THE loyalist activist Jamie Bryson has accused the BBC of “propaganda for a rebel band” ahead of west Belfast hip-hop group Kneecap’s performance at Féile an Phobail.
He made the comments after the group - consisting of members Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap and DJ Próvaí – were interviewed by the BBC.
“BBC doing propaganda for a rebel band which celebrates kneecapping and other IRA activity,” Mr Bryson said.
Referring to Féile an Phobail, he added that the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland (the independent body that regulates charities) had “given this terrorfest the green light”.
Also referring to Saturday's headliners, The Wolfe Tones, who cause a regular outcry by singing pro-IRA songs, he added: "It is incontestably the case that the West Belfast festival hosts a range of positive events for those of a nationalist background.
"But all of that is tarnished by the final days when we have the Kneecap hate-fest tonight followed by the IRA terror-fest on Sunday."
Kneecap mainly rap in the Irish language and embrace a hip-hop tradition of courting controversy.
Last year, this included unveiling a mural of a police landrover being set alight.
On Friday afternoon, they unveiled a new mural with the phrase "England get out of Ireland".
Responding to the criticism from Mr Bryson, the group posted on social media: “Thank you for your support mate, hope to see you at the Falls tonight.”
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In his interview with the BBC, Mo Chara said: "As far as hip-hop is concerned, you have to have some sort of controversy around you or you're not doing it right."
On their deliberately polarising lyrical content, he said: "People have an emotional reaction when we're saying things like 'get your Brits out', but when you're reading into it we're actually talking about getting the DUP for a night out."
"That's something we play up to - we like people to get riled up before they even know what they're annoyed about.”
Last year's mural of the burning police landrover was condemned by the leaders of the DUP, UUP and Alliance, who said it was grooming a new generation into sectarian hatred.
Móglaí defended the mural, stating: "It's the same people who are coming out trying to be outraged constantly over paintings on walls when in reality there's a lot worse things happening in the north. There's a bigger crisis happening.”
He told the BBC of an experience in the loyalist Sandy Row area of Belfast after Twelfth of July parades, where young people were singing their debut song C.E.A.R.TA, the Irish word for rights.
"If they're going to jump me, they really wouldn't be singing the chorus to one of our songs, and they were sound, we had a chat... and that's the reality on the ground," he said.
"These people have respect for each other, and we drank some Buckfast. The reality with them is different.
"If (politicians) don't want to get it, we understand it - that's their own problem."
Far from being disappointed in the criticism from politicians, they say it has helped them to sell out gigs across Ireland, Europe and America.
"We don't have to rely on mainstream media to get fans. Thankfully with social media now we can build our own platforms," said Móglaí.
Another major project in the works is an Irish language-comedy film starring Michael Fassbender, which is scheduled for a cinema release across the UK and Ireland next year.
