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H.O.O.D (2025 Mix) | KNEECAP www.youtube.com/watch?v=sM1o... #HOOD #KNEECAP #FreePalestine

H.O.O.D (2025 Mix)

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Reader’s Choice/Tom Top Tunes…Song #74/250: H.O.O.D. by Kneecap

I wouldn’t be much of a music blogger if I didn’t stop to offer a few words on a band that finds itself at the centre of the world’s musical and political attention the way Kneecap presently does. It is difficult to point to any current band or artist that is viewed in more polarizing terms than this relatively new Irish Hip Hop band out of Dublin. Fans of the band point to their political activism on stage and in print as being a heady tonic against what ails the world in terms of authoritarianism, censorship and cultural genocide. As faithful readers of this blog can attest, I have always maintained that in times of darkness, it is always the artists, the poets, the playwrights, the musicians of our world whose art will light the way forward. For fans of the band, Kneecap are seen to be leading the charge and lighting the way with clarity of purpose and, as such, their supporters are ardent that Kneecap are a band that matters greatly. Opponents and critics of the band not only claim that their song lyrics are vulgar and their musicianship is questionable but, far more importantly, that the band promotes hatred and terrorism and, as such, should be censored and even jailed. As I type these words, the band has been charged under the Terrorism Act in England for waving the flag of the officially sanctioned terrorist Palestinian group named Hezbollah. Kneecap’s long support of Palestinians in Gaza and their loud charges of genocide levelled against the government of Israel and those other nations and organizations around the world who support that country with financial aid and military hardware and munitions have earned the band swift and highly vociferous condemnation from pro-Israeli supporters. The debate swirling around a band that many people have never even heard of until recently has taken on epic proportions. It is essentially coming down to the right of artists to speak out in opposition to power versus state-sanctioned censorship of the Arts. I would like to say that this is a debate that is unique to the times in which we find ourselves but, sadly, this dispute is just the latest in a long line of instances where the ideals of an artist has clashed publicly with the politics of those in charge of local/national and international governments. How it all turns out this time remains to be seen. For now, let’s take a closer look at who Kneecap actually is as a band. This necessitates that we start with the seemingly benign topic of language. 

In the research conducted for this post, I confirmed for myself the idea that the English language is the most spoken language in the world. Mandarin Chinese is spoken by more people as their first language but that language is mainly regionalized to China, itself, and the countries immediately surrounding it in Asia. English, on the other hand, is spoken everywhere throughout the world. It is the second-most spoken language by those who speak it as their first language. That would include people like me. This blog is written entirely in English. If you are a faithful reader of my words then, chances are, you understand the world via English as well. The key part of my research for me was that, while Mandarin Chinese is the most spoken first language in the world, very few people speak it as a second language outside of Asia. English, on the other hand, is the second language of over one billion others from all four corners of the planet. The use of English in the world of business, of travel, of entertainment is well documented and very pervasive. But have you ever stopped to think about why this is? Why is English found all over the world and yet a popular language such as Mandarin Chinese is not? Chances are great that you have never really given those questions much thought at all. The use of English around the world seems like it is just the way the world works. It has always been this way and probably always will. But how did the use of English become the de facto language of the world? The answer can be found in the annals of history which is where we find the wellspring of inspiration for a band called Kneecap, too.

The Indigenous Peoples of the land that we now call Canada did not speak English prior to first contact with European explorers. They communicated in a myriad of languages and dialects that they had established among themselves. These languages and dialects had served them all well for thousands of years. And then came the Europeans. Canada was established after many years of an intense rivalry between England and France over who would get to claim the land that makes up the modern day country of Canada. In the end, England got to claim the land and the resources found within. Canada exists today as a country that is officially bilingual, with French and English both being regarded as official languages. Ironically enough, none of the original languages spoken by the Indigenous Peoples of this land have been granted the same official consideration. In fact, one of the most contentious aspects of Canada’s history is how the Indigenous populations that had established themselves throughout the land were treated by their European colonizers. Whole books have been written about policies such as the establishment of the residential school system by the Canadian government led by Sir John A. MacDonald. The aim of those policies was to eradicate the language, customs and history of the Indigenous Peoples and force them to assimilate into the newly established Canadian lifestyle. The effects of this form of cultural genocide have been devastating. It is only recently that Canadians have begun to wrestle with the consequences of nation building that served to create a nation that is respected around the world by others, while doing so at the expense of the original inhabitants of this land. How many of you reading these words from Canada understand how to speak any form of Indigenous language fluently? I can’t do so. I suspect I would not be alone in that regard. And yet, we Canadians happily speak in English each and every day. Our worldview is understood through the lens of the English language words we know and use. Imagine how difficult it must be to speak the language of the oppressor when it comes to First Nations Peoples. Yet that is what our Indigenous Peoples are forced to do if they want to participate in the regular stream of life in this country. Each utterance in English is a reminder of the culture that has been lost or, at least, greatly diminished. In my mind, it has to be a tough pill to swallow.

