Mo Chara, one member of the rap group Kneecap, hailed as one of the biggest and most innovative bands Ireland has produced in recent years spoke to Seán Rocks on Arena about their journey and how they're more about building bridges than being divisive.
Labhair Mo Chara faoi chúlra an ghrúpa, triúr a tháinig le chéile le ceol comhaimseartha a dhéanamh i nGaeilge toisc gur sin an teanga a d'úsáid siad le chéile agus iad amuigh ag ragairne le chéile istoíche.
Mo Chara explained using the Irish language in rap came naturally to him, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí as it is the language they have always spoken together. Being accused of using the language for political reasons doesn't hold much sway over the three who describe themselves as 'Good Friday babies' as Mo Chara says the language has been politicized since the penal laws, well before they decided to rap in Irish.
Speaking of how they have garnered such success using a language some would describe as a minority language, Mo Chara says many thought they were making things more difficult for themselves starting off but if a Korean group called BTS can sell out two nights in Wembley, why would Kneecap not use their language in their work? It is 'unique and interesting' to audiences to hear another language they may never have heard of being used in rap music, he says.
'We thought there was this Irish language subculture that wasn't being represented very well or not being represented at all'
All three members grew up in the post-Troubles society, Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap in West Belfast and DJ Próvaí in Derry and, a place which Mo Chara describes as 'a very serious place'. He admits the Troubles are still a very sensitive subject for people on both sides of the political spectrum but says Kneecap and Irish people in general hold an attitude of 'if you didn't laugh, you'd cry' about triggering topics.
Tá féith an ghrinn agus ach go háirithe an ghrinn dhuibh go láidir in saothar an ghrúpa agus iad ag magadh faoi pholaiteoirí agus faoin rocht ina bhfuil na sé chontae faoi láthair agus meon an Phoblachta orthu freisin. Deir Mo Chara go mbíonn siad cinnte gan aon duine a fhágáil ar lár agus iad ag magadh ina gcuid amhrán
'no one is out of bounds for slagging, especially people from the Republican community.'
Kneecap are releasing their debut album next year and are also featuring in a dark humoured biopic about their lives, featuring Michael Fassbender and Simone Kirby due for release next year also.
Cé go bhfuil rath as cuimse ar an ngrúpa a thosaigh amach le hamhrán faoi bheith ag dul amach le chéile ag ól, is léir go bhfuil fréamhacha an ghrúpa fós mar a bhí ag an tús, pobalbhunaithe agus ag iarraidh dúshlán a thabhairt maidir le féiniúlacht, ceol agus daoine.
'We are obviously unapologetically ourselves but we are working class people before anything else'
Éist le Arena ar RTÉ Radio One, Dé Luain- Dé hAoine ar a 7pm
