Because he’s been touring America, Rejjie Snow only caught the final minutes of Ireland’s historic Euro 2016 victory over Italy.
But the Dublin rapper saw what he needed as his old friend and former team mate Robbie Brady stuck the winner in.
“I was so proud of him. We used to play together,” says Snow, en route to Germany as part of a summer festival tour that will also include a stop-off at Longitude this month. “He had the whole country on its feet. When we were team-mates you always knew he was special. Of course, you see a lot of kids who are special – and they never go on to make it.”
Back in the day, Snow – real name Alex Anyaegbunam – was regarded as a real prospect too. The Drumcondra native played alongside Brady at St Kevin’s Boys and later attended high school in Florida on a soccer scholarship. He soon came to realise he could only pursue either music or sport, and so opted for the former (though he retains his passion for Shelbourne FC, the club he grew up supporting).
“I have some regrets, yeah,” says the 22-year-old of his decision. “I wish I still played. There’s still time I suppose. But I pour all my passion into music. I try to be as professional in that as I would be about sport.”
It’s been a swift rise for the young Irishman. He’s toured with Madonna, while one of his early videos featured Lily-Rose Depp – daughter of Johnny and Vanessa Paradis. With a debut album shortly to be released, the hype train has officially left station and his Longitude date will double as celebration of how far he’s come.
“On the record, I talk about growing up in Ireland. I’m lucky that my producers were sympathetic to what I tried to achieve. The labels in America were going ‘what the hell is he on about?’ I want to do something for Dublin – I want to put it on a platform.”
It would be nice to report that we’re past the stage when a rapping Irishman was a novelty. Alas, Snow is still a figure of curiosity overseas, something he has learned to shrug off.
“Definitely, it is something people do a double take about,” he says. “Obviously Ireland is more multi-cultural now. Maybe word will start getting out.”
Rejjie’s album, Dear Annie, is a musing on relationships and how they can cause your world to implode – and also a meditation on his feelings for Dublin and his experience growing up the only black kid in his neighbourhood (his family background is a mix of Nigerian and Jamaican). He doubled down on the latter theme with a moving travelogue recently produced with American music website Noisey, leading a film-crew on an emotional walk through Drumcondra, Whitehall and Glasnevin.
“The brief they gave me was to keep it simple. The feedback was good – people seemed to like it. I worried that it might be too emotional. The response was positive.”
Breaking into international hip hop from Dublin was not easy. He grimaces recalling an early concert at the Button Factory attended by the proverbial two men and a dog (the dog was there for the disco afterwards). “Nobody came to it and my confidence took a massive hit,” he says. “I went away, to America, and when I came back I had a plan to do it properly.”
The plan, it is fair to say, has worked out. In 2013 he dethroned Kanye – yes Kanye – from the iTunes charts with his single ‘Rejovich,’ while Dear Annie (pencilled for an autumn release) was overseen by LA-based producer Rahki, whose credits include Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly and Eminem’s Recovery. Plus, Snow finished last year on a high touring with Madonna.
“I was playing to 15,000 people,” he says. “It wasn’t easy – I was on a ramp going into the crowd, so I was definitely outside my comfort zone. You make the best of it and put it down as an experience. I didn’t meet Madonna – but I’m told she caught some of the set.”
His next big performance will be at Longitude – a victory lap that can’t arrive soon enough. “I’ve only actually played a few shows in Dublin. This is going to be great. I’m really looking forward to getting back home.”

Rejjie Snow Plays Longitude on Saturday