Hip-hop music artist and piano player William Reape knows a thing or two about words! He honed his skills from a very young age when he began to write poems and stories while still a child.
However, his imminent debut album of self-penned music and lyrics is set to reveal just how much this young songwriter has matured in a few short years.
The collection will be the first full-length hip-hop album to come from a Ballina artist, and is certain to generate a reaction for its raw lyricism.
In November 2024, William officially launched his music career with the heartbreak-infused piano ballad ‘Over Your Shoulder’, followed by the laid-back groove of ‘Bored Doin’ Nothin’. He has been playing piano for the past seven years but is completely self-taught on the instrument, quite an impressive feat!
William has previously dropped a cover album called ‘ReWorked’, and is also pursuing a ‘ReWorked 2’ with more covers and maybe even some acoustic guitar remakes.
The burgeoning musician’s creative writing as a youngster soon evolved into rapping, a taste which was influenced by his dad’s interest in hip-hop icons such as 50 Cent and Eminem.
From Knockmore, near Ballina, but now living in Attymass, William’s first album of originals, ‘P14N0M4N’, is entirely self-produced. In this collection he blends words to tell strong stories through a genre-defying music creation which seamlessly fuses rap, jazz and R&B. From introspective ballads to high-energy anthems, every track he creates is part of a larger story. With a style that’s both timeless and bold, he says that his music ‘resonates with those who feel deeply, dream loudly and chase something greater’.
Two tracks from the forthcoming album – ‘Daydreams in Colour’ and ‘Front Porch’ – have already been released to Spotify.
William Reape’s new album is set to release on July 7. He plays at the Music for Lunchtime series of short, free concerts in Ballina Arts Centre on Wednesday, July 2nd, at 1.15pm.
