Abdu Huss, better known as KhakiKid, makes music which – in the best way – out of place in the best way. The Irish-Libyan rapper hails from the streets of Dublin, but his sound carries the bounce and freedom of West Coast rap. It’s spirited and unpredictable. Lines land somewhere between the absurd and the offhand. “Baby, I speak gabagool, then shit went down like some bad balloons,” he spits on “Rude”, a Mac Demarco-inspired, piano-led collab with Kojaque.
Raised on a council estate in Dublin, he began rapping at just 12, long before his sound found its place. Now, his work sits within a movement carrying Irish rap far beyond its borders, most notoriously thanks to Gaelic provocateurs Kneecap. But while much of the scene’s recent appeal has come from its sharper, grittier edge, KhakiKid occupies a different lane.
KhakiKid leans into humour, looseness and everyday observation in his work. Tracks like “Rude” tap into a loose, collaborative energy, while others such as “Soul” drift through hazier, more introspective territory. Fresh from the release of his new EP Girl Bites Dog, KhakiKid’s rise reflects a wider wave of Irish artists gaining traction internationally, pushing beyond local scenes into something more global.
Collaboration is at the core of KhakiKid’s music. “I’m very picky about production,” he explains with a smile, “but sometimes I have to take a step back and trust the people I’m working with.” Elaborating on this process while fiddling with a twenty-euro note, KhakiKid made it clear that music and collaboration are all about knowing there are times to be involved and that there are times to let people do what they want to do. Music collaboration is often centred around the product which is produced from it. For KhakiKid, “it’s basically just an excuse to hang out with people.”
It has all been about letting go of control, both in his music and video production. KhakiKid isn’t your ordinary rapper being curated by teams of people; rather, he is the clay-pot maker, imparting his vision on every part of his piece. For many of his tracks, there are music videos filled with jokey vibes and artistic visuals. “It doesn’t have to match the lyrics exactly, it just has to feel right.”
Over Zoom, he rocks back and forth in his chair, the frame catching glimpses of a room half-lived in – clothes strewn across the bed, a colourful skateboard fixed to the wall – as he explains that he keeps a running list of ideas in his phone, pulled from overheard conversations and fragments of films. With a shy smile, he explains, “when I make a song, I match the feeling.”
There is a constant playfulness to it all, one that encapsulates his world. “Even though the videos are fun, they’re made very seriously.” This was personified in the music video for “Rude”, which saw KhakiKid give the direction over to award-winning Irish director Robert Bass. Whilst KhakiKid has been bringing his own directorial ideas in many of his other videos, this time round it was a test for the artist, “to see if I could step back and not micromanage everything.” The video is cinematic, featuring slow-motion shots that truly make you laugh, as KhakiKid’s pants are falling mid-run, and action shots of him and Kojaque fighting in a boxing ring.
With an essence of Rocky reimagined in the form of an offbeat sketch show, the video gives a look into the humorous side of KhakiKid and his connection with Kojaque. KhakiKid has let himself fall hard into collaboration on the project; it offers an infectious feel of friendship.
As his visuals gain traction online, the conversation inevitably shifts toward platforms like TikTok. For KhakiKid, it doesn’t really hold weight. He explains, “I don’t think there’s a ‘TikTok sound’ anymore.” There are genres of all music which blow up; for many, it’s just a response to music. But it isn’t something KhakiKid shies away from either, as his music videos and edits have gained ground online and have exposed him to a wider audience.
“It feels like I’m pushing my friends, not just the nation.” This was KhakiKid’s response when I asked if he ever felt a sense that Ireland could overtake him as an artist. But for artists like KhakiKid, it’s all about championing Ireland because it is home, and that’s where the people he wants to be around are. “The scene is so small that I know people in every genre. It feels like I’m supporting people around me.”
For Girl Bites Dog, KhakiKid was candid in his choice to step away from hunting songs of expansive ideas. “Before, I thought songs had to be about extreme emotions,” he explains candidly. “Now I’m more interested in the small moments, regular days and conversations.” Tracks like “Soul” on the EP create just this, as we get chill, sunny tracks about smoking and speaking to a girl. There are clear influences from Mac Miller and Dominic Fike; it’s all about “those everyday moments,” the ones which “can feel big if you’re paying attention.”