Political defiance’s and silent protests over the Gaza conflict have admiringly seeped their way into the UK’s music scene. The Belfast born and bred hip-hop band who go by the name ‘Kneecap’ have recently pulled their performance from the line-up list at the South by Southwest (SCSW) art’s festival in Austin, Texas. The festival takes place between March 8-16, 2024, and the group have pulled out in protest against the US Army’s support for Israel in the war in Gaza. The US Army is a sponsor of the South by Southwest festival, and their link is what they find unacceptable. The United States is Israel’s biggest military Allie who provide financial support annually and construct their jets and bombs. However, the US military is also providing humanitarian aid in Gaza.
Kneecap posted on their Instagram that their cancellation is in direct correlation to the Israel-Gaza conflict, as they are “in solidarity with the people of Palestine.” For this reason, according to BBC, they cannot perform “in good conscience”. Despite the financial sacrifice it is incomparable to the “unimaginable suffering” occurring in Gaza.
The Northern Ireland trio answer to their stage names: Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí. They are a fresh and politically aware band who use their platform to voice their support for republicanism through their lyrics, in which they sing in both English and Irish. They first released their unique sound in 2017, with a song titled ‘C.E.A.R.T.A,” which translates to “Rights” in Irish. This first song was inspired by the time when Móglaí Bap was spray-painting and wrote “Cearta” on a bustop the day before the Irish Language Act march in Belfast. He managed to escape an arrest, whilst the friend he was spray painting with was caught, and refused to speak English in his cell without a translator. This story inspired their first song, which snowballed into further ambitions to continue developing their sound after their popularity spiked. They clearly had a strong intent to rally for human rights by making it the title of their first song, and it is also clear through another single titled “Get Your Brits Out.” Their first song was banned from Irish radio ‘RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta’ (RnaG) for drug references and swearing. Their fans were inspired by their bold defiance and petitioned 700 signatures to get the song back on the radio. Kneecap defended themselves also, and said it’s “a satirical take on life for young people, particularly in west Belfast”, according to the Belfast Telegraph.
The group are not alone in their protest, as other artists involved in the festival’s line-up have pulled out. These acts include Brighton’s ‘Lambrini Girls,’ who announced to BBC on Saturday March 9th, that their boycott is a way to keep their “moral integrity intact.“ Similarly, other acts silently protesting include Sprints, Scowl, Gel, and Squirrel Flower. ‘Okay Shalom’ shared on Instagram that this sacrifice “cost a dream,” but regardless, refuses to go along with something that is “fundamentally wrong.” All of the acts pulling out of the event have one thing in common, and that is that their moral stances overrule anything else, and this decision to pull out required no hesitation.
