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The National
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Why Kneecap aren't going to change their tune on Palestine
Irish band Kneecap took London's Oxford Street by storm last week, just hours after it was announced that one of their number faced terrorism charges in England for allegedly expressing support for Hezbollah and Hamas. Crossover recognition is something of a holy grail in the world of popular music. Think Beyonce and her country single last year. Kneecap have done this with politics, and it is a sign of the times both in their country and across the global sphere. To understand how a rap group that performs in the Irish language could have become a global ticket, I think you need to go back to what made them. First, the name of the name of the band is evocative of the Irish Troubles, the 30 years of terrorism that put British control of Northern Ireland on the global agenda. The Irish Republican Army (IRA) had a particular way of punishing its dissenters and that has been recycled in the name of the band. In that fight, there was a particular phenomenon of the tout – a person who informed on IRA activity to the security forces . There was an immense stigma within the community against the idea of someone selling out to the oppressor. The fate of those blamed for doing this was gun to the back of knee that blew off the kneecap. Thirty years later, it is now in the pop culture, though I would guess few of the tens of thousands that throng the bands venues have thought through what their name is about. The three members – Mo Chara, DJ Provai and Moglai Bap, whose real names are Liam Og O hAnnaidh, JJ O Dochartaigh and Naoise O Caireallain, respectively – saw their upbringings shaped by Gaelicisation of parts of the nationalist community in cities like Belfast. Indeed, Moglai Bap's father, Gearoid O Caireallain, was an activist for the cause of promoting the Irish language, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s. His death last year undoubtedly a major point of transition for the group. Irish President Michael D Higgins paid tribute to the loss of this 'major figure'. The cause goes on, and while Mo Chara has a court date of June 18 in Westminster Magistrates Court, the band continue to perform. After Oxford Street, it was Brockwell Park in south-east London. The festival crowd were given a defiant message: that the group's support for the Palestinian cause would not be bowed or broken by prosecution. Indeed, to the band the word prosecution is synonymous with persecution. 'We're being made an example of,' declared Mo Chara on the stage of the Wide Awake Festival. 'The Israeli lobbyists are trying to prove to other artists: 'If you speak out, we're going to hit you where it hurts most'. 'Believe me lads, I wish I didn't have to do this," he added. "But the world's not listening. The world needs to see solidarity of 20,000 people in a park in London chanting, 'Free, free Palestine!'" It is a message that the group has made no bones about since the latest conflict in Gaza erupted. From their perspective, the Gaza plight is a war of oppression every bit as grim and crushing as that waged on Ireland over centuries. Giving voice to the rejection of that onslaught is something natural and obvious for Kneecap. Steeped in violence and its consequences, Kneecap, as the name suggests, do not shy away from defiance. Having performed at the US festival Coachella and proclaimed Israel was committing genocide in Gaza with US backing, the group faced calls for a US visa ban. The television celebrity Sharon Osbourne led the calls to ban the group from the US for open support of terrorist organisations. In the UK, the profile of Kneecap has grown far beyond the subject matter of their material. They vigorously contest the allegations against them. The June 18 charge related to a performance in November, when Mo Chara allegedly displayed a flag in support of proscribed organisation Hezbollah. The group has apologised to the families of the murdered MPs David Amess and Jo Cox after another onstage snippet was discovered, in which one of the group declared: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP." Kneecap claim the clip has been exploited and weaponised against them. The court appearance next month is therefore just one more way station in the controversial career of Kneecap. Their essential point is that they are not responsible for the tens of thousands that have died in Gaza. Their radical views are a product of the culture and beliefs that formed them, and any type of establishment criticism or police action serves to reinforce their outlook. The image of the band is, in mainstream terms, defiant, and that chimes with festival goers who want to give expression to their outrage over the images they see of what is happening in Gaza. Elton John, another music luminary, commented the other day that it was unusual for a band to bring politics to the stage when he praised Kneecap. Terrorism charges have followed but Kneecap will continue to assert its politics. Politics is their lifeblood because of where they grew up and the people around them. Don't expect court appearances to make any difference to that singular fact.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Kneecap brazenly mock the police and lead singalong about the death of Margaret Thatcher at latest London show - even after member was charged with terror offence
