Kneecap

[ohdoris]

I wish all the large organisations losing their shit over words spoken on a stage yesterday were as outraged by the actions of the Israeli regime & the ongoing treatment of the Palestinian people.

Also, another reason for Jamie Dornan to be the future Mr Doris (the current one isn’t as enthusiastic!)

 

[MaryLou32]

IMO, there’s a big difference between advocating for constitutional change and what Kneecap are doing. Glorifying violence, chanting ‘up Hamas,’ 'up Hezbollah', mocking victims of terrorism, calling for more politicians to be murdered... that’s not principled nationalism, that’s performative provocation. I know plenty of people who would like a UI that would never behave or speak like they do.

My point isn’t that anyone with a different constitutional vision shouldn’t participate in society. It’s that Kneecap, in particular, profit from the very system they claim to despise, while making a brand out of hostility. It’s not about opposing British rule; it’s about profiting off the UK while publicly ridiculing it with venom and bile. That’s the hypocrisy.

So this is what confuses me, if you understand that the recent carry on is performative provocation then what’s all the drama about? The words (in particular around murdering MPs) was clearly not meant to be taken seriously, so couldn’t it be said the pearl clutching outrage is performative and part of the reason for that- is their unwavering stance on Palestine and lack of fear in calling out Israel. And perhaps less so, but still relevant, how outspoken they are about a UI?
As they have said themselves there is more outrage and news headlines this week about the words of a few fellas on stage than actual genocidal actions. It baffles me.

Again, they don’t have an option? What’s the alternative? We are under UK rule, we have no choice but to participate in the system unless we leave NI and why should we do that?
Why shouldn’t they make money? Why shouldn’t they profit? Why shouldn’t they be successful, whilst still being able to criticise. By your logic, anyone opposed to a labour government and voted Tory shouldn’t be able to profit then? It doesn’t make sense.
That’s not hypocrisy, that’s just the reality. People have to live and eat it’s such a weird take!

 

[monga]

 

[monga]

Let me be clear: these flabby, flute playing, white gloved simpletons are every bit as bad in my opinion. Tawdling along the streets protesting about something that happened more than 300yrs ago. There’s wankers on sides keeping this going.

Kneecap are wankers, but so are these lot. I’m not biased in my opinions on one side or t’other.

Yeah that may be acceptable in other parts of UK but not in NI where our towns are literally brought to a standstill whilst these bigots shout publicly how they want to be up to their knees in our blood, fully supported by politicians and funded by the British government…That’s the difference!

 

[lilly92]

I first saw Kneecap at the Galway Arts Festival last Summer and it's actually INSANE how big they've gotten in just a year! Fell in love with them after that gig and seeing their movie. I love how they're using their voices and refused to be bullied into submission. Even donating proceeds of gigs to charities, doing free gigs and selling tickets for £32(26+6) They're unreal. It pissed me off so much how BBC and other British Media tried to anglicize Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh,'s name. They can't stop free speech, and it's so clear this band are being used as a scapegoat. Politicians getting mad at Kneecap instead of the actual GENOCIDE should be absolutely ashamed of themselves.

 

[Merpedy]

We hardly ever hear about NI issues in the UK so it’s hardly surprising that a band needs to use some performance based stuff to get headlines to me

I think it’s sort of silly to be expecting a band to provide the most reasonable and nuanced political commentary in general to be honest, that’s why we have politicians and the more boring activists

Honestly I see them more as people who care deeply about a couple of issues and incorporate them into their brand than I see them as activists pushing for serious change. I suspect it’s the same for many of their fans, their music sounds good and the guys are fun

 

[Veronicaaa]

You can learn all you want about a subject in history, anecdotes from family, people who were there, but it will still never compare to actually living through it.

Generational trauma is a way of living through it though. We're barely one generation on - there are grown ups now who lost parents, aunts, uncles, etc. The scars of this sort of thing remain long after a peace agreement.

 

[monga]

I laugh at the uneducated bit! One of them is a qualified teacher, one of their fathers actually put the Irish language on the map in the north a fierce advocate that battled through illness to establish a well known publication/ newspaper and held in high regard before his recent death . Contrary to popular belief we’re not stupid here …I could be the exception but my offspring vindicate me

 

[Foxvint]

What's happening with them is an important test case for artistic freedom in this era of cancel culture. The gig they did at Cochella was the gig they do everywhere. They didn't water down their politics for a bunch of rich influencers. Anyone uncomfortable was free to leave. Speech can be provocative and unpleasant so long as it's legal.

