Kneecap | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2017–present |
| Labels | Heavenly Recordings |
| Members |
|
| Website | www |
Kneecap are an Irishhip hop trio fromBelfast, Northern Ireland, composed ofMo Chara,Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí,[1][2] the stage names of Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and J. J. Ó Dochartaigh, respectively.[3] They rap in a mixture of English andIrish. Their first single "C.E.A.R.T.A." (cearta is Irish for 'rights') was released in 2017, followed by their debut studio album,3CAG, in 2018.[4] Their second studio album,Fine Art, was released in 2024, and abiographical film was released later the same year.[5]
The group has been at the centre of public debates aboutfree speech and the expression of political opinions within Ireland and the UK.[6] Their themes focus onworking class Belfastyouth culture,Irish republicanism andIrish language rights. In concert, they have made statements supportingPalestinian nationalism and condemning theGaza genocide. Their name is derived fromthe extralegal punishment attacks meted out by Northern Irish paramilitary groups.
The name Kneecap is aword play, referring to both the practice ofkneecapping, a punishment of gunshots to the knees whichIrish republican paramilitaries would inflict on what they described as "political" and "normal" criminals, including drug dealers and others, as a form ofvigilante justice,[7] and the Irish phrase "ní cheapaim" (which sounds like "kneecap him"), meaning "I don't think so".[8] Móglaí said it is intentionally ironic that a group with the name Kneecap sings "about things that would get us kneecapped", such as drugs.[9]
Kneecap's logo is based on thebalaclavas worn by paramilitaries duringthe Troubles. DJ Próvaí often wears anIrish tricolour balaclava in public.[10][11][12]The Guardian wrote that Kneecap's earlier work focused on merging Gaelic identity with hood culture; in Northern Ireland, "hoods" are petty criminals and drug dealers.[10]
The stage name Mo Chara in Irish means "my friend". Móglaí Bap refers to the singer being noted for hisbowl haircut as a kid, reminiscent of the characterMowgli in the cartoonThe Jungle Book.[13] DJ Próvaí's name comes from theProvisional IRA.[14]
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Their first single "C.E.A.R.T.A." was loosely based on Móglaí Bap's experience. On the day before theIrish Language Act march in Belfast, Móglaí Bap went out with a friend of his and spray-painted the word "Cearta" on a bus stop. ThePolice Service of Northern Ireland found that and arrested his friend, although Móglaí managed to escape. The friend only spoke Irish at the police station, and spent a night there, refusing to speak English. Following this incident, "C.E.A.R.T.A." was written.[15]
Their song "C.E.A.R.T.A." was banned from the Irish-medium radio stationRTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta (RnaG) for "drug references and cursing" in late 2017.[16] Fans started a petition which garnered 700 signatures to put the song back on air. Kneecap defended the song as "a caricature of life in west Belfast" and "a satirical take on life for young people, particularly in West Belfast".[17]
The group's first full-length album,3CAG, was released in 2018. The title references the drugMDMA: 3CAG meanstrí chonsan agus guta ('three consonants and a vowel'), slang for the substance.[9] The release was retrospectively described inThe Skinny as "an irresistible collection of raucous hip-hop that fused the Irish and English languages with a wicked sense of humour."[18] It was retrospectively described inThe Guardian as "self-aware and swaggering in equal measure as it flipped between nights on the town to the everyday reality of growing up in post-Troubles Northern Ireland."[19]
While Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap are from West Belfast, DJ Próvaí is fromDerry.[20] He was a teacher until 2020, when he left his school after they were alerted to a video in which he had "Brits Out" written on his buttocks during a concert.[21]
They were condemned byBelfast SouthDemocratic Unionist Party (DUP)MLAChristopher Stalford in February 2019 after videos of the trio were posted online, showing them chanting "Brits Out" at a concert performed in the Empire Music Hall in Belfast. The concert took place the day after the then-Duke of Cambridge andDuchess of Cambridge had visited the same venue.[22]
The trio released their single "MAM" in 2021 as a tribute to their mothers; the song was acknowledged as a shift away from their usual style saying that they wanted to do something more "real". Mo Chara stated in an interview that they wanted to show that "we can 'roundhouse' you off the stage but we can also give you a hug afterwards. We wanted to do something a bit sentimental, we don't wanna just box ourselves in with masculinity all the time."[23] The trio also revealed onInstagram that Móglaí Bap's mother had died of suicide before the song was ready for release, and that all proceeds from the song would be going to theSamaritans.[24]
The group began filming a motion picture in 2023, also titledKneecap, depicting a fictionalised account of their rise to fame. Released in August 2024, the film was directed byRich Peppiatt withMichael Fassbender in a supporting role.[25][26]
They were awarded a grant of £14,250 from theMusic Export Growth Scheme in February 2024, which was then blocked by theDepartment for Business and Trade.[27] Business secretaryKemi Badenoch said that the grant should not be awarded "to people thatoppose the United Kingdom itself."[28] The group filed a discrimination case against theUK government, winning the case and receiving the total grant amount in November 2024.[29] They split the grant to two youth organisations who work withProtestant andCatholic communities in Northern Ireland.[20]
Mo Chara was charged under theTerrorism Act 2006 in May 2025 for allegedly displaying aHezbollah flag in November 2024.[30][31] He appeared atWestminster Magistrates' Court on 18 June 2025, was granted unconditional bail, and returned on 20 August 2025.[32] After the hearing,Keir Starmer said their scheduledGlastonbury Festival 2025 performance on 28 June was not appropriate, to which the band retorted "You know what's 'not appropriate' Keir?Arming a fucking genocide. FuckThe Sun and solidarity withPalestine Action".[33][34] On 26 September 2025, the court ruled that the charges could not proceed. Giving his ruling, the judge said: "Proceedings against the defendant were instituted unlawfully and are null."[35][36] On 7 October 2025, theCrown Prosecution Service announced its intention to appeal.[37]
Their set at Glastonbury Festival in 2025 drew a full-capacity crowd and opened with a video addressing media scrutiny.[38] During the performance, the group led the crowd in chants of "Free Mo Chara" and "fuck Keir Starmer" and thanked the festival organisers for not yielding to pressure to cancel their appearance.[39] Referencing his recent court appearance, Mo Chara told the audience, "I'm a free man." The BBC opted not to livestream the performance, instead releasing it later that evening onBBC iPlayer following editorial review.[38][40][41] In response, an independent Welsh activist live-streamed the set onTikTok, attaining over 1.8 million likes.[42] Following the set,Avon and Somerset Police stated that they were assessing video footage from the West Holts Stage to determine whether any offences had been committed that might warrant a criminal investigation.[43] On 18 July 2025, the force announced that no further action would be taken, citing insufficient evidence to support a prosecution.[44]
Kneecap were banned from entering Hungary for three years in July 2025.Hungarian government spokespersonZoltán Kovács stated that the band members "repeatedly engage inanti-Semitic hate speech supporting terrorism and terrorist groups". Kneecap were set to perform atBudapest'sSziget Festival on 11 August 2025; Kovács said that the performance "posed a national security threat". Kneecap responded that "it's clear this is political distraction and a further attempt to silence those who call outgenocide against the Palestinian people."[45][46] Some of their concerts inGermany andAustria have also been cancelled.[47]
They canceled all 15 US concerts scheduled for October 2025 due to proximity to a court date related to Mo Chara's alleged terrorism charge. They instead scheduled a live-streamed concert for 10 October 2025.[48][49]
Canadian MPVince Gasparro, theparliamentary secretary to theSecretary of State (Combatting Crime), announced on 19 September 2025 that theCanadian government had decided to ban Kneecap from entering the country, citing alleged support for designated terrorist groups and to protect Canada'sJewish community.[50][51] Kneecap said that it had not received any official notice from the Government of Canada and was also considering legal action against Gasparro. During subsequent reporting by theCanadian Broadcasting Corporation, no relevant government department, official, or minister confirmed that there was a ban, and that Gasparro had acted without consulting public safety ministerGary Anandasangaree.[52][53] In the first week of October, theConservative Party andNew Democratic Party, both in opposition, called for clarity on the issue and an investigation into whether Gasparro lied.[54][55] In November 2025,Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) stated that it had cancelled the travel authorization of Mo Chara in August due to “inadmissibility for omitting to disclose complete and accurate information on his application.” IRCC had also instructed the other two members of the trio not to travel to Canada until they received further communication.[56]
The 2024 biographical filmKneecap, in which the band members play themselves alongside more experienced actors includingMichael Fassbender,Josie Walker, andSimone Kirby, is set in the West BelfastGaeltacht Quarter in 2019. The film premiered at theSundance Film Festival on 18 January 2024, being the first film in the Irish language at the festival.[57]
In August 2024, theIrish Film and Television Academy announced that they had selectedKneecap as their official submission torepresent Ireland in theBest International Feature Film category at the97th Academy Awards.[58] On 17 December 2024, Kneecap were shortlisted forAcademy Awards for the Best International Feature andBest Original Song with their song "Sick in the Head".[59]
Kneecap are heavily associated withIrish republicanism, which advocates for thereunification of Ireland and opposes British rule in Northern Ireland. Kneecap refer to themselves as "RepublicanHoods" and their fans as "Fenians".[60] Despite their republican themes, Kneecap says that republican paramilitaries would have given them punishment shootings (kneecappings) for some of the things they rap about. As is common in hip-hop, their lyrics and imagery are alsohostile to the police; in 2022 they commissioned a mural in Belfast of a burningPolice Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) vehicle.[10][11] They promote greater use of and support for theIrish language in Northern Ireland. Kneecap say they are anti-sectarian and want to foster working class solidarity amongCatholics andProtestants in Northern Ireland.[4] Mo Chara said "It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from. Just because we rap in Irish and might not align with your political views — we can be friends with people that we don't align with politically".[4]
Móglaí Bap explained "we're political, but it's very tongue-in-cheek. We wanted to take the seriousness and the sting out of it and incorporate elements of life that we as young people enjoy — like partying and taking Class A drugs ... We're political with small p's".[61] Referring to sectarian divisions in Belfast, he said that "The two communities in the [Catholic]Falls Road and [Protestant]Shankill suffer from a lot of the same problems — food banks, poverty, suicide ... Thewall, unfortunately, doesn't stop these things going from one community to another ... I think a lot of politicians in the North would rather people focus on certain aspects of us to create division, but there's a lot more that we have in common".[4]
DJ Próvaí said that "the biggest hurdle to a united Ireland is thatunionists don't feel safe. It's very important that they have a place in Ireland. They should be able to holddual citizenship if they want to, for example."[62]
On 14 March 2025, the head ofa statue ofKing George V appeared on stage during a Kneecap gig inMelbourne, Australia. It had been cut off by protesters during the 2024King's Birthday.[63][64] Kneecap made reference to the cut-off head in anInstagram post, writing "Remember, every colony can fall".[63][64]
Kneecap supportsPalestinian self-determination and an end to theIsraeli occupation ofPalestine. They have flownPalestinian flags at concerts and pledge toboycott Israel.[65][66] TheIrish Independent reported that members have supported politicianClare Daly for her stance on Palestine.[67] They have links with a volunteer gym in theAida Refugee Camp inBethlehem, having helped raise funds for it and promoted it on their Instagram; further, in 2022, Irish writerManchán Magan released a cover of Kneecap's song "C.E.A.R.T.A" to raise money for the gym.[68][69]
During their set at theApril 2025 Coachella Festival, Kneecap displayed the messages "Israel is committinggenocide against the Palestinian people" — "It is being enabled by the US" — "Fuck Israel / Free Palestine".[70] This was widely covered by US news outlets, further raising interest in the group.[71]Sharon Osbourne and the pro-IsraelCCFP led calls for their visas to be revoked for alleged "hate speech",[72] and the band were sent death threats. Kneecap replied, "Statements aren't aggressive,murdering 20,000 children is though".[73] The band stated that its condemnation of Israel is not an attack against theJewish people, adding, "We know there are massive numbers of Jewish people outraged by this genocide just as we are."[74] The band also condemned the UK'salleged complicity inIsraeli war crimes and thefamine in Gaza, saying, "Instead of defending innocent people, or the principles of international law they claim to uphold, the powerful in Britain have abetted slaughter and famine in Gaza, just as they did in Ireland for centuries."[6]
UK-basedCampaign Against Antisemitism reported Kneecap to counter-terrorism police in April 2025.[75] Shortly after their Coachella appearance,UK counter-terrorism police opened an investigation into Kneecap following videos from November 2023, in which a member said "the only goodTory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP."[76] No charges were pressed.[77] In another video, one person from the band allegedly chanted "upHamas, upHezbollah".[6] Police also charged him for a video from a London concert in November 2024, showing Mo Chara waving aflag of Hezbollah, aLebanese ShiaIslamist political party andparamilitary, deemed a terrorist organization by the United Kingdom and banned there.[78][79] He denied the charges, saying the flag was thrown on the stage, and that he does not support Hezbollah.[80] The band tweeted an image of a member reading a book of statements by then-Hezbollah leaderHassan Nasrallah in February 2025.[81][82]
Under theTerrorism Act 2000, expressing support for those groups is an offence in the UK.[83] The UKPrime Minister's Office said people holding such views should be barred from government funding, andTaoiseachMicheál Martin urged the band to clarify their position, noting Hezbollah's killing of Irish peacekeeperSeán Rooney.[84] Kneecap responded that they "do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah", condemned all attacks on civilians, and alleged footage was "deliberately taken out of all context" as part of a "coordinated smear campaign" over their criticism of "the ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people". The group offered an apology to the families of murdered MPsJo Cox andDavid Amess.[85]DUP MPCarla Lockhart dismissed the apology as "forced" and stated "It very much screams of 'sorry because they were caught'".[86] British Conservative Party leaderKemi Badenoch called for Kneecap to be prosecuted.[87] Over 40 artists defended Kneecap's freedom of expression, withDamien Dempsey calling them "three young peaceful warrior poets".[88]Massive Attack criticised "politicians and right-wing journalists" for manufacturing outrage over a young punk band while ignoring "a genocide happening in real time".[89]
The band joined the "No Music For Genocide" boycott in September 2025 togeo-block their music from music streaming platforms in Israel in protest of the Gaza genocide.[90] The charges against Mo Chara were dismissed in the same month for missing the filing deadline, which the police are reviewing.[91]
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Emer McLysaght ofThe Irish Times wrote that Kneecap "present an intelligent approach to social commentary and republicanism, more satire than sectarian. They punch up, not down. When they're not singing about more universal social topics like drugs, addiction and mental health, they're taking shots at theRUC, thePSNI,Arlene Foster and the UK government. They approach issues from aclass perspective and, rather than demonisingUnionists and Protestants, they advocate for working-class liberation en masse".[92]
Miranda Sawyer noted that "Kneecap's humour is the key to their success. Their wit and eloquence shine through everything they do." and that "to most of their young fans Kneecap are simply a great band: funny, wild, a brilliant live act, a craic. As one YouTube commenter says: 'I do not understand a word they're saying, but I do understand that this is an absolute banger.'"[93] Commenting on their Glastonbury Festival appearance in 2025,Alexis Petridis stated that "behind the furore, the trio are really good at what they do. Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap are impressive rappers – raw-throated but dextrous, far funnier than you might expect if the only stuff you heard about Kneecap revolved around recent events. And live, their sound comes into its own, a fizzing stew with a bassy intensity that has a hint ofthe Prodigy about it".[94]
The band has also attracted criticism. JournalistMalachi O'Doherty said Kneecap "have worked diligently at presenting themselves as worthless layabouts. There's a dishonesty at the heart of that" and "Maybe what their success suggests is that hood culture and provie [Provisional IRA] culture are both now parodied rather than preserved with any integrity."[10]Brendan O'Neill ofSpiked concurred and has also questioned their authenticity: in a December 2024 article, he argued that Kneecap's radicalism is performative, with the band adopting republican imagery to entertain liberal, middle-class audiences. O'Neill stated "They're the cultural class larping aschavs, theRachel Dolezals of republican chic" and argued that Kneecap only offer a sanitised, bourgeois-friendly version of resistance that flatters rather than challenges establishment sensibilities.[95] Tom Jones of the conservative magazineThe Critic wrote that the group "provide[s] an attractive combination of an edgy appearance without genuine transgression."[96]
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRE [97] | SCO [97] | UK [97] | ||
| 3CAG | — | — | — | |
| Fine Art | 2 | 3 | 43 | |
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| Title | EP details |
|---|---|
| Fine Art (Remixes) |
|
| H.O.O.D 2025 |
|
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRL [99] | |||
| "C.E.A.R.T.A" | 2017 | 78 | 3CAG |
| "Amach Anocht" | 2018 | — | |
| "H.O.O.D" | 2019 | 14 | Non-album singles |
| "Gael-Gigolos" | — | ||
| "Fenian Cunts" | — | ||
| "Get Your Brits Out" | 51 | ||
| "Mam" (with Dyrt) | 2020 | — | |
| "Guilty Conscience" | 2021 | 28 | |
| "Thart agus Thart" | — | ||
| "It's Been Ages" | 2023 | — | |
| "Better Way to Live" (featuringGrian Chatten) | 61 | Fine Art | |
| "Sick in the Head" | 2024 | —[A] | |
| "Fine Art" | —[B] | ||
| "Love Making" (with Nino) | —[C] | ||
| "The Recap" (featuring Mozey) | 2025 | 30 | TBA |
| "Sayōnara" (featuringPaul Hartnoll) | 65 [103] | ||
| "No Comment" (featuringSub Focus) | — |
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| IRL Home [104][105] | |||
| "3CAG" (featuring Radie Peat) | 2024 | 8 | Fine Art |
| "I bhFiacha Linne" | 2025 | 10 |
