By BRENDAN McGILLIGAN
OLDHAM’s marquee signing for the 2024 campaign has recently made his lifelong hobby public.
And as Elijah Taylor prepares to help lead the club to promotion from League One, he has a fledgling rap career.
The New Zealander, who is already an unusual player in holding an aircraft pilot’s licence, has always found comfort in the genre since he was a child and has now started to release his own musical taste.
He said: “I grew up on hip-hop and rap. I have always made music throughout my career, but I never put it out because I was just too embarrassed.
“I’ve always written, ever since I was at school, back in the classroom, writing raps in my book.
“It helped me get away from rugby; it was a bit of an escape for me.”
However, the world may never have been able to share in this music had it not been for a former team-mate of the 33-year-old.
Taylor continued to write his music, but once Dan Sarginson heard it while the pair were at the Salford Red Devils, he pushed the Kiwi to release it.
Taylor said: “He heard my music and was like, ‘Bro, you gotta get this out there; you gotta put it out,’ and then I was undecided about what to do, but he just kept telling me to put it out because who cares?”
The music released to the public has been well received, and this has resulted in the 2013 World Cup runner-up having more fans than just Sarginson.
Yet, he is unsure about what the future holds after rugby, as he views the rap career as more of a hobby by posting it on his Instagram profile.
He said: “When I finish, I don’t know; as I’ve got my pilot’s licence in Australia, that was my plan, but it keeps changing. I was supposed to be here for two years and then go back, but I enjoy it here.
“Right now, it is just a hobby, and I enjoy doing it; I like being creative.”
But despite Taylor enjoying this escape from rugby, he will remain focused on helping the club achieve their promotion ambitions out of League One.
Taylor and Oldham open their League account on March 17 against fierce rivals Rochdale.