There was a time in the not too distant annals of history where the phrase “The sun never sets on the British empire” rang true. England had extended its sphere of influence to countries around the world and had exerted their cultural, military, economic and political influence in such a forceful, pervasive manner that the language of the colonizers became the official languages of those colonized. Before the English came, the Aboriginal Peoples of Australia existed on the land and spoke their own languages and had their own customs and systems of governance. Now, those Aussies with their cute accents speak English. The Maori Peoples of New Zealand existed on their land long before the English arrived on their shores. Now English is the language of the Kiwis. Where the English arrived centuries ago, they left their stamp in the form of a language known as English. This fact is true in country after country after country that they colonized. One of those other countries that felt the impact of the English was Ireland. In a pattern that was successfully implemented all over the world, the English government imposed their will upon the original inhabitants of Ireland. As part of the process of anglicization, traditional customs and practices of the Irish were disallowed and, most importantly, their language was discouraged and, at times, forbidden to be used. Just like the Indigenous Peoples of Canada, the Irish were forced to adopt the language of their colonizers. Needless to say, you don’t have to be a student of history to have, at least, a passing familiarity with the long fight by the Irish against the English. The presence of the English on Irish soil has been an irritant for many generations. This anger has manifested itself in the form of numerous uprisings, armed revolts, military-style bombing campaigns and formal hunger strikes. Political activism and cultural warfare has been a way of life in Ireland for as long as almost anyone can remember. It is hard to engage in any act, including the act of daily living, without it being somehow political. Thus the seeds of Kneecap’s birth were planted long before the band was out of their diapers. It was a lifestyle in which the Irish are constantly reminded that they are not ever fully in control of their own fate. It is a lifestyle that some grow up opposing as a matter of principle. This is where the story of a band called Kneecap begins.

Kneecap is an Irish Hip Hop trio. Before even uttering a single note, the mere choice of their band name was a political act. The term kneecapping is a term that describes shooting an opponent with a gun in their kneecap. This form of assault serves to physically cripple the victim. The band chose this term for their name not because they were advocating violence but, instead, because of how the policy of kneecapping came to exist in Irish culture. The most popular wave of kneecapping was said to have been when the Irish Republican Army was at the height of its powers during a time known as The Troubles.  The I.R.A. was opposed to the presence of English soldiers on Irish soil. This group formed paramilitary-style units that engaged in armed resistance against the British. They also served as a local police force of sorts. The practice of kneecapping was aimed at local drug dealers mainly. The message to drug dealers was clear but, more than that, the message the I.R.A. intended to send was that they, the Irish, should be the ones to police Ireland. Irish people taking care of cleaning up Ireland’s problems was their mantra. Thus, when the band Kneecap chose that term for their name, they were advocating for a form of self-government in which it is the Irish, themselves, who determine their own way forward in life. Language matters. Words matter. For Kneecap, their band name has great meaning for themselves and for Ireland.

Part of that self-determination for Kneecap started with reclaiming their native Irish language. As such, all three band members have adopted stage names (Mo Chara, Moglai Bap and DJ Provai) that are translated from old Irish. As well, many of their song lyrics are sung completely and unapologetically in old Irish as well. If language is the foundation of national image then Kneecap has staked a claim to that language and is seeking to reshape the image of the Irish People in the eyes of the world. When I first began hearing about Kneecap a year or so ago, I was unaware that “Irish” was even a language. I first assumed that the band was referring to Gaelic, which I had heard about and which I grew up surrounded by on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. The fact that I had never heard of Irish as a language in its own right goes to prove how completely pervasive the colonization process of the English has been. At present, according to the latest figures, upwards of 74,000 people speak Irish as their first language in Ireland. These people tend to be found in isolated pockets, here and there, across the country but, for now, at least the native language of Ireland still exists and, as such, there is room for growth as Kneecap hopes to help Ireland reclaim its own language for all to use.

