Bohemian Rapsody
A local musician makes his mark
CHRIS CONNELLEY
Some musicians start early. Mozart, for example, is rumoured to have composed his first piece at the age of five, while Prince mastered the piano by the tender age of seven. Others take longer to get started, and join the party much later.
Hastings-based rapper, Noah Rockett, 20, sits firmly in the second camp. He spent his teenage years stuck in his room playing video games, but that all changed when he started listening to the old school hip hop so admired by his dad. It intrigued, then snared him, and led to his exploring more deeply, and getting passionate about epic performers like Wu Tang Clan and A Tribe Called Quest.
From here, it was just a (hip) hop and a jump, from listening to others to rapping along himself. This in turn led to him writing his own material, sharing it on social media and releasing five EPs (under different names) in short succession.
Like any new starter, it took time and effort to hone his craft and find his authentic voice, and reflecting back with ruthless honesty, Noah describes his early efforts as “pretty bad”. But, having gotten the bug, he kept at it, listening, learning and developing. Now, after a period out of the public gaze, he’s back with a new incarnation, Sun-z, and a stack of new material on a brand new EP, Who Am I? It’s been a year in the making, but he’s confident that the time is right: he’s now ready and “good enough to go back out there and go for gold”.
Against the backdrop of this summer of intense heat, he has pushed his new EP relentlessly on social media and has started performing live, which he admits has been a surprise highlight of his year and that he really enjoys.
Over recent weeks, he has formed part of the bill at the Kofi Stone gig at the De la Warr Pavilion, performed a short set on the overhead walkway at the intimate St Andrews Mews, and rapped to a sizeable audience of around 300 at the Oval as part of Remi Vibesman’s feted Hidden Beach Festival.
Looking forward, he is hoping to build his profile on social media, having recently notched up over 2,000 followers on Instagram. He would of course love to secure a record deal, and is busy making contacts with that end in mind. As an accomplished wordsmith, he’s also contemplating dipping his toe into the burgeoning local spoken word and poetry scene, recognising the potential for exciting collaborations and crossover in a town that oozes culture from every pore.
As he puts it: “The great thing about Hastings is that there are loads of cool, creative people and everyone is trying to build something for themselves and each other, with lots of support out there.”
Heading towards autumn, Noah is in a confident mood, in it for the long run, and clearly enjoying himself. All of which comes across clearly in his new tracks. If you haven’t encountered him yet, it’s time to check him out. So prepare for something sassy, soulful, authentic and grown up. And expect to be delighted.
To find out more, hear some of his tracks, and details of how to buy the new CD, go to Solsun-Z on Insta or to his website, sun-z.co.uk.
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