David Draiman Slams Tom Morello Over Praise for Kneecap: “Guess My Family Doesn’t Count”
Tom Morello calling a band “the new Rage Against The Machine” was bound to make headlines. But this endorsement? It’s got David Draiman doing David Draiman things on the internet again.
During a recent appearance on The Strombo Show, Morello sang the praises of Irish rap trio Kneecap, describing them as today’s spiritual successor to RATM’s activist legacy.
“What they’re doing in their art is what people could probably stand to do more in their lives: to really speak truth to power. Kneecap are not terrorists. What is terroristic is… 20,000 dead Palestinian children. That’s the story.”
Naturally, this didn’t sit well with Disturbed’s frontman, who has made no secret of his unwavering support for Israel. Draiman wasted no time logging onto X (the site formerly known as Twitter but still mostly known for being a tire fire) to blast Morello’s comments:
“Shameful. Truly. Wish I could say I was shocked. Guess my family doesn’t count, when it comes to my ‘friend’s’ virtue signaling for those who support terror, and incite Jew hatred.”
If you’ve somehow managed to avoid the controversy, Kneecap have made international headlines over the past year for their vocal condemnation of Israel’s actions in Gaza. One member, Mo Chara, was even charged with a terror-related offense in the UK for waving a Hezbollah flag during a show in 2024. The trio were also dropped by the Independent Artist Group following their Coachella performance this past April, during which they accused Israel of genocide.
That scrutiny didn’t deter Morello though, as he praised Kneecap for their right to speak out, painting them as artists punching up against power structures — the same thing Rage was built on.
It’s not the first time Draiman has stirred controversy related to Israel. In June 2024, he traveled to the country, visited Israeli military personnel, and signed an artillery shell with the words “Fuck Hamas.” That was after Hamas-led militants launched the brutal October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, killing over 1,300 civilians and taking hundreds of hostages.
Since then, Israel’s military response in Gaza has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and displaced nearly 2 million — prompting increasing scrutiny from the international community and human rights organizations.
