Baltimore hardcore band End It appear to have quietly closed the chapter on the viral “banana man” controversy following a moment at Jera On Air Festival in Ysselsteyn, Netherlands.
The band shared an Instagram story capturing vocalist Akil Godsey face-to-face with a fan dressed in a banana costume. The two were seen embracing onstage, a moment that quickly spread across social media and was widely interpreted as a sign of reconciliation.
End It captioned the post:
“The Great Treaty Of Ysselsteyn”
While a circulating fan reaction summed up the moment more bluntly:
“The banana wars over”
Although it has not been officially confirmed whether the fan involved was the same individual from the original incident, the exchange strongly suggests that any lingering tension has been put to rest.
The controversy dates back to June 5, when End It performed in Toronto alongside Terror. During that set, an onstage interaction involving a banana-costumed fan escalated and went viral, sparking debate throughout the hardcore community.
The situation gained further attention when the fan later appeared on the Beardo & Weirdo Podcast, where he discussed the incident and said he was primarily attending the show to see Terror and was not particularly familiar with End It. The episode also featured Chris Kael, who weighed in on the controversy.
As discussion continued online, Godsey stepped away from social media before returning on June 24 with a video statement addressing the backlash.
The incident became a wider talking point within hardcore circles, raising questions about crowd interaction, stage boundaries, and whether the fan was unfairly singled out or simply participating in the genre’s traditionally chaotic live environment.
In the weeks that followed, End It maintained a low profile online and were notably absent from portions of their European tour run alongside Hatebreed and Life Of Agony.
Now, with the Outbreak Festival moment circulating widely, the situation appears to have come full circle—transforming what began as a divisive viral flashpoint into an unexpected moment of unity within the modern hardcore scene.
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