If you don’t know them, Kneecap are a hip hop trio from West Belfast who are famous for rapping mostly in Irish and being very politically vocal. Their popularity has recently reached a crescendo, with a Glastonbury performance, a debut album, and even a film.
I’m a huge fan. I’m also from the same bit of Belfast. My Irish is limited to a few words and sentences, but I understand enough. I’ve been to multiple shows, seen the film twice, and managed to get into their album launch party at Molly Bloom’s in Dalston.
Exactly like a West Belfast pub.
Living in London, I know more mainland Brits than the average person in Ireland might. Most of those friends I know through music, and they know how much I’m into Kneecap. This has led to many late night conversations over Kneecap and the Irish language. I always use this as an opportunity to point out that I speak Hiberno-English. Or put another way, English words with Irish grammar.
Kneecap, and I, are both from a part of the world with a distinct cultural identity. One that, outside of the North of Ireland, is rarely shown in media. A history of music and language exist alongside solidarity with Palestine, a dark sense of humour about our turbulent past, and a healthy distrust of the British State and Royal Family.
Outside of BBC NI and UTV, stories from Irish Catholics weren’t heard. Let’s not forget that it wasn’t that long ago that our elected representative’s voices were literally not allowed on TV. What might’ve been deemed politically sensitive to some, is a way of life where I come from.
Being from the Catholic/Nationalist part of Belfast, any national identity that I have is steeped in centuries of colonisation, cultural supression, and mainland ignorance of our history.
Now though, Kneecap is telling our story to the world. I think that everyone should listen to the album, watch the film, and maybe learn cúpla focal.
Honourable mentions
- 🎮 Soaking up all of Elden Ring as I near the end. What an incredible game.
- 🎮 Balatro is very addictive. I might be developing a problem.
- 🎮 I played a bit more of Chants of Sennar on a recent flight. I don’t think it’s a perfect game, but it’s an interesting and fun take on the Metroidbrainia genre.
- 📺 Married at First Sight UK has started again and it seems like they’ve managed to find an even worse cohort of people.
- 📺 I heard about From via The Besties. It’s a Lost-like show with 3 seasons that was completely new to me. I’m getting very into it.
- 📺 Taskmaster Season 18 is great. It’s unfortunate that dickheads have made it all about Rosie Jones and how her disability makes it less enjoyable for them, but if anything, she’s using it to her advantage.
- 📖 Children of Ruin is absolutely mad. After reading Children of Time in a week on the cruise I couldn’t wait for the sequel. It’s just as wild and creepy. I love it so much.