It’s almost remarkable how much ink has been spilled about Irish rap trio Kneecap.
The act, whose music celebrates drug use and puts down colonialist authorities in equal measure, became internationally infamous after a Coachella set that broadcast their views of the ongoing war in Gaza to the world. An onstage graphic that claimed Israel was committing a genocide funded by the United States landed the band in hot water. Their visas were revoked, and critics scoured their past performances for further things to get up in arms about.
When a video was found of member Mo Chara waving a Hezbollah flag he was handed from the audience, the frontman was quickly brought up on terror charges in the United Kingdom. Given the controversy around the act, and the UK’s past stances on broadcasting Irish Republicans, it might not be surprising that the BBC blacked out the band’s set from its regular feed of the annual Glastonbury Festival.
If the trio are bothered by all the pressure, they’re not showing it. Speaking to the Guardian, the group said they have the comfort of knowing they’re on “the right side of history.”
“If we lose a few quid, we lose a bit of clout in a certain space, we don’t care – we know we’re doing the right thing,” Chara, whose real name is Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, shared.
Ó hAnnaidh encouraged a bit of perspective throughout his chat with the UK outlet. He said that everyone should have bigger things to worry about than his stage persona. Fittingly, he’s not sweating recent setbacks.
“Maybe visas get revoked, you’re not allowed in America again, it’s not ideal – but Jesus Christ, there’s people being bombed from the fucking skies, and people being starved to death,” he said. “We’re in the process [of applying for new visas], hopefully it works. But if it doesn’t, I can go about my day without having to worry about my next meal or my family being bombed. Visa revoked, I can get over.”
And the blackout? It wasn’t entirely successful. While Kneecap was able to play to an energetic, in-person crowd, other acts who weren’t subject to censorship up their anti-war spirit.
The punk duo Bob Vylan led a chant of “free, free Palestine” and another expletive-laced one about the Israel Defense Forces, earning condemnations from festival organizers.
“There will inevitably be artists and speakers appearing on our stages whose views we do not share,” they shared on Instagram “However, we are appalled by the statements made from the West Holts stage by Bob Vylan yesterday.”
