Catching Up With Raffy

If anybody were to ask what Namibian hip-hop sounded like, the responses would be extremely varied. From the laid back lofi beats of underground rap, to more mainstream trap-infested bars – it’s a mixed bag.

Rafael da Luz Coelho (23), known as Raffy, is tapping into this diversity by giving us an assortment of sounds to suit your every mood.

He is a young Namibian of Portuguese descent, working hard to make a name for himself in the entertainment industry as a member of music label LoudPack.

“I’d love to be someone you listen to when you need a break from the suffering and struggles of modern life, and I want my music to change perspectives for the better,” he says.

Raffy sounds like a new age lyricist with trippy vibes and effects, while still keeping it grounded with his gravitation towards sounds popularised by rappers like Kendrick Lamar and J Cole.

“I am a producer and an engineer as well as an artist so my music is very diverse. It depends on the emotions I’m feeling, and where my thoughts take me.”

Creativity and out of the box thinking seem to come naturally to Raffy and his videos have unique imagery, like his song ‘Uh Huh’ alongside fellow lyricist Loft, AYT8 and Namibia Annual Music Award hip-hop artist of the year Skrypt. It was shot by Reggie Films and plays around a lot with trip-inducing visuals which are both good to listen to and fun to watch.

He is currently channelling all of his creative energy into a soon to be released EP titled ‘Forever, Always And a Day’.

“It’ll be about love strictly. Undying love and all the aspects of it, the good and the bad stuff.”

Previous projects include two EPs, ‘Mood’ and ‘Aura’, and a playlist called ‘Namaste’. Raffy has been making music since 2016, but says he has been a writer much longer. His journey to creating songs wasn’t always easy.

“It’s been filled with many highs and lows. From asking people for studio time and for features, to studying audio engineering in Glasgow, Scotland, to eventually owning my own equipment and finally shooting videos. It’s been crazy.”

Raffy is hopeful that this is just the beginning of a long career and a lifelong place in Namibian musical history.

“My goal is to live off music and do what I love. I want to stay true to myself, make music I like and to try and relate to people as much as possible, I want people to know they’re never alone in what they’re going through.”