Their lyrics are no different to Johnny Cash saying he shot a man in reno just to watch him die or the thousands of rap songs about sex and violence. Listening isn't compulsory and no art should be censored. Anyone like Merryl Streek? He's got a song i love called Death to the Landlord but I'm no threat to mine. The Beatles didn't really live in a yellow submarine either.

They gave their arts grant to youth clubs on both sides of the old sectarian divides and are friends with and promote a rapper from the Sandy Row area so I'd take their lyrics as artistic license anyway. They don't seem to live in a sectarian way.

Haven't had time to read much of the thread so apologies if I'm making points already made.

 

[Yel]

I find it baffling that they took the UK gov to court to get money. I guess funding the arts is very open to interpretation.

Someone got banned on tattle for saying something in a similar vein about wishing MPs of a certain party should be killed - this isn't twitter or facebook! I'm sure they ran off elsewhere to bemoan about "power crazy mods banned for absolutely no reason" . But that kind of talk is disgusting and it's so prevalent on the big tech social media that people think it's OK, when it really isn't.

 

[theleagueofgentlemen]

I feel sick every time their names come up…even sicker that they are playing a gig on October 7th. They couldn’t give a toss how much damage they do to the lives of strangers as long as they get the attention they crave and money keeps rolling in. Not a single person is talking about their music - only how the big, scary Jewish conspiracy is trying to stifle their ‘freedom of speech’. The damage they and countless others have done to our communities is beyond comprehension. One of them is nearly 40 and wearing a tricolour tea cosy whilst wrapping himself in the flag of a movement that is doing a lot more than just knee-capping actual Gazans for wanting Hamas to release hostages and bring this to an end. Honestly, stepped in dog shit with more integrity.

I’ve lurked on this thread til now but my GOD stop
’playing a gig on October 7th’. Yeah, I’m going to work that day too, what of it?

 

[Lazarus]

A thread about the band Kneecap.
Love them or loathe them (I’m in the latter) they’re getting a lot of press at the moment.

My hackles were raised when I heard them chanting
Tiocfaidh ár lá, get the Brits out on BBCR6.
I grew up in west central Scotland where religious bigotry and hatred amongst Catholic and Protestant was fairly commonplace and those words were spray painted on walls all around me; perhaps that speaks more to the negative connotation I put on that phrase but I couldn’t believe my ears that this was being played on the national broadcaster’s radio stations and nobody was arsed.

Anyway, like all decent folks\s, they’re falling over themselves to give us a death count of children in Gaza whilst shouting that the only decent Tory is a dead one, or words to that effect, and encouraging people to ‘kill your MP’ which was taken out of context. I’m not sure what context is normally appropriate for saying that in, tbf.
For context they apparently also shouted support for Hezbollah, and waved Hezbollah flags, but said they don’t support them.

They’ve now given a half-arsed DARVO-type apology, once again shoehorning the Gaza children death count, which I’m sure the family of David Amess and Jo Cox will find comfort in… 🫠
In their statement, they suggest they’re only being targeted for “telling the truth”

thoughts on them?

For me, putting everything else aside, that style of music (them, Fontaines DC, Idles, Sleaford Mods - uhh, I can’t stand it. And I say that as someone who has all Sleaford Mods early albums and singles and saw them live loads.)

Belfast band apologises to families of Sir David Amess and Jo Cox

The rap group says it does not support Hamas or Hezbollah and would not seek to incite violence against anyone.

www.bbc.co.uk

Kneecap's phoney punk act has been unmasked

Counter-terror cops said they’re looking into Kneecap’s seeming expressions of support for Hamas and Hezbollah

www.spectator.co.uk

https://www.archive.is/oldest/https...5/apr/28/david-amess-daughter-kneecap-apology

Kneecap should give 'real apology', husband of murdered MP says https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c8dg2z399gyo

 

[BANRÍON]

There seems to be an underlying theme to all of this discourse - All the politicians and people outraged at Kneecap over the last week are the same people who shout and protest for free speech consistently. You want free speech but only when its speech you agree with?

