How Kneecap became most controversial band in the UK – podcast
They shot to fame with their provocative blend of rap and republicanism, but their on-stage pronouncements have sparked shock and led to a media storm. Rory Carroll reportsKneecap are no strangers to controversy. They rap about drugs – and are named for the notorious punishment meted out by the IRA at the height of the Troubles to drug dealers, while one of the trio wears a tricolour balaclava.But for their fans – especially those “ceasefire babies” who, like them, grew up in the aftermath of the Good Friday agreement – they are a breath of fresh air. They play with Republican imagery – often mocking it – but are staunch in their nationalism, explains the Guardian’s Ireland correspondent, Rory Carroll. A semi-fictionalised film about their origins won a Bafta. And they have won more praise and fans for their unusual and political choice to rap in Irish. Continue reading...
They shot to fame with their provocative blend of rap and republicanism, but their on-stage pronouncements have sparked shock and led to a media storm. Rory Carroll reports
Kneecap are no strangers to controversy. They rap about drugs – and are named for the notorious punishment meted out by the IRA at the height of the Troubles to drug dealers, while one of the trio wears a tricolour balaclava.
But for their fans – especially those “ceasefire babies” who, like them, grew up in the aftermath of the Good Friday agreement – they are a breath of fresh air. They play with Republican imagery – often mocking it – but are staunch in their nationalism, explains the Guardian’s Ireland correspondent, Rory Carroll. A semi-fictionalised film about their origins won a Bafta. And they have won more praise and fans for their unusual and political choice to rap in Irish. Continue reading...