Controversial rappers Kneecap have brazenly mocked the police, Kemi Badenoch and the death of Margaret Thatcher even after one of their members was charged with a terror offence A sold-out central London crowd on Thursday night was treated to provocative chants about the deceased former Tory prime minister while the band's latest release yesterday took aim at the party's current leader. The Northern Irish group consisting of Mo Chara, DJ Provai and Moglai Bap held a last-minute gig at The 100 Club on Oxford Street ahead of a headline appearance at a London festival. The band encouraged the crowd to shout 'Free Palestine ' as well as sing a rendition of 'Maggie's in a box' to the tune of KC and the Sunshine Band's 'Give It Up'. Many attendees joined in to bellow the sickening chant whilst others filmed or waved their hands to the beat. It was not the first time they have repeated the song about Mrs Thatcher, who died in 2013 and whose ashes were buried beside those of her husband, Sir Denis. Last month, the US music festival Coachella saw its official livestream temporarily censored as the same raucous melody was unexpectantly filmed live. And yesterday Kneecap released a new song, The Recap, mocking Kemi Badenoch's attempts to block their arts funding while in government and the Conservative Party's subsequent election loss. The song opens with a sample of a news report about the counter terrorism police investigation into the group. Mo Chara, whose real name is Liam O'Hanna, faces a charge for the alleged display of a flag in support of a proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah at a gig at the O2 Forum in Kentish Town, north London, in November last year. Speaking to the crowd on Thursday, he said: 'There's a lot of police inside this venue tonight, they're making a lot of money for doing f*** all. 'You should all be thanking me for overtime, listen I'm feeding your kids, jobs for the boys. 'We're from the north of Ireland, we're very used to the British establishment bringing people from the north, trying to get them into their English jails, for stuff they didn't do. 'They've done it before and they're trying to do it again.' With the band set to take on Wide Awake festival at Brockwell Park last night, Shadow Secretary of State for Justice Robert Jenrick said: 'In November last year Kneecap glorified Hamas and Hezbollah at their London gig. 'That should disqualify them from being booked by festivals and venues. The rap trio have been involved in a series of high-profile controversies in response to the war in Gaza, which has seen them banned from concerts and calls for their Glastonbury set this summer to be axed 'If a band were to glorify a proscribed far-right group, action would have been taken. 'The organisers should hang their heads in shame.' Former Tory party leader Iain Duncan Smith added: 'They're after a reaction but the truth is they're just an obscure group. 'They're just self-publicists attempting to shock people so that they all go how terrible and other people think they might go listen to them. 'They will sink back into obscurity when people get tired of their attempts to constantly raise their profile. 'They try to be as shocking as possible... Nobody can really remember a single thing they've played and so they want to be known for something else.'
The Herald Scotland
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Kneecap's manager says rap trio ‘happy to meet' Sir David Amess' daughter
Katie Amess said she was 'absolutely heartbroken' after seeing the clip, from a performance in November 2023, because it 'brought back so much pain and upset', and called for the group to 'take full accountability' before being allowed to perform on stage. She said she would be willing to meet the group and tell them how her life has been 'obliterated' by her father's death. DJ Provai of Kneecap (Niall Carson/PA) The group's manager, Daniel Lambert, told The Pat Kenny Show on Irish radio station Newstalk: 'The lads are happy to talk to that lady. 'The lads are happy to meet with that lady. The lads are happy to apologise to that lady.' Ms Amess has urged a 'thorough investigation to determine the full extent of any criminal activity' and said it 'is imperative that individuals and groups are held accountable for their words and actions that incite violence and hatred'. Lambert suggested that the footage emerged because the group criticised Israel over the conflict in Gaza during their performances at Coachella in the US. He told the radio show: 'You've got to focus on this. Why has this emerged? And I've said this on several radio shows already. Kneecap went to Coachella and Kneecap said at Coachella, facts. Facts about what happened (in Gaza).' He added: 'And you know what happened as a response? All of this.' Earlier this week, Brendan Cox, whose wife Ms Cox was murdered in 2016, called Kneecap's statement 'only half an apology'. Counter-terrorism officers are investigating the footage from November 2023 as well as another piece of footage from November 2024 that appears to show one of them shouting 'up Hamas, up Hezbollah'. New track coming soon….stay tuned…lock down your aerial 📻 — KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) May 2, 2025 The Northern Irish band posted a statement online saying they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah, which are both banned organisations in the UK. Jewish groups and MPs, as well as former X Factor judge Sharon Osbourne, have called for them to be dropped from the Glastonbury line-up, while Kneecap have claimed footage of the incident has been 'exploited and weaponised'. On Friday, Kneecap teased new music and posted an image on X of one of them wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh patterned scarf, saying: 'New track coming soon….stay tuned…lock down your aerial.' On Thursday, the Met Police