Irish rap rebels Kneecap just got dealt a heavy blow — their US visa sponsor dropped them like a bad habit after their headline-grabbing Coachella performance that pulled zero punches in showing solidarity with Palestine.
During their set at the Sonora Stage, screens flashed slogans like “F*** Israel, Free Palestine” and “Israel is committing genocide against the Palestinian people.” Unsurprisingly, the backlash came in hot and heavy. Big names like Sharon Osborne jumped on social media, calling for Kneecap to get the boot from America, accusing them of “promoting terrorist organisations and spreading hate.”
The U.S. State Department, keeping things cagey, said it wouldn’t comment on individual cases but made it crystal clear that visa holders stirring the pot could very much find themselves persona non grata.
Their agency, Independent Artist Group (IAG), swiftly distanced itself, cutting ties with the trio, leaving Kneecap scrambling for a new sponsor ahead of their mostly sold-out US tour planned for October. No official cancellations (yet), but it’s a ticking time bomb situation.
Adding more fuel to the fire, Germany’s Hurricane and Southside Festivals yanked Kneecap from their line-ups — with critics pointing fingers, claiming their stage presence “glorified terrorist organisations.” Yikes.
As if things couldn’t get messier, UK counter-terror police are now poking around old footage of the band. Clips allegedly show Kneecap shouting, “up Hamas, up Hezbollah” and another gem encouraging fans to "Kill your local MP." Not exactly the kind of energy that earns you welcome mats rolled out at customs.
But Kneecap isn’t backing down. They dropped a fiery statement on Instagram blasting the "false claims of antisemitism" and framed the backlash as part of a "coordinated smear campaign" to silence voices speaking out against what they call “genocide.” The trio insists their beef isn't with religion but with governments enabling atrocities.
Their stance? Loud, proud, and unapologetic: “We will not stay silent.”
And honestly, whether you love them or loathe them, you have to respect the sheer audacity. The cultural and political aftershocks of that Coachella set are going to reverberate for a while.