Belfast rap group Kneecap has won a discrimination case against the UK government after Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch initially blocked their arts grant. The group was originally awarded £14,250 to support UK-registered artists in global markets, but the funding was withdrawn by Badenoch’s Department for Business and Trade.
The government has now decided to stop contesting the case, with a spokesperson stating it is “not in the public interest” and prioritizing cost reduction for taxpayers. Badenoch criticized this decision, calling it “cowardly” and suggesting that Labour will “always capitulate rather than defend UK interests.”
Kneecap, an Irish-speaking rap trio from west Belfast, was initially denied the grant because, according to Badenoch’s spokesperson, they did not want to provide taxpayer money to “people that oppose the United Kingdom itself.” The band’s music and marketing heavily feature themes of Irish republicanism and opposition to British rule in Northern Ireland.
The group has a history of controversial and provocative content. Their 2019 tour, “Farewell to the Union,” reportedly angered the Conservative government, and one of their well-known tracks, “Get Your Brits Out,” is a satirical rap about a night out with prominent Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) members.
Band member DJ Próvaí emphasized that their legal action was never about the money, but about “equality” and defending artistic expression. He described the grant withdrawal as “an attack on artistic culture, an attack on the Good Friday Agreement itself.”
In a notable gesture, Kneecap has decided to split the £14,250 award equally between two youth organizations working with Protestant and Catholic communities in Northern Ireland. The chosen charities are Glór Na Móna in Ballymurphy and RCity Belfast on the Shankill Road.
The band, formed in 2017 by Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí, has gained significant attention, even inspiring a semi-fictionalised film starring Michael Fassbender. The film received critical acclaim and won an audience award at the Sundance Film Festival.
Despite their popularity, Kneecap has faced criticism for their politically charged lyrics, which often include expletives and drug references, as well as their use of Troubles-related imagery.
Badenoch’s spokesperson maintained that the case was not about the band’s political views, but about preventing taxpayer money from supporting those who “neither need nor deserve it.”
The successful legal challenge highlights ongoing tensions surrounding artistic expression, cultural identity, and political representation in Northern Ireland, while demonstrating the group’s commitment to challenging perceived institutional discrimination.
