Macklemore Reaffirms Support for Palestinian Cause During Ed Sheeran Concert
The rapper faced criticism from Jewish advocacy groups after performing a pro-Palestinian song at an Ed Sheeran show, but he defended his remarks as a call for peace and equality.
Grammy-winning rapper Macklemore repeated his support for Palestinians during his set at Ed Sheeran's MetLife Stadium concert on Friday, drawing condemnation from several Jewish advocacy organizations. While performing his protest song "Hind’s Hall," he displayed video footage of pro-Palestinian campus encampments and criticized Israel's actions in Gaza.
The performance prompted backlash on social media, with groups such as Stop Antisemitism and the Anti-Defamation League accusing him of politicizing the event. The Israeli American Council issued a petition urging Sheeran to remove Macklemore from the remaining tour dates, stating that freedom of expression does not permit turning another artist's stage into a platform for political propaganda.
"I said Free Palestine. I want those words to be loud and clear so that the people in Gaza all the way to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten them," Macklemore said to the MetLife crowd in a video posted after the show.
"To all my Jewish brothers and sisters, criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you. My message is for peace, love for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect and equality," he added.
Macklemore, who has spoken out on the conflict since the Oct. 7 attacks, also used the platform to call for liberation in Congo, Sudan and the United States, linking the Palestinian issue to broader struggles for freedom. A spokesperson for Ed Sheeran did not respond to requests for comment.
The controversy occurs amid ongoing violence in the region, with Gaza's health ministry reporting more than 73,650 Palestinian deaths and Israeli sources citing over 1,200 casualties from the Oct. 7 attack and subsequent fighting.