Kneecap, Coachella, and Speaking Truth - Why Protest Music Still Matters

Kneecap’s explosive Coachella performance wasn’t just a set — it was a protest.When the Belfast rap group called out genocide and colonial violence from one of music’s biggest stages, the backlash was immediate: investigations, media smears, and coordinated attempts to silence them.In this episode of The Last Mixed Tape, Stephen White breaks down why Kneecap’s protest matters, why real resistance still scares people, and how the music industry loves rebellion — but only when it’s safe and sanitised.Because protest music doesn’t live in nostalgia — it lives in the now.00:00 Intro00:25 James Baldwin 00:58 Kneecap’s Message02:04 The Backlash03:00 Kneecap’s Response04:38 The Festival Facade 05:05 Ireland and Palestine 05:50 Protest 14:25 Art, the communicator 15:45 The Count of Monte Playlisto’s New Irish Music23:39 Outro