said they were made 'aware' in April of two lots of footage from November 2023 and 2024, and the force's Counter Terrorism Command would be investigating. A statement said: 'Both videos were referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment by specialist officers, who have determined there are grounds for further investigation into potential offences linked to both videos.' Artists including CMAT, Massive Attack, The Pogues, Brian Eno, Pulp, Paul Weller, former BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac and Primal Scream have defended the band. They signed a statement saying there is a 'clear, concerted attempt to censor and ultimately deplatform' Kneecap, while claiming that politicians are 'strategically concocting moral outrage over the stage utterings of a young punk band' while ignoring a 'genocide' in Gaza. Kneecap performing at the SSE Arena in Belfast (Liam McBurney/PA) After the footage emerged, members of Kneecap, who go by the names Moglai Bap, Mo Chara and DJ Provai, saw their performance at the Eden Project in Cornwall axed, while ticket websites for three gigs in Germany said the shows in the country had been cancelled. The Eden Project performance was moved to Plymouth Pavilions, but that concert was also scrapped. Hours later, music venue The Depo, also based in Plymouth, announced it would be holding three Kneecap gigs at the beginning of July. Festivals in the Netherlands, Paradiso Festival in Amsterdam, and Czech Republic's Rock for People have said they are assessing the situation. Kneecap, made up of Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, formed in 2017 and are known for their provocative lyrics and merchandise as well as their championing of the Irish language.
The Herald Scotland
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
Kneecap investigated by counter terrorism officers over ‘kill your MP' video
Video from November 2023 also appeared to show one member of the Irish trio saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' The group has apologised to the families of murdered MPs but claimed footage of the incident had been 'exploited and weaponised', while they also said they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah, which are both banned organisations in the UK. JJ O'Dochartaigh, also known as DJ Provai, of the Belfast-based rap group Kneecap (Mark Marlow/PA) On Thursday, the Met Police said: 'On April 22, we were made aware of an online video believed to be from a music event in London in November 2024. 'Following this, we were made aware of a further video, believed to be from another music event in London in November 2023. 'Both videos were referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment by specialist officers, who have determined there are grounds for further investigation into potential offences linked to both videos. 'The investigation is now being carried out by officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command and inquiries remain ongoing at this time.' In a statement posted on Instagram, the group, comprising Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, addressed the families of Sir David Amess and Jo Cox saying 'we never intended to cause you hurt', and that they 'reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual'.
Sky News
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News
Why are Kneecap controversial?
Irish band Kneecap have had a meteoric rise in the music industry, with tens of millions of streams on Spotify alone and widespread critical acclaim. The trio's genre-bending rap/hip hop tracks, performed in a mixture of English and Irish-language, have clearly resonated with a mainstream audience, but their many controversial moments - some of them seemingly intentional - have helped them hit such heights. Here's what you need to know about the band and their most notorious moments. Who's in the band? The group is made up of three friends from Belfast: Mo Chara (Liam Og O Hannaidh), Moglai Bap (Naoise O Caireallain) and DJ Provai (JJ O Dochartaigh). The latter is a former teacher who still wears a balaclava, initially to disguise himself from his students when the band started out in 2017. They were controversial from the get-go - and seemingly by design. Their debut track - CEARTA - is based on how band member Bap was stopped by police for spray-painting cearta, the Irish word for rights, on a bus stop. Before fame, Bap and Chara, who have known each other for around 15 years, transformed a former youth club into party hub, where they would play their favourite tracks. And it was through this venture into the club space that they later met DJ Provai. The group called themselves Kneecap in reference to kneecapping, a common form of paramilitary punishment in Northern Ireland during The Troubles which sees someone shot or hit repeatedly on both knees. From cult heroes to mainstream success Kneecap released their first mixtape, 3cag, in 2018 to critical acclaim, and their 2019 single HOOD is their most streamed single to date. But their success reached new levels in 2024 with the release of their 18-track album, Fine Art, which culminated in a headline-worthy crowd attending their early-morning timeslot at Glastonbury. The band then ventured into the film industry with a self-titled biopic about their rise to prominence, set in post-Troubles Belfast, starring themselves alongside Irish actor Michael Fassbender. Before its full release last summer, it had been the talk of various film festivals, including Tribeca in New York. Speaking to Sky News at Glastonbury last year, the band said the reaction had been "crazy". Since then it's got crazier, with