DJ Próvaí

DJ Próvaí was born in Derry, Northern Ireland. Before his career in music, he worked as an Irish language teacher at a Catholic secondary school. He left the role in 2020 after a video circulated of him on stage, wearing a balaclava and exposing his buttocks painted with the slogan "Brits Out".^[3][4]

DJ Próvaí adopted his stage name referencing the Provisional IRA, and is known for wearing a balaclava in the colours of the Irish tricolour.^[3][4] He joined Kneecap in 2017 alongside Mo Chara (Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh) and Móglaí Bap (Naoise Ó Cairealláin), contributing vocals and DJing to their Irish-language rap performances.^[3]

Kneecap released their debut single "C.E.A.R.T.A." in 2017, their first studio album 3CAG in 2018, and their second album Fine Art in 2024.^[5] Their lyrics fuse Irish and English with satire, political commentary, and working-class Belfast youth culture.^[3]

In 2024, DJ Próvaí appeared as himself in the biographical film Kneecap, co-written with director Rich Peppiatt. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and won the NEXT Audience Award.^[6] It went on to win several awards at the Galway Film Fleadh and was selected as Ireland’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.^[7]

DJ Próvaí received a nomination for Best Lead Actor at the IFTA Awards and, with his bandmates, jointly won the British Independent Film Award for Best Joint Lead Performance.^[8]

In 2025, DJ Próvaí teamed up with visual artist Aches, to create an art piece for the international charity art project Music Shaped.^[9]

On 31 December, 2025, DJ Próvaí was featured in the TG4 documentary Cartlann Christy Moore, discussing Christy Moore's influence.^[10]

• Kneecap (2024) – as himself

• Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) Award for Best Director (Kneecap, 2024; shared with cast and crew)^[11]
• BAFTA Award for Kneecap (2024; as cast member)

• Irish hip hop