Green Day Criticizes Elon Musk During South Africa Performance

The band altered lyrics to their hit 'American Idiot' to target the tech mogul, reigniting their history of political commentary.

Green Day's Billie Joe Armstrong changed the lyrics of 'American Idiot' during a Johannesburg concert, replacing 'redneck agenda' with 'Elon agenda.'
The performance marked Green Day's debut in South Africa as part of the Calabash 2025 festival on January 19, ahead of Donald Trump's inauguration.
Elon Musk, a South African native and Trump ally, was recently appointed to lead the new Department of Government Efficiency.
This is not the first time Green Day has targeted Musk; they previously criticized him during a 2023 New Year's Eve performance with a similar lyric change.
Musk is facing additional scrutiny after making a controversial gesture during Trump's inauguration, which some likened to a Nazi salute, though he has dismissed the accusations.