CEARTA

Forty-one years ago, British soldiers decided it was a fine day to blast away at defenceless protesters in the Bogside area of Derry. Fourteen souls met their end that day, and another 15 got themselves a brutal taste of violence. The gruesome spectacle we now dub Bloody Sunday unfolded. Now, shift gears to the dawn of the new millennium—28 years later. Picture this: two punk-ass kids meeting at a Catholic school in Limerick, and bam! The Rubberbandits, a rap group, was born. Blindboy Boatclub (aka Dave Chambers) and Mr Chrome (aka Bob McGlynn) kicked off what some might say laid the groundwork for the vibrant Irish hip-hop scene we have today.

Fast forward to 2024, and three Belfast lads are reviving the seemingly dead Gaelige language. Kneecap, tattoo that name on your brain. These Belfast bad boys have been cooking up an Ulster fry in the north since 2017. Their debut single, 'CEARTA,' didn't just drop in Gaelige in 2018—it detonated like a linguistic Molotov cocktail, putting these renegades on the map. This ain't your run-of-the-mill introduction; it's a linguistic uprising, a middle finger to the cultural oppressors of Ireland. Kneecap didn't just make waves; they stirred up a raging storm, baptising the scene in Gaelige. Reviving a so-called dead language in 3 minutes and 41 seconds, it was reborn with a rebellious snarl, and 'CEARTA' was the anthem that declared, "We're here, and we're tearing up the rulebook." This is 21^st Century Gaelige; it's Kneecap's war cry, echoing through the halls of tradition, taking back their heritage from those who attempted to destroy it. Thanks to the Irish language radio RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta losing their marbles over "drug references and cursing," Kneecap got themselves a free ride on the publicity train. Outrage catapulted them into the limelight. Of course, these rebels weren't about to stop there. In February 2019, right after the oh-so-charming Prince William and his fancy wife Kate Middleton sipped their cocktails at a South Belfast joint called the Empire Music Hall, Kneecap hit the stage. The very next day, the trio led a crowd-pumping chant of 'Get the Brits out now,' and you can bet your ass the wider Belfast community, especially the stick-in-the-mud Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), wasn't thrilled. A pissed-off audience member leaked footage of the uproar, and with the DUP losing their minds, Kneecap found themselves plastered across more screens and speakers than ever before. This media maelstrom hit just months before their debut album '3 CAG' dropped. Talk about a perfect storm.

In November 2023, the boys unleashed their freshest single, 'Better Way To Live.' But hold on, it ain't your average shit. This track got approval from the Irish darlings of Post-Punk, Fontaines DC. Grian Chatten, the unique voice of the Dublin rockers, brought his poignant vocals to the hook, and as if that wasn't enough, Tom Coll, Fontaines' drumming maestro, pounded out some infectious rhythms. And just when you thought they'd maxed out on the cool factor, Toddla T stepped in to produce this bad boy. The former Radio 1 DJ ain't playing around; he's dropped beats with UK rap royalty like Stormzy, AJ Tracey, and Headie One. 'Better Way To Live' isn't just a track; it's a union of Irish punk spirit and UK swagger. Buckle up because this is just the beginning.

Kneecap are starting an Irish revolution.

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