Hip hop trio Kneecap (and Hot Press magazine October cover-stars) have been announced as the special guests for Red Bull SoundClash, the unique live music competition taking place at Dublin’s RDS on October 21.

In the musical showdown, two crews go head-to-head, led by the iconic duo Mango X MathMan and emerging Irish artists Aby Coulibaly and Monjola. They will team up with a host of Irish musicians in a star-studded line-up, which will be revealed on the night. A decibel meter that judges the crowd reaction after each performance on the two stages, set up at either end of the Shelbourne Hall, is going to determine the overall champion.

Kneecap, the special guests for the night, have a unique reputation - being banned by RTÉ and kicked out of their own gig at University College Dublin (UCD). "Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, and DJ Próvaí have built up a notoriety for themselves that's unrivalled," according to the press release.

The trio was born in 2017 out of an Irish speaking Belfast pad, whose parties featured both techno and traditional Irish music that has turned into their signature bend of ramshackle rave and rudimentary hip-hop beats. "Merging the Irish language with English, satire with socially conscious lyrics, and reality with absurdity, theirs is a voice which comes screaming from the too-often deprived areas of the North of Ireland, speaking in a language which is too-often ignored," the press release reads.

Our first @hotpress cover is available to buy in shops now

You can read the interview
here

🖊 https://t.co/3Mvp6oQjXu pic.twitter.com/aUTCW8DkQ3

— KNEECAP (@KNEECAPCEOL) September 27, 2022

The electrifying rap group will be joined by MC for the night, Gemma Bradley. Red Bull SoundClash's "master of ceremonies" is a fine R&B artist in her own right and the host of BBC Music Introducing, BBC Radio's platform that supports unsigned, undiscovered, and under-the-radar music talent. The Draperstown-born singer-songwriter has also played We've Only Just Begun at Whelan's in Dublin in August 2022.

Who are the crews? Mango X MathMan are leaders in Ireland’s burgeoning hip-hop scene, having released their critically acclaimed debut album Casual Work in 2019 and The Quiet Life in 2022. The duo has recently delivered energetic festival performances, basement raves, and warehouse parties, as well as shows at Ireland’s National Concert Hall and at the Barbican Theatre in London. They are also known for their grime anthems, such as 'Badman', and one-night-only pirate radio broadcasts with No Surrender FM.

Nigerian born, Dublin-bred Alt-R&B artist Monjola explores themes of self-exploration and maturity in his music. Earlier this year, he released his powerful single 'Extrovert', which talks about feeling alone when you're around people, and follows 2021 tracks 'Smile', 'Where u at' and 'Pain Don't Die'. Also hailing from Dublin, Monjola’s team-mate on the night, Aby Coulibaly, mixes 90s R&B beats and buttery vocals with insightful lyricism. She takes inspiration from her Senegalese heritage and day-to-day Dublin life to create her critically acclaimed sound.

Red Bull SoundClash, which comes to Ireland for the first time in October, was inspired by the culture of competing sound systems that originated in Kingston, Jamaica during the 1950s. It was based on the idea that artists, MCs and DJs challenge each other to create the ultimate party. The traditional dancehall and reggae-focused musical battle evolved over the years and is now bigger than ever before.

Get tickets to Red Bull SoundClash on Friday, October 21, 2022, at Shelbourne Hall, RDS here.

Doors open at 7pm, show starts at 8pm. Over 18s only, ID required upon entry.

Tickets are €25 incl. Booking Fee.