Currently riding high on the crest of a tsunami that has been created in equal measure by friend and foe alike, they perform on stage and on screen with a raw energy that makes those of us who remember the advent of rap music, nostalgic.
The emergence of three young gaelgoirs as superstars is a further glorious testament to those who battled the establishment for years to defend the right of Irish children to benefit from being educated through the medium of Irish.
Kneecap, through their art, trash the establishment and excoriate everyone and everything that they see as anathema to their world view. They chant on stage and off, about human rights, drugs, Palestine, the cops and a plethora of other social issues that reflect the thinking of a generation that shares their value base.
On their journey to the summit, they have seduced some very strange bedfellows as supporters, with almost every nationalist party in Ireland, viewing them as three “lads” having a bit of craic and secretly hoping that they “ride it until the wheels fall off”. The Shinners, particularly the beard, surprisingly, are fervently trying to ally themselves with three young men, who sing of doing drugs, being hoods and attacking the peelers.
Their spectacular successes owes much to the publicity, their utterances have induced from the DUP, the TUV and their online sock puppets. “Na buachailli” have played a blinder from the outset, cultivating a PR strategy that saw them flourish from a niche group that could not fill a 100-seater room to headlining Electric Picnic and cramming Belfast’s biggest indoor venue a few weeks ago. Their PR manager will never be short of work.
I saw the group live in Electric Picnic a few years ago. I went to their gig on one of the smaller stages. Not being a great lover of their genre of rap, my attendance was more of a curiosity, in the same vein as smelling your finger after scratching your hole. I was not disappointed at being disappointed and have felt since then, that without the publicity generated for them by the DUP/TUV, that their balloon would have long since burst.
The emergence of three young gaelgoirs as superstars is a further glorious testament to those who battled the establishment for years to defend the right of Irish children to benefit from being educated through the medium of Irish.
Kneecap, through their art, trash the establishment and excoriate everyone and everything that they see as anathema to their world view. They chant on stage and off, about human rights, drugs, Palestine, the cops and a plethora of other social issues that reflect the thinking of a generation that shares their value base.
On their journey to the summit, they have seduced some very strange bedfellows as supporters, with almost every nationalist party in Ireland, viewing them as three “lads” having a bit of craic and secretly hoping that they “ride it until the wheels fall off”. The Shinners, particularly the beard, surprisingly, are fervently trying to ally themselves with three young men, who sing of doing drugs, being hoods and attacking the peelers.
Their spectacular successes owes much to the publicity, their utterances have induced from the DUP, the TUV and their online sock puppets. “Na buachailli” have played a blinder from the outset, cultivating a PR strategy that saw them flourish from a niche group that could not fill a 100-seater room to headlining Electric Picnic and cramming Belfast’s biggest indoor venue a few weeks ago. Their PR manager will never be short of work.
I saw the group live in Electric Picnic a few years ago. I went to their gig on one of the smaller stages. Not being a great lover of their genre of rap, my attendance was more of a curiosity, in the same vein as smelling your finger after scratching your hole. I was not disappointed at being disappointed and have felt since then, that without the publicity generated for them by the DUP/TUV, that their balloon would have long since burst.
Their contribution to the Irish art, political discourse and civic society generally are apt and timely. Their legacy may rightly be the debate that Kneecap generated, that will abound long after their inevitable demise. Do these young men depicting art imitating life or life imitating art make a worthy thesis for any aspiring PhD student?
⏩Muiris Ó Súilleabháin was a member of the Republican Movement until he retired in 2006 after 20 years of service. Fiche bhliain ag fás.
As I have never liked Rap, the attraction would not be as strong for me. Watched the film - my son and daughter liked it but maybe I'm too old for it!! Some good laughs and piss takes but like yourself I am puzzled about the impact the band has made. Loved it when they stood up against Gazacide. Funny to see Establishment SF so fond of them when they are very anti-establishment.
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed the film. Trainspotting meets Stiff Little Fingers in their imicable style. Happy New Year, Anthony and to all Quillers.
DeleteRap as a genre cuts across a huge spectrum of artists and music. Its anti-establishment ethos resonates, but music is to be enjoyed and this where Kneecap fail in my subjective opinion. I kind of empathise with their personas and some of their messaging but to paraphrase Shankly, if they were playing in my back garden I would pull the curtains.
ReplyDeleteEach to their own though. I'm curious enough to watch the film but these days it'll be more about me seeing a bit of Belfast than anything else.
DeleteNot being a great lover of their genre of rap, my attendance was more of a curiosity, in the same vein as smelling your finger after scratching your hole.
ReplyDeleteIf there is an award for the best line on TPQ in 2024....Then the line above has to be a contender..
Seconded - it was a very funny line
DeleteI cant find the original quote, but I have paraphrased a line in an infamous review of Goodfellows Restaurant in West Belfast - I have never had the misfortune to eat there
ReplyDeleteI always liked Goodfellas - thought the grub great and the staff really on top of their game
DeleteNew to TPQ - Happy New Year to you all!
ReplyDeleteDo these young men depicting art imitating life or life imitating art make a worthy thesis for any aspiring PhD student? -
I think so. There is already an emerging academic discussion around them. Setting subjective taste aside, their cultural impact among younger generations in promoting republicanism and the Irish language is unparalleled in recent times. The potential tensions between certain aspects of hip hop, as a global genre, and their left-wing, republican ideology would make for interesting reading.
Rap as a genre cuts across a huge spectrum of artists and music. Its anti-establishment ethos resonates, but music is to be enjoyed and this where Kneecap fail in my subjective opinion. -
Each to their own, for sure. But the point you raise about their anti-establishment ethos resonating is an interesting one and points toward why I think KC warrant attention. While rap has historically resisted the establishment, how individual artists articulate this resistance varies greatly, sometimes being right-wing, nationalistic, or aligning with local political aims. KC's music doesn't critique the entirety of the consociational system of government that SF is part of; just the DUP and anyone they regard as an impediment to a United Ireland and the Irish language... Yet, they have no qualms about critiquing 'dissies' in their songs. This is why SF are so happy to gloss over the misogyny, muscular nationalism, and recreational drug use, as you point out in the blog post. Because how KC understand cultural resistance is broadly in line with establishment republicanism; and KC offer the Shinners a vehicle of cultural legitimation amongst a demographic that they are already popular with, and are reliant on for electoral success. The scene in the movie where DJ Provai hallucinates the bearded one's face after sniffing ketamine is the perfect encapsulation of this.
Personally, I like KC's music, and I think the lads are a breath of fresh air. They're authentic and, in my humble opinion, very talented. Definitely not everyone's cuppa tae, but sher then again, "Fine Art" rarely is!
That's a very well laid out perspective.
ReplyDeleteGood afternoon Stephen and thank you for your comment, I think we agree on most things, KC are authentic and talented and their legacy will be debated for years to come. I am not so sure that they have not criticised establishment SF. Their views on Palestine, would not sit well the "statesman" like approach adopted by the Shinners but given their (KCs) PR nous, I doubt they would want to alienate themselves from "establishment republicanism". Still would switch the wireless over if they came on...but maybe that's a generational thing. Mackers, I appreciate your views on many things, but after your 18 years of dining in Long Kesh, I am not sure you are cut out to be a food critic... :-)
ReplyDeleteThe H Blocks served up the best pastie in the world - we called them landmines and they were the favourite supper of the banket protest!
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