The group spoke out about political injustices during the 90s, long before the Belfast trio’s viral success. They tell Lauren Murphy about working with Sinéad O’Connor and Spike Jonze and getting banned from the airwaves
Oisin Lunny, MC Hollis, MC Phrase and DJ K-One in 1994. Photo: Scarlet Page
It may be a question in a pub quiz at some point in your future, so take note. Contrary to what you may believe, Kneecap were not the first Irish hip-hop group to use the phrase ‘Tiocfaidh ár lá’ in a song. When the Belfast trio were still in nappies, Marxman were flying the tricolour for politically engaged hip-hop.
“And we were banned for our troubles by the BBC, basically,” laughs Hollis Michael Byrne. He was of the two MCs in Marxman, the Anglo-Irish quartet who made waves in the early 90s with their socially conscious brand of rap.