Sources confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that Kneecap, the Irish hip-hop ensemble known for stirring controversy, has severed ties with their booking agency, Independent Artist Group (IAG). The precise reasons behind this split, which transpired between the initial and subsequent weekends of the Coachella music festival, remain shrouded in mystery.
Kneecap had courted significant disapproval from Jewish music executives and collectives after they vocalized a message advocating "fuck Israel, free Palestine" during their Coachella performance last weekend. Following their first-weekend set, the band asserted that Coachella had censored their pro-Palestine messages from the festival's official livestream. (While Kneecap's second-weekend performance was not live-streamed, images of their onstage projections swiftly went viral on social media platforms.)
A spokesperson for IAG, whose roster boasts luminaries like Billy Joel, Metallica, and Mary J. Blige, affirmed that the agency no longer represents Kneecap but declined to elaborate further. IAG emerged in 2023 from the merger of mid-sized agencies APA and AGI. Kneecap's management did not promptly respond to requests for comment. The group has a packed tour schedule ahead, including marquee festivals such as Primavera Sound in Spain and Glastonbury in England in June.
With Kneecap now seeking a new booking agency, the question arises: who will champion them, or will they encounter obstacles in finding representation? Groups like the Creative Community for Peace have lambasted Coachella organizers AEG and Goldenvoice for affording them a platform "amidst unprecedented levels of antisemitism." Critics have highlighted Kneecap's concert statements expressing support for Hamas and Hezbollah, both designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S.
In response to the criticism, Kneecap's Mo Chara addressed Rolling Stone on Wednesday, contending that their message focuses on "the Israeli government's reprehensible actions, not ordinary people." He asserted, "We feel an obligation to harness our platform whenever possible to raise awareness about Palestine. Speaking out at Coachella was crucial for us, considering the USA is the primary funder and arms supplier to Israel as they perpetrate genocide in Gaza."
