Photo by Hannah McCallum
“Face All Smug In A Place I Love...Seeing How F*cked I Can Get On Government Funds...”
Hip-hop has always served as an essential provocateur - music with a message, unafraid to shake up the status quo. Its controversy ruffles our society's feathers, drawing attention to divisions, questioning conformity, and shining a torch on our injustices. The eradication of the Irish native language was one of many outcomes of generations of warfare between the nation and England. In regaining national identity, Northern Ireland has witnessed a soar in citizens learning to speak Gaelic. The sign of our times pervades through Kneecap’s evolutionary spin on hip hop, the world’s first Irish-speaking rap group. The introduction of the group into the world was shrouded in controversy from the beginning, writing, and performing their music in an, until recently, “dead” native tongue, rapping anarchism, debauchery, and hedonism. Kneecap are practically pissing everyone off with their pro-republican politics and anti-oppression outcry. Their name itself riles people up, deriving from so-called kneecapping - where accused loyalist criminals in Northern Ireland were shot in the legs by paramilitaries. A tale of working-class struggles and the lingering hangover from The Troubles, Northern Ireland’s story unfolds as a new generation reclaims their heritage, rights, culture, identity, and language.
Kneecap was formed in 2017 by three friends who go by the stage names of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí. The band stormed on the scene with their first release, C.E.A.R.T.A (meaning “rights” in Irish), introducing them as a breakthrough ensemble.
Inspired by an incident following Móglaí Bap’s arrest during a pro-Irish language march and refusing to speak English in custody, the track was a parody, an experimental jive at the Garda (police) forces that still exhibit brutality and are much feared by the catholic community of Belfast.
They spoof the reality for many young, working-class people dealing with generational trauma, giving a voice to those who feel unheard, unwanted, and powerless. They draw on themes of drugs, sex, and the reunification of Ireland through their music with lyrics such as “Raitneach dleathach in focan Éire Aontaithe” meaning “Legal grass in fucking United Ireland.” C.E.A.R.T.A was banned from the Irish-medium radio station RTÉ Raidió for drug references and cursing.
Despite condemnation from main streaming channels, the band regrouped and swiftly followed with their mixtape 3CAG in 2018. The title references the drug MDMA: 3CAG meaning “trí chonsan agus guta” ('three consonants and a vowel'), slang for the substance. Featuring eight tracks, 3CAG captures the voice of urban Belfast youth, blending sharp lyricism with high production quality and a dose of humour.
“Every word of Irish spoken is a bullet for Irish freedom...”
The group continued to release singles in 2019 with H.O.O.D., Fenian C*nts, and Get Your Brits Out, all to draw on themes of republicanism and general anarchy. The singles continued to show them as a group that didn’t take life too seriously, having fun whilst making strong political statements, such as mid-song rallying calls (“Tiocfaidh ár lá, get the Brits out, lad”) paired with the chorus, “I’m a hood, double-O-D, low-life scum that’s what they say about me.”
They have seen their share of controversy. In February 2019, the group was highly criticised by the Democratic Unionist Party after chanting “Get You Brits Out” during a performance at the Empire in Belfast, following the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's visit to the venue the day prior. Kneecap responded by uploading an “official statement” video responding to comments - a slo-mo of Mo Chara raising his middle finger to ‘Come Out Ye Black and Tans.’
However, the group doesn’t stop at calling out atrocities faced by the Irish people but draws attention to oppression worldwide. In 2020, Kneecap openly supported an independent Palestine by flying Palestinian flags at their concerts and committing to boycott the State of Israel. The group is persistent in calling out the UK government for its complicity in the genocide of Gaza, speaking on the Late Late show and Reading festival this year.
In 2024, Kneecap released their debut full-length LP, ‘Fine Art’, a mischievous title named after the media frenzy that followed their 2022 unveiling of a hometown mural that showed a Police Service of Northern Ireland jeep on fire.
Their concept album, set in the fictional Belfast pub “The Rutz,’ produced by Toddla T, is a one-location, chaotic album that encapsulates the group's entire world. The tracks include dance elements, surely to generate heat at live gigs, with “Rhino Ket,” dubstep with speedy lyricism with “I bhFiacha Linne” which contrasts with softer key tones, and gospel seen in “Way too Much.” The album is dispersed with short interludes, usually sounding as if from a boozer, a backdrop of Irish traditional music and television broadcasts, often with the boys offering their trademark jibes and humorous banter. They give us a window into their cleverly curated style: rude awakenings sugar-coated with harmless comedy. Singing true to their representation of Ireland, Fine Art features a wealth of Irish talent, including Jelani Blackman, Grian Chatten, Tom Coll of the post-punk band Fontaines D.C.
The album has received positive reviews from critics, catapulting them further into the mainstream and appearing at renowned festivals in the UK and Ireland. At Glastonbury 2024, the band was shortlisted for the best acts of the year by NME. Despite having an early 11am set, they were faced with a stonking turnout, followed by a late evening surprise appearance at the Shangri-la, which ended up as one of the most talked about shows of the festival. Their extraordinary rise to fame and controversial career has led to a full-length movie released in UK cinemas this August, telling their story, and including their music.
Kneecap is at the top of its game, but its balance of parody and politicism should be trodden lightly. Behind their brash statements, the group has produced groundbreaking music that’s a political movement; intelligent writing and raw creativity have developed the Irish language and further defined its culture.
The group must continue to be assertive, and not be swept into the UK’s shiny brand packaging, which could endanger them to lose their edge. With the parallels between Kneecap and Kurupt FM, for example, they need to question how far they’re willing to take ‘the joke.’
As Kneecap promotes Gaelic and unites the young people of Ireland into sharing their national language: they have been hugely impactful in drawing attention to the country’s similarities rather than divided by differences. It is impressive to confront such taboo topics, representing a country emerging from generational trauma and post-colonialism with resilience. If Kneecap wants to stay relevant and continue revolutionising Irish music - they should follow their instincts.
Written by: @hannahmaybaldwin
Insight.
