Macklemore has drawn criticism from fellow musicians P!NK and Boy George after making remarks in support of a free Palestine while opening for Ed Sheeran during a pair of concerts in East Rutherford, New Jersey, over the weekend.
Speaking from the stage at MetLife Stadium, Macklemore said, “One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here on stages in stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine.’ I said, ‘Free Palestine!’ I want those words to be loud and clear so that people from Gaza, all the way to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten them.”
He then introduced his next song, “Hind’s Hall,” explaining that it “was inspired by the bravery of Columbia University students who led an encampment movement that mobilized the entire world. Opened up hearts, myself included,” he continued. “So thank you to those students that risked their diplomas, that risked their tuition, that risked their scholarships, that stood up and said, ‘No.’ CUAD students, Students for Justice in Palestine, and Jewish Voice for Peace. Thank you guys.”
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“To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you,” Mackemore added. “My message is for peace. Love. For all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality. So I say free Palestine. I say free Lebanon. I say free Cuba. I say free Congo, free Sudan, free all people in America living in fear over this terrorist organization ICE. None of us will be free until we are all free.”
Macklemore’s comments were met with outcry from he Israeli American Council, which has released a petition demanding that Sheeran drop Macklemore from the remainder of his tour. “The issue is not whether Macklemore has the right to hold political views,” the petition reads. “The question is where the line should be drawn when an opening act uses a global concert platform to advance a one-sided political agenda.”
P!NK and Boy George also shared social media posts criticizing Macklemore’s remarks. In P!NK’s case, she reshared a post (via TMZ) from the advocacy group StopAntisemitism that characterized claims that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza as “false” and called for concertgoers to receive apologies and refunds. Consequence has reached out to P!NK’s representatives for additional comment.
Boy George, who has recently wrote a pro-Israel song using AI, also denounced Macklemore as well as Sheeran via a series of social media posts. He posted an AI-generated image post to Instagram that shows Sheeran wearing a shirt that says, “Wkack Mack No More,” while on Twitter he wrote, I have never been an @Edsheeran fan and nothing has changed.”
Sheeran has yet to address the controversy. Macklemore, meanwhile, is standing by his comments. On Monday, he posted a clip of his speech from MetLife with the caption, “Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial.”