KNEECAP

Belfast trio Kneecap make rowdy, satirical hip-hop in support of Irish republicanism, or independence from British rule. Rapping in both English and Irish, they largely focus their lyrics on political protest as well as everyday living conditions in Northern Ireland. They began courting controversy when their debut single was banned from Irish radio, and they released their first album, 3CAG, in 2018. Kneecap continued issuing singles, including 2019's notorious "Get Your Brits Out," before joining producer Toddla T for their second album, 2024's Fine Art, a conceptual release incorporating rave, post-punk, and folk influences. The band is the subject of a feature length comedy-drama, also titled Kneecap. After the film and its soundtrack were released, the group updated one of their early singles as "H.O.O.D 2025," and issued the Sub Focus collaboration "No Comment."Kneecap consists of rappers Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap, as well as beatmaker DJ Próvaí. They formed in 2017, and their first single, "C.E.A.R.T.A." (R.I.G.H.T.S.), was inspired by an incident in which Móglaí and a friend were out spray-painting the day before a march for the Irish Language Act. When police came, Móglaí escaped, but his friend was arrested, and he refused to speak English. While Irish radio network RTÉ initially playlisted the song, it was removed from the airwaves due to drug references and cursing. This resulted in a petition from fans defending the track as satire and observation, and demanding that RTÉ put the song back on the air. The group's first full-length, 3CAG ("three consonants and a vowel," slang for the drug MDMA), arrived in 2018. Several singles appeared in 2019, including "H.O.O.D" and the live highlight "Get Your Brits Out," which was condemned by the South Belfast Democratic Unionist Party. In 2020, Kneecap issued "MAM," which was dedicated to Móglaí's mother, who had died by suicide before the song was released; the track's proceeds were donated to the Samaritans. "Guilty Conscience" and the U.K. drill-influenced "Thart Agus Thart" both appeared in 2021, and "It's Been Ages" was released in 2023. Kneecap hit the studio with producer Toddla T, and "Better Way to Live," featuring Grian Chatten of Fontaines D.C., was issued as the first single from Kneecap's second album. In early 2024, Kneecap, a fictionalized film about the group's rise, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won the NEXT Audience Award. Their second full-length, Fine Art, envisioned as a night out at an imaginary pub called the Rutz, was released by Heavenly in June, featuring guest appearances from Lankum's Radie Peat and former BBC Radio 1 DJ Annie Mac. The Kneecap soundtrack was then released, featuring songs by the band as well as Fontaines D.C., Bicep, and Orbital, in addition to film dialogue and incidental music. The following year, the group issued "H.O.O.D 2025," an update of their drum'n'bass-influenced 2019 single, with additional remixes by Sam Interface and Working Men's Club. Soon after, they released "THE RECAP" with Mozey and "Sayōnara" with Orbital's Paul Hartnoll. The group concluded the year with "No Comment," a collaboration with Sub Focus, featuring cover art by Banksy.
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