Raving rapper helps homeless

THE Northside rapper who became a big hit with ‘Love/Hate’ viewers when he appeared as a raving born-again Christian has released a charity single to help the homeless.

Tommy KD, from Ballymun, has first-hand experience of homelessness having ended up with nowhere to live when he was addicted to drugs.

Now in recovery, Tommy is a member of RADE, the Recovery through Art, Drama and Education programme in Dublin’s inner city, and he’s making a name for himself as a rapper as well as an actor.

Born Kiernan Dunne, the 40-year-old has been busking on the streets of Dublin for more than a decade and was a familiar sight to shoppers on Henry Street.

However, his ‘Love/Hate’ appearance has put him under the media spotlight and he’s now performing to a wider audience.

He followed up his TV acting debut with an appearance on RTE’s ‘Saturday Night Show’ where he performed his gritty street rap, ‘Bag of Gear’.

Last Christmas he jammed with Keywest on Grafton Street but even before ‘Love/Hate’ Tommy was a social media sensation with almost 400,000 YouTube viewers enjoying a street performance from six years ago.

Last week Joe Duffy helped Tommy launch a new single, ‘Homeless’, which has been produced in association with Merchants Quay Ireland and the Dublin Simon Community.

Tommy is donating all proceeds from the single to both organisations to help them with their work with the homeless.

Merchants Quay Ireland CEO Tony Geoghegan praised the rapper for his generosity and his unique style.

“Tommy’s single is an authentic voice challenging the negative stereotypical view of homelessness,” he said.

“His journey shows how people can move on with their lives when they’re given the necessary supports.”

‘Homeless’ is a simple but clear call for action on homelessness and a statement on behalf of the increasing numbers of people sleeping on the streets.

Produced by Hazo, the rap is an edited pre-release version of a track that will appear on Tommy’s debut album that’s due for release in early 2016 on Anam Recordings.

The video for the single is available to view online at vimeo.com/147347750