If Kneecap wanted to incite violence and for their fans to kill their MPs and stated this a few years ago at a concert, why hasnt that happened yet? I havent heard any reports in recent years of anyone hurting or inciting violence against their local MPs soley because they were instructed to do so by Kneecap. Context is important, and the evidence that violence actually hasnt been incited and that they havent instructed their fans to kill their MPs, is that it literally hasnt happened????

What sort of weird dystopian world are we living in that politicians are having beef with a rap group? Do they have nothing better to be doing? It very much seems like the whole toilet debate, "As politicians, lets grab something, run with it and make sure its at the forefront of every political conversation for the forseeable so that we cant be held accountable for doing absolutely fuck all".

Seas le Kneecap

 

[Wee Nora]

I just wish they could even attempt to articulate it instead of lashing out at people for being 'terrorist supporters'. But they can't because, deep down, they know, and it's much harder to face what's been going on - what they've been defending - than it is to smear those pointing it out to them.

Because that’s all they’ve got V. The truth is undeniable and indefensible at this point and obviously resorting to name calling is easier than being the bigger person and admitting they got it so f*cking wrong. History will record this as a genocide and they know it.
Free Palestine

 

[Wee Nora]

As explained earlier the context was performance. It’s hyperbole. Pomp. Banter. Peacocking. Slabbering. Carrying on.
Call it whatever you want, but you know very well they weren’t actively encouraging or compelling anyone to commit murder ffs.

You’re either pearl clutching or incredibly naive.

Have you ever told a friend you’ll kill them in the context of having a few drinks, having the craic and doing a bit of slabbering
If so- get yourself down to the police station cos you’re nothing but a criminal.

I’m not saying their comments are big, clever, particularly funny or wise, but I recognise that they mean sweet fuck all.

I’m yet to see one person who was at the gig in question say they genuinely took the comments as an incitement to murder an MP.

Eminem’s music (for one example) is full of references to violence, rape, guns, knives, murder etc. If we were to take every word an artist says literally then there would be nobody left to cancel.

 

[Wee Nora]

And you dare to call me a terrorist while you look down your gun.

Honestly, pathetic stuff Britain but I never doubted you once Now let’s hear another speech of “condemnation” about Israel while you sign off another arms deal you hypocritical tw@ts.

 

[Merpedy]

Maybe basic human decency? Lame af comment. You crack on with fangirling those IRA cosplaying gobshites.

With all due respect go touch some grass

Unless they come out celebrating on October 7th, they're basically just doing their job like everyone else there. Just because something bad happened that day and it's deeply upsetting to you (I assume), it does not mean that other people cannot carry on and do their jobs.

 

[TheMan]

The wee froot in the tea cosey needs to wise up. They're all bellends, Larping wee shitebags who didn't grow up in the troubles and they thought they were so clever, until they found out otherwise and now are shitting themselves. I hope they get done for their comments, but then again, if they do, the Irish victimhood complex amongst Republicans will just get worse and more insufferable.

 

[nothanksbabes]

I've been to a couple of their gigs, in Derry and Belfast. I'm English but my fella is Northern Irish and likes what they've done for the language. The gigs were fun, not my usual style of music, but catchy and I like the rhyming across languages.

I think if they're going to wade into contentious political events and enjoy the publicity that ensues, you have to take the rough with the smooth. They're emblematic of the age of Instagram hot takes where everything has to be expressed in some shocking soundbite and then when it comes to dealing with the consequences of demonstrating absolutely no nuance later, well, here we are. They come off as much younger than they are to be honest.

That said, musicians have always gone for controversy. I'm a heavy metal fan and the genre has had its fair share of bands saying and doing deliberately shocking things for publicity. I don't know why anyone listens. Musicians aren't the first people I'd go to for nuanced and intelligent political discourse. And I've yet to meet someone shouting about Palestine who can actually tell me what the solution is. And I understand why there's solidarity between Northern Irish republicans and Palestinians, but it's not a very nuanced comparison once you scratch the surface. And there's more than a small element of tribal secterianism that still runs through society, but it's probably not my place to pass comment in that regard.

 

[Veronicaaa]

I didn't realise until I read a bit more into it that their MP quote was made in 2023 because all the articles made it sound like it was said this week in addition to their comments about Gaza.

Yes, it's strange how all this became some sort of weird international incident with politicians lining up to denounce them just a week after their Coachella show, and not before.