Rapper Macklemore Calls for 'Free Palestine' During Ed Sheeran Concert

American rapper Macklemore, performing as a warm-up act for Ed Sheeran, used his stage time at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Friday to call for "Free Palestine." Addressing tens of thousands of concertgoers, Macklemore also performed his song "Hind's Hall," which is critical of Israel, with images from Gaza displayed on large screens behind him. He stated, "I want people in Gaza and the West Bank to know that they are not forgotten," adding that "every person on Earth deserves the same freedom."

Several Israelis in attendance expressed shock and offense. One concertgoer described the experience as "very triggering and blatant," noting that the "Free Palestine" chants and speech were a significant part of the performance, accompanied by pro-Palestinian propaganda and images of IDF soldiers. Many attendees reportedly left their seats, and some described feeling unwelcome. One Israeli woman attending with her children recounted seeing two families with Jewish teenage daughters leave the venue in tears.

"Hind's Hall," released in May 2024 amid pro-Palestinian campus protests, is a strong expression of Macklemore's anti-Israel stance. The song accuses Israel of "genocide" and "apartheid," claims "the Nakba never ended," and criticizes Zionism. The song's title refers to Hamilton Hall at Columbia University, which was occupied by pro-Palestinian demonstrators and renamed "Hind's Hall" in honor of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian child killed in Gaza.

Macklemore, whose song "Can't Hold Us" was a hit in Israel, has been a vocal critic of Israel since the start of the war. The concert was part of Sheeran's "Mathematics Tour," which has two sold-out shows at the 80,000-capacity MetLife Stadium. Macklemore is joining Sheeran for select dates across the United States.