Green Day delivered a politically charged performance during their Jan. 19 concert at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium, marking their debut in South Africa.
While performing their iconic 2004 hit “American Idiot,” frontman Billie Joe Armstrong swapped the lyric “I’m not a part of the redneck agenda” with “I’m not a part of the Elon agenda,” a direct jab at billionaire Elon Musk, who was born in Pretoria.
The show in South Africa, part of the Calabash 2025 festival, saw Green Day headlining alongside The Offspring and local punk heroes Fokofpolisiekar.
The jab at Musk comes amidst controversy surrounding the billionaire’s behavior at Trump’s second inauguration.
During his speech at the celebration, Musk made a hand gesture that sparked widespread online comparisons to a Nazi salute. Critics lambasted the gesture, while Musk dismissed the criticism, calling it a “tired” attack. The Anti-Defamation League ultimately described the gesture as an “awkward gesture in a moment of enthusiasm” rather than malicious intent, but the incident added to the polarizing figure’s contentious reputation.
This isn’t the first time Green Day has called out Musk; after their 2023 New Year’s Rockin’ Eve performance, where they altered the lyrics of “American Idiot” to say “I’m not a part of the MAGA agenda,” Musk criticized the band on X (formerly Twitter), writing, “Green Day goes from raging against the machine to milquetoastedly raging for it.”
In response, bassist Mike Dirnt quipped as per The Independent, “Elon Musk actually is the machine. I can’t take anything else from that. He’s not shy about saying stupid s**t on the internet. Whatever. The song’s twenty years old, and we’re Green Day. What did you expect?”
Musk is yet to comment on their latest jab.
Green Day has a long history of challenging political figures through their music. The band famously chanted “No Trump, no KKK, no fascist USA” during their performance at the 2016 American Music Awards. In 2023, they released the “Ultimate Nimrod” t-shirt, featuring Trump’s mugshot styled after their Nimrod album cover, with proceeds supporting Maui wildfire relief efforts.
“Good Riddance. The ultimate Nimrod shirt is available for 72 hours only,” Green Day posted at the time. “Limited edition shirt proceeds will be donated to…[Greater Good Music], a charity which is bringing food to those affected by the Maui wildfires.”
Armstrong has also been vocal in urging fans to vote for progressive candidates, recently endorsing Kamala Harris for the 2024 U.S. presidential election.
As Green Day continues their tradition of blending music and activism, they’ve also maintained their stature as one of the most influential punk bands on the Billboard charts.
Their Grammy-winning album American Idiot debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in 2004 and has sold over seven million copies in the U.S. alone. “Boulevard of Broken Dreams,” one of the band’s most enduring hits, peaked at No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, while “Wake Me Up When September Ends” reached No. 6. Their follow-up album, 21st Century Breakdown, also debuted at No. 1 in 2009, continuing their legacy of chart dominance.
