinking water in the north of Ireland. This is an issue of capital and profit being put before people and the environment, and is something that should concern everyone in Ireland deeply. If you enjoyed this episode please help us keep the show on the road and to build Rebel Matters into a valuable independent media platform by becoming a patron at www.patreon.com/rebelmatters. If you live in the 6 counties, click here to find out where your drinking water comes from : https://www.niwater.com/about-your-water/bga Follow the Save Lough Neagh campaign on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saveloughneagh/ Follow Save Lough Neagh on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saveloughneagh/?locale=en_GB Follow Rebel Matters on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rebel_matters Subscribe to Rebel Matters Substack: https://substack.com/@rebelmatters Without the support of our wonderful Patrons the Rebel Matters Podcast would not be possible. Go raibh míle maith agaibh a chairde!
This week I chatted with Rebecca O Keefe who is an ex-international basketball player and who is involved with Irish Sport for Palestine and the Stop The Game Campaign, calling on the FAI and Irish soccer governing bodies to boycott the scheduled international fixture against Israel later this year. Link to full video episode here: https://www.youtube.com/@rebelmatters Help us to build a radical independent media platform here www.patreon.com/rebelmatters
Before the end of 2025 we stopped publishing the show to Spotify because of the links between its then CEO Daniel Ek and arms manufacturers. Spotify has also censored pro-Palestine voices and is known for its exploitation of artists when it comes to remuneration for the use of their art. As part of our process to move away from the platform, we spoke to Kelly Early who co-hosts the For Tech's Sake podcast to discuss the sinister connections between the streaming platform and weapons of war, and potential alternatives for artists and listeners. We wanted to get this episode out way sooner but we have been working through a bit of a backlog of work, so we are very happy to finally have it out there. Huge thanks to Kelly for being a guest on the show and to our loyal supporters over on Patreon who are truly helping us to build the Rebel Matters into an independent media platform bringing perspectives you might not otherwise get on important issues. Full video episode out on YouTube and audio only on many of the usual platforms with the exception of the aforementioned. Please like and subscribe and enjoy the show! Get early access, exclusive content, and help us to build a radical independent media platform by becoming a Patron. www.patreon.com/rebelmatters
Our guests for this episode are Niamh Ní Bhrian, Fionn Wallace, and Rory Rowan. This conversation was recorded in December 2025 after our guests had presented the Neutrality Roadshow in the Cultúalnn here in West Belfast. During this chat we discussed the current threats to Irish neutrality, the prospect of a united Ireland and what that might look like in terms of Irish neutrality, and the seemingly threats to Irish sovereignty through an intentional remilitarization of the country both north and south by the British government. Subscribe on YouTube @rebelmatters Follow us on Instagram @rebel_matters Follow us on UpScrolled @rebel_matters Follow us on TikTok @rebel_matters The Rebel Matters Podcast is a completely independent show produced in Belfast, and 100% supported by our Patrons. To join our community, support our work and get early access to episodes visit www.patreon.com/rebelmatters