Kneecap: The Irish Biopic That's Making Waves

By Al Newstead

Topic: Hip Hop

It’s not every day you find a raucous film centered around an anti-establishment rap group, laden with cheeky gags about drugs and bare bums sporting the phrase "Brits Out," snagging prestigious film festival awards. However, the film Kneecap—a self-proclaimed biopic featuring the real-life Northern Irish hip hop trio of the same name—has pulled off this unique feat.

What: A fictionalized biopic showcasing the Belfast music group Kneecap, known for their raucous rap themes around sex, drugs, and political issues.

Starring: Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, DJ Próvaí, and Michael Fassbender.

Directed by: Rich Peppiatt

When: Now playing in cinemas.

Likely to make you feel: Hedonistic. This captivating blend of the scripted rap origin story seen in 8 Mile and the stylish excess of Trainspotting, Kneecap clinched the Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival this January and has earned a spot on Ireland's official submission list for the 2025 Oscars.

Set against the complex social landscape of 2010s Belfast, the group rises from the working-class roots, creating music that resonates while clashing with police and conservative entities, all wrapped in a whirlwind of sex, drugs, and frank language. The three members—MCs Mo Chara and Móglaí Bap, along with DJ Próvaí—play exaggerated versions of themselves in their acting debuts.

The film's popularity skyrocketed with the rollout of the band’s second album, Fine Art, which rocketed into the top three of the Irish and Scottish charts back in June. Following this success, Kneec