Ipswich punk-rap duo Bob Vylan grabbed the headlines at Glastonbury Festival over the weekend, but for many readers, the name might be a new one. Organisers of the festival said they were "appalled" after frontman Bobby Vylan led a crowd in chants of "death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]". The prime minister condemned themfor using what he called "appalling hate speech". TheBBC said on Monday it should have cut away from the live broadcastof Bob Vylan's performance and a spokesperson for media watchdog Ofcom said: "We are very concerned about the live stream of this performance, and the BBC clearly has questions to answer." Posting on Instagram on Sunday evening, Bobby - real name Pascal Robinson-Foster - appeared to stand by his comments, with the caption: "I said what I said." He told fans he had been "inundated" with messages of both "support and hatred" and also called for "a change in foreign policy". The provocative band were formed in Suffolk in 2017 by the singer, guitarist and poet alongside drummer Bobbie Vylan. Collectively known as "the Bobs", they perform under their stage names. The pair blend elements of punk rock and UK grime/hip-hop, drawing influence from the likes of the Sex Pistols, Dizzee Rascal and Stormzy as well as reggae dancehall, reflecting Robinson-Foster's Jamaican heritage. The music tackles themes around racism, police violence, capitalism and fatherhood; as well as the ills of homophobia and toxic masculinity. After a string of early singles, they released their debut album, We Live Here, in 2020. They then went on to tour with the likes of the Offspring, the Hives and Biffy Clyro and performed at the Reading and Leeds Festivals in 2021. Their second (of five) studio albums, Bob Vylan Presents the Price of Life, entered the UK Album Chart at number 18, winning the Kerrang! magazine award for best album in 2022. The same year, they bagged the inaugural award for best alternative music act at the Mobo Awards. Robinson-Foster initially started writing verse as a teenager around 2004, becoming an established performance poet under the name Nee Hi, as well as being part of a grime outfit called Ear 2 da Street. He was invited to perform at the Black and Asian Police Association conference in Manchester in 2005, and served as a mentor for young people in his home town Ipswich. He once in an interview with Tribune magazine that he started the band Bob Vylan in a bid to "wind people up", score some victories and alleviate boredom. Speaking to the BBC's Newsbeat at the Download Festival in 2023, the provocateur explained their high-energy and highly politicised approach to music. "I suppose it's a life of experience under certain power structures that have kept us at a certain place within the hierarchy of this country," he explained. "When I'm recounting those lyrics, it can be quite cathartic to play these songs in front of crowds of people, and tell them about my experience. "It's also a very, I suppose at certain points, emotional experience and emotional ride talking about these things in front of a crowd of people." He added: "You're vulnerable... we put ourselves up there and we we talk about our life and the lives of people living in our communities, and people are free to enjoy it but they're also free to disagree with it and they're also free to heckle us or throw something at us or whatever it might be. "So it's quite a vulnerable position to be in, but you just have to have trust." In the past he has appeared to take aim at members of the crowd, verbally, and also swung a baseball bat on stage; as well as wearing football shirts of the rivals of the town or city in which they were playing. The band previously performed at Glastonbury in 2022 for the BBC, playing a rendition of their track Wicked and Bad, which denigrates former UK PM Margaret Thatcher and includes the line "eat the rich". During their Glastonbury set this year, the rapper - whose band have also collaborated with Amyl And The Sniffers singer Amy Taylor, Soft Play guitarist Laurie Vincent and rock band Kid Kapichi - brought out his daughter to sing with him on the track Dream Bigger. The performance took place on the West Holts stage on Saturday afternoon, just ahead of another controversial rap group, Kneecap. The Irish-language act recently lost their US visa sponsor. Bob Vylan are set to tour the US later this year and it remains to be seen if their entry visas will now be examined. Whatever happens, as with Kneecap, more people now know their name for sure.
Who are Bob Vylan? - Glastonbury's controversial act
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"Bob Vylan Faces Backlash for Controversial Performance at Glastonbury Festival"
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TruthLens AI Summary
The Ipswich punk-rap duo Bob Vylan made headlines at the Glastonbury Festival recently, primarily due to a controversial performance led by frontman Bobby Vylan, whose real name is Pascal Robinson-Foster. During their set, he incited the crowd to chant "death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces]," prompting backlash from various quarters. Festival organizers expressed their dismay, stating they were "appalled" by the incident, while UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the performance as "appalling hate speech." The BBC faced criticism for its decision to broadcast the performance live, with calls for accountability from media watchdog Ofcom. In response to the backlash, Bobby Vylan defended his statements on Instagram, asserting, "I said what I said," and indicated he had received both supportive and hateful messages from fans, calling for a change in foreign policy as part of his comments.
Bob Vylan, formed in 2017 by Robinson-Foster and drummer Bobbie Vylan, is known for blending punk rock with UK grime and hip-hop influences, drawing from artists like the Sex Pistols and Dizzee Rascal. Their music confronts various social issues, including racism, police violence, and toxic masculinity. After their debut album, "We Live Here," in 2020, they gained recognition, touring with notable bands and winning awards for their work. Their second album, "Bob Vylan Presents the Price of Life," climbed to number 18 on the UK Album Chart. Robinson-Foster, who began his artistic journey as a performance poet, has expressed that the band's high-energy performances and politically charged lyrics are a cathartic outlet for both himself and his audience. The band previously performed at Glastonbury in 2022 and have plans for a US tour later this year, raising questions about their visa status following this latest controversy. Ultimately, the incident has significantly raised their profile, ensuring that more people are now familiar with their name and music.
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