Massachusetts has a rich history of giving the middle finger to tyrants and bloated politicians. Dropkick Murphys have provided support for Boston's anti-authoritarianism since the 1990s. Already an ardent critic Donald Trumpfrontman Ken Casey calls on punk artists and musicians to “never tolerate bullies” and to “stand up and fight back” against the president and his agenda.
“By no means do I think punk has to be one thing,” Casey says. Rolling Stone in an exclusive interview. “But the punk I was raised to listen to was to speak out against government abuses.”
“Obviously, what's near and dear to our hearts is workers' rights,” he adds. “At every level, Trump will turn his back on working people in favor of the elite and the rich… So, on behalf of punk rock, on behalf of ordinary people, on behalf of America as a whole, we feel it is our duty to speak out.”
Casey's public campaign to mobilize punk artists is launching in partnership with Home of the Brave, a nonprofit founded by former Republicans with a focus on allocation the negative impact of the Trump program on Americans. Casey will join the organization as a member of its advisory board, beginning her term with video set centered around its activism and call to action.
“If we have been outspoken even in times that were not nearly as radical as these, why shouldn’t we increase our level of activity when the stakes are raised?” Casey said this in a recorded interview published Wednesday by Home of the Brave.
“I just love that it's a platform for people to voice their opinions, to tell a story about how events affected them,” Casey says of his work with the organization. “Too many people in America have to rely on social media or news that may have a story or an agenda, and nothing tells the story of what is happening better than real Americans simply talking about what happened to them.”
Over the past year, Casey and the Dropkick Murphy family have become increasingly vocal about their disdain for the president. In July they dedicated their new single “First Class Loser” Trump during their appearance at the Warped Tour in Long Beach, California, and criticized the president for his alleged ties to sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein. In March, they berated a fan waving a MAGA hat and told him to “shut up” for a few minutes while they “played a song about our grandparents and the people who fought the Nazis.”
“This is America, there are no kings here,” Casey told the man.
Casey says their activism is nothing new: he and the band are “doing what we've been doing for 30 years, playing music for the people.”
“I think Donald Trump has done a great job of managing differences. I would like to see America move away from him and his hateful rhetoric and find common ground again… but at the same time, you have to speak truth to power.”
While the President has yet to directly respond to Dropkick Murphy's actions, other musicians who have criticized the President have found themselves at the center of his thirst for retribution. Trump threatened to investigate legendary singer-songwriter Bruce Springsteen after… he approved former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 race. The President also called on Beyoncé be held accountable over baseless conspiracies that she was paid to support Harris.
The administration is currently conducting collapse over the selection of Puerto Rican singer Bad Bunny to perform at the Super Bowl halftime show, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said there would be a large presence of ICE representatives at the event.
“I never really listened to Bad Bunny's music, but after his performance at Happy Gilmore 2“I’ll go to the mat for this guy,” Casey says. “God bless his heart.” He's a real, true American.”
“[The administration] just wants to control everything, every story. There are much bigger problems in the world than those at the Super Bowl halftime show,” he adds, noting that he appreciates how the reggaeton artist has handled the backlash against his activism.
“If you don't get involved now, you may lose the chance to get involved later,” Casey says. “Maybe if you keep your mouth shut and just go ahead and get along, it may not affect you yet, but it will affect you eventually.”
