Last month, Kneecap performed on Ireland’s Late Late Show and wore pro-Palestine watermelon patches despite show producers warning them the appearance would be cancelled if they did. (The television network RTÉ requires guests not to wear clothing expressing “one particular point of view.”) The band’s DJ Próvaí also wore a Palestinian football jersey while Moglaí Bap said they were “[using] our platform to highlight the genocide that’s happening in Palestine at the moment.” Last night, making their US TV debut, the Northern Irish rap trio brought “Sick In The Head” to The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, and beforehand shared a statement as to why they didn’t express the same message during this performance.

“If you’ve just started following us because of our appearance on The Tonight Show – welcome a chairde (friends). It was an honour to be welcomed onto the biggest show in America,” they wrote on social media. They continued:

Thanks to Jimmy for having us on and spending some time with us.

Tonight was a pre-record performance, which meant our ability to make a statement on current events was not possible. We will always use our voice to speak about the genocide being committed against the Palestinian people, sadly being facilitated by the U.S.

Use your voice to call for an immediate ceasefire and those responsible for war crimes to be brought to justice.

Free Palestine

This time DJ Próvaí, jamming in the back, donned a shirt repping Irish folk band Lankum along with his signature balaclava. Watch their performance on The Tonight Show below.

https://twitter.com/KNEECAPCEOL/status/1766331970764542146