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, he also played his song "Hind's Hall," which features anti-Israel sentiments and was displayed with images from Gaza on the large screens behind him. Macklemore 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." He continued, "to know the sounds of security and peace before the sounds of violence, the sound of laughter before planes and bombs."

Some Israelis in attendance expressed shock and offense at the rapper's statements. Macklemore's song "Hind's Hall," released in May 2024 amid pro-Palestinian protests on U.S. campuses, is a strong expression of his anti-Israel stance. In the song, he accuses Israel of "genocide" and "apartheid," claims "the Nakba never ended," and rejects the notion that anti-Zionism is antisemitism. The song's title refers to Hamilton Hall at Columