The old Irish saying about cats (Lit: “Heredity breaks out in the eyes of a cat”) tells us that basic nature will eventually come to the fore.
As we witness the British establishment’s response to the controversy created around Irish rap trio Kneecap’s outspoken Palestine solidarity, this appears patently borne out.
Hailing from Belfast and Derry, Kneecap is known for its provocative music and its pro-Irish republican and socially conscious content.
The band places a strong emphasis on their native Irish language, rapping in a mixture of Irish and English.
A recent fictionalized Irish-language biopic they made won a British Academy of Film and Television Award (BAFTA) and was shortlisted for two Academy Awards in early 2025, though nominated in neither.
In April, while performing at the annual Coachella music and arts festival in California, Kneecap took aim at the genocide in Gaza. At the end of their performance, the band flashed up three messages on the screen behind them.
“Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people,” read the first, followed by, “it is being enabled by the US government who arm and fund Israel despite their war crimes.”
The final message read “Fuck Israel. Free Palestine……more