the film getting six BAFTA nominations and earning its writer and director Rich Peppiatt a win for Outstanding Debut. The band cracked the UK and are now following suit in the US, having sold out several shows there. Court battle with the UK government It would take a long time to cover all of Kneecap's controversial moments; much of it is a part of their music itself. They have been banned from Irish public service broadcaster RTE for their references to drug-taking. But there have been some particularly high-profile incidents since 2024. The first was their legal battle with the then-Conservative UK government, who blocked a grant for the band which was initially approved by the British Phonographic Industry. The group's application to the Music Export Growth Scheme, which supports UK-registered artists in global markets, was for £14,250, but Kemi Badenoch, then business secretary, stopped it. At the time, a government spokesperson said it fully supported freedom of speech, but that it was "hardly surprising" it did not want to hand out UK taxpayers' money to those opposed to the United Kingdom. One of their most famous tracks had been 2019's Get Your Brits Out, which had been criticised for being anti-British. The trio have always denied this being the case. Chara told Sky News after their Glastonbury set: "This is a thing that people love to spin, like we're some anti-British band. "We have English family. We have loads of good friends who call themselves British. It's the British government we don't like." Kneecap won a discrimination case against the UK government in November, earning them the same amount that the grant was worth. DJ Provai said the band's motivation was "equality". "For us, this action was never about £14,250; it could have been 50p," he said, after the band said it would donate the funds to two Belfast charities. "This was an attack on artistic culture, an attack on the Good Friday Agreement itself and an attack on Kneecap and our way of expressing ourselves." Calling for deaths of Conservative MPs Police say they are assessing a video of a Kneecap performance from November 2023, in which a member of the trio allegedly called for the death of Conservative MPs. The member is alleged to have said: "The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP." Two British MPs have been murdered in the past 10 years - Labour's Jo Cox in 2016 and Conservative Sir David Amess in 2021. 6:31 In a statement, Kneecap said they rejected "any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual. Ever." They added: "An extract of footage, deliberately taken out of all context, is now being exploited and weaponised, as if it were a call to action. "To the Amess and Cox families, we send our heartfelt apologies, we never intended to cause you hurt." Pro-Palestinian messages at gigs The investigation into the MP comments was announced several days after the Met said it had referred a different video from a Kneecap gig to be reviewed by counter-terror police. Footage from that gig, at London's Kentish Town Forum last November, appeared to show one member of the group shouting "up Hamas, up Hezbollah". Hamas and Hezbollah are both proscribed as terrorist groups in the UK. Under Section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000, it is an offence to express "an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation". The police say they are "assessing" both clips to "determine whether further police investigation is required". Kneecap have said they are facing a "co-ordinated smear campaign" after speaking out about "the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people". In their statement, they said: "Let us be unequivocal: we do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah. We condemn all attacks on civilians, always. It is never okay. We know this more than anyone, given our nation's history. "Kneecap's message has always been - and remains - one of love, inclusion, and hope. This is why our music resonates across generations, countries, classes and cultures and has brought hundreds of thousands of people to our gigs." Investigation comes after Coachella fallout Just days before the police investigations were announced, TV personality Sharon Osbourne called for Kneecap's US work visas to be revoked after accusing them of making "aggressive political statements" including "projections of anti-Israel messages and hate speech" at Coachella Music and Arts Festival. As the band performed on the second night, they displayed words on the big screen reading: "Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people. "It is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes. F*** Israel. Free Palestine". Israel's ongoing offensive in Gaza, which came after Hamas gunmen launched an attack killing 1,200 people in Israel on 7 October 2023, has seen at least 52,000 people killed, according to the Gaza health ministry. Speaking to Rolling Stone after Osbourne's comments, Kneecap member Mo Chara said: "Her rant has so many holes in it that it hardly warrants a reply, but she should listen to War Pigs that was written by Black Sabbath [led by Ozzy Osbourne, her husband]." He also told the outlet: "We believe we have an obligation to use our platform when we can to raise the issue of Palestine, and it was important for us to speak out at Coachella as the USA is the main funder and supplier of weapons to Israel as they commit genocide in Gaza." Kneecap has been continually outspoken in favour of Palestinians at gigs. In November, DJ Provai arrived for the court verdict against the UK government in a vehicle bearing the Irish and Palestinian flags and blaring loud music.
