How did Rage Against the Machine react to Weird Al's cover of 'Killing in the Name'?

1. A surreal stage moment: comedy stars cover an anti-establishment anthem

Concert coverage from Rolling Stone, BrooklynVegan and others describe the Dec. 2–3, 2025 Portugal. The Man shows where "Weird Al" Yankovic and Lonely Island’s Jorma Taccone joined the band for "Live in the Moment" and then for a spirited cover of Rage Against the Machine’s "Killing in the Name," with attendee-shot video circulating online ^{[2] [1] [3]}. Reporters framed the performance as sincere musically even while it was visually absurd — Yankovic and Taccone bring a comedic cachet, but outlets note the cover was delivered earnestly, not as a satire ^[2].

2. Press emphasized novelty, not controversy

Coverage highlights the improbable lineup — a parody stalwart singing one of rock’s most politically charged songs — and outlets treated it as a playful, crowd-pleasing moment rather than a provocation aimed at Rage’s politics. Stereogum and Gigulate relayed the same footage and description, focusing on the crowd reaction and the surreal spectacle of witnessing Yankovic belt Zack de la Rocha’s verses ^{[4] [5]}. Rock Cellar called it “previously unimaginable,” underscoring the novelty more than any conflict with the original band ^[6].

3. No sourced statements from Rage Against the Machine themselves

Across the supplied reporting there are no quotes or tweets from Rage Against the Machine members approving, criticizing, or otherwise reacting to the cover. Rolling Stone, BrooklynVegan, Kottke, Stereogum and local outlets all report the performance and its context but do not cite any response from Rage’s members or representatives ^{[2] [1] [3] [4]}. Therefore any claim about the band’s feelings would be beyond these sources — available sources do not mention an official Rage reaction (not found in current reporting).

4. Why the absence of comment matters — and what it might imply

Journalistically, silence can mean several things: the band may not have noticed the particular performance, they may have seen it and chosen not to publicize an opinion, or outlets simply didn’t reach them for comment. The reporting’s lack of sourced Rage commentary leaves open multiple interpretations; none are supported by the current articles, so they must be treated as possibilities rather than facts ^{[2] [1]}.

5. Context: Weird Al’s history with Portugal. The Man and non-parodic work

Multiple pieces note a prior relationship between Yankovic and Portugal. The Man — collaborations date back to at least 2013, and Yankovic has previously remixed PTM songs and released non-comedic material with them — making his onstage appearance less random and more an extension of an ongoing artistic friendship ^{[2] [7]}. That history frames the cover as part of a friendly musical rapport rather than an attempt to lampoon Rage’s politics ^{[2] [7]}.

6. Competing perspectives in the coverage

Most outlets present the event as light-hearted, crowd-pleasing, and unexpectedly sincere; social posts and threads emphasized the absurdist delight of hearing Yankovic sing Rage lyrics ^[8]. No mainstream piece in the supplied set interpreted the cover as disrespectful or politically charged toward Rage’s legacy; instead, journalists leaned into the spectacle and the nostalgia of the song ^{[4] [3] [6]}.

7. Limits of the record and recommended next steps for a fuller picture

The supplied reporting documents the performance but lacks direct statements from Rage Against the Machine or their camp. To resolve whether the band noticed or commented, one should check official Rage social channels, interviews, or contact their representatives. As of these sources, there is no sourced evidence of a reaction, positive or negative ^{[2] [1] [3]}.