LIke I said, the band puts its money where its mouth is because they sing their songs using their native Irish language. The fact that they can do this and still be a headlining act around the world speaks highly of their penchant for showmanship and for songwriting. Kneecap have only been in existence for a few years. But right out of the gate, they announced their intention to be a political band. Their first single was a song called “C.E.A.R.T.A.”, which is old Irish for the word rights.  The story is that just prior to the release of the debut single, one of the band members named Moglai Bap and a friend spray painted the word C.E.A.R.T.A. on a wall. The police soon found out. A chase ensued in which Moglai Bap’s friend was arrested, while he escaped into the night. Apparently the captured friend would only speak to the police in old Irish, which the officers could not understand. The friend was released the next day. That act of defiance has since become a foundational plank in the philosophical core of who Kneecap purports to be as people and as musicians. Needless to say, the band’s message to their fellow citizens of reclaiming their past and becoming authentic Irish citizens, free to chart their own course, has caught on within Ireland. It has also caught the attention of the politicians and media in England. Kneecap are not the first pro-Ireland band to exist. They are also not the first Irish band to sing anti-English songs. What has brought them to the centre of an international storm is how they have used their platform as rising music stars to advocate for Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

Kneecap are a loud Hip Hop trio. The band sings songs about drug use, drinking and other things that they feel are common aspects of life in the working class areas of various Irish towns and cities from which they are from. Not everyone will be drawn to their songs simply because of the profanity contained within. To not follow a band that sings of the darker aspects of life is the right of anyone who listens to music as a personal choice. However, the band’s reputation for brutally honest depictions of life for many Irish citizens is also something that they come by honestly. They are proudly Irish and are willing to satirize the circumstances they and their fellow Irish citizens often find themselves in. This willingness to go where few other bands go in terms of political and societal commentary has earned them labels such as vulgar and tasteless but also, bold and fearless. It has given them a sense of notoriety that not many newer bands are lucky enough to have. Thus, when they were recently booked to perform at the high profile Coachella Music Festival in California, it was a booking made in full acknowledgment of who the band was and what messages contained within their songs were all about. It was at this Coachella performance that Kneecap evolved from being a young up-and-coming Irish band who was known for tweaking the noses of the British establishment to a band at the centre of an international uproar. 

During their set, the band flashed a message that was displayed on large screens positioned at the back of the stage. To paraphrase, the message accused the government of Israel of conducting a policy of genocide against the Palestinian civilans trapped in Gaza. It further accused the U.S. government of helping to fund this Israeli campaign and, by association, being complicit in genocide. The message ended with the phrase “Free Palestine!”, which the band encouraged the audience to chant along with them. As you may be aware, in the past year there has been a political movement in youth circles to organize public opinion campaigns on university campuses across America and the world. Many of these university protests have been aimed at supporting Palestinian refugees while, at the same time, targeting those organizations that help to fund the Israeli government. Needless to say, the pro-Israeli response has been swift and forceful by supporters who are well-organized, well-financed and well-connected with powerful people. The various student-led sit-ins have been cleared out at most, if not all university campuses, by soldiers and/or local police. The official response from various levels of government has been to unequivocally support the government of Israel. It was into this environment that Kneecap chose to make its stand at Coachella.

Not long after they roused the global wrath of pro-Israeli supporters on line and in government circles, Mo Chara, one of the members of Kneecap, upped the ante by waving a flag on stage of a Palestinian organization known as Hezbollah. The problem with this is that the British government had previously declared Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and deemed any public support of terrorist organizations to be illegal. Thus, after Mo Chara waved the Hezbollah flag, he was charged under the Terrorism Act with supporting a terrorist group. He is to appear in court in the weeks to come. In the meantime, Kneecap has issued a counter statement that challenges the definition of what constitutes a terrorist act. They claim that waving a piece of cloth on a stage hardly equates with the government-sanctioned killing of thousands of innocent civilians in Gaza. Kneecap further claimed that this lawsuit is merely a distraction from the actual crimes being committed and that the government is trying to censor and restrict the band’s right to speak out on matters that they deem to be important.

And here we stand.

