Belfast hip-hop trio Kneecap has canceled several shows they were due to perform at the SXSW festival to support their wild comedy biopic “Kneecap” in “in solidarity with the people of Gaza.”
In a statement posted on its social media channels, the group — who go by the stage names of Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí and star as themselves in the film — said that the decision was made due to “highlight the unacceptable deep links the festival has to weapons companies and the US military who at this very moment are enabling a genocide and famine against a trapped population.”
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The US army is a “super sponsor” of this year’s SXSW, which is also hosting companies such as Collins Aerospace, a subsidiary of defence manufacture RTX (formerly Raytheon). Variety parent company Penske Media’s P-MRC Holdings in 2021 acquired a major stake in SXSW.
Kneecap said that the decision to cancel their festival appearances would have a “significant financial impact” on the band, but added that “it isn’t an iota of hardship when compared with the unimaginable suffering being inflicted every minute of every day on the people of Gaza.”
Variety has reached out to SXSW for comment.
“Kneecap,” directed by Rich Peppiatt and co-starring Michael Fassbender, was one of the breakouts from Sundance in January, where Sony Pictures Classics acquired the film in one of the first deals of the festival. The rap trio have since been touring America and over the weekend made their U.S. TV debut performing on “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon.
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