Your views on the Kneecap situation will, no doubt, be coloured by many factors. How do you view your own colonial-inspired history? Do artists have the right to speak out beyond the constraints of the music business about issues affecting the larger world? Do elected governments have the right to determine what are politically acceptable forms of dissent? Is censorship in the face of vulgarity and profanity acceptable? Is the band Kneecap actually any good, musically speaking, or are they actually political operatives who disguise their intentions through music? These are just a few questions of importance I can think of off of the top of my head. Perhaps you have your own set.

The situation with regard to the effects of colonialism on Indigenous cultures is becoming well-documented. Much damage has been done. The negative consequences of expansionism on those under its bootheels is deep and long lasting. But history is a funny thing. I grew up being taught in school that people like Sir John A. MacDonald were great men because they helped my country of Canada to come into being. No mention was ever made to me as a young boy about the impact of expanding train travel from east to west on the Indigenous Peoples of the land. The moment when that last spike was ceremoniously driven into the soil was always viewed as a source of pride. History tends to be authored by the victors and many of the words used in their scripts are written in English. Funny how that happens. 

Regardless of your views on the subject of colonialism, Gaza or whatever international conflict occipes your attention, know that I am first and foremost a proponent of peace and love. I am as bothered about what is going on in Gaza as I ever was about the Holocaust in WWII. One of the most impactful books I have ever read in my life was one called Shake Hands With the Devil written by Canadian General Romeo Dallaire about his experience in Rwanda as head of the United Nations mission there when genocide overwhelmed that country. My heart aches as well for those who suffered in the killing fields of Cambodia under the regime of Pol Pot. I am currently watching with trepidation how things are unfolding in the Ukraine. Warfare conducted by soldiers on the field of battle is one thing but campaigns focussed on killing innocent civilians and destroying local infrastructure is another thing entirely in my mind. I am not anti-semetic because I feel for the children in Gaza and how their lives must be. I am proudly anti-genocide. I am proudly pro-peace. If I could wave a magic wand and be granted one wish, it would be for everyone to simply get along with each other and for hatred to morph into love and friendship. I believe everyone has the right to exist in peace and security and safety. Everyone.

As for Kneecap, they have done a lot when it comes to having people rally around their cause. Today’s song is called “H.O.O.D” and it was written as a community building exercise. One of Kneecap’s philosophical planks is that colonizers or oppressors often employ the standard military and political tactic of dividing and conquering opponents. In Ireland, Kneecap believes that England actually enjoys the divisions created within Ireland between Catholics and Protestants, between Unionists and Republicans. Kneecap is seeking for all citizens of Ireland, regardless of which street you live on in which part of town, to come together over a common love of music. Thus, when they sing a song like “H.O.O.D.”  they sing about common issues and experiences that all Irish citizens face, regardless of religious affiliation or political stripe. By uniting their fellow Irish citizens against who they perceive to be the real foe (England) instead of against each other, Kneecap is shining a light on what they claim is the real way forward. I will publish a lyrics-version of this song in the links below but be forewarned that most of the lyrics in this song are not in English. You will probably be better served by watching the live concert video. It clearly shows how popular this band is with their fans. It also shows the band (and Ireland’s) affinity for the Palestinian cause in Gaza…an affection borne from the similarity of their shared circumstances from battling seemingly bigger, stronger and powerful adversaries. 

Regardless of your views about Kneecap, know that we are standing, once again, at a critical moment in time in our world. Listen to the song “H.O.O.D” and draw your own conclusions as to whether Kneecap is a band to be reckoned with in the future or if this is a lot of hooey that will amount to nothing with Kneecap soon returning to being a band concerned mostly with chart positions and record sales. How the story of it all ends up being written will tell the tale, in and of itself. Who will record the history of this moment? What language will it even be written in? Do most people even care about such things as colonialism and language and the opinions of artists? I guess we are about to find out.

The link to the video for the song “H.O.O.D.” by Kneecap can be found here.  ***The lyrics version is here.

The link to the official website for Kneecap can be found here.

The link to the official website for Amnesty International (an agency that monitors the rights of people in conflict zones) can be found here. The link to the official website for Doctors Without Borders ( a medical relief organization that services victims of war and famine) can be found here.  In both cases, they can provide a more impartial assessment of what is happening in conflict zones around the world (including Gaza and the Ukraine). Sometimes it is good to hear from other sources than simply the usual mainstream media sources. Just saying.

***As always, all original content contained within this post remains the sole property of the author. No portion of this post shall be reblogged, copied or shared in any manner without the express written consent of the author. ©2025 http://www.tommacinneswriter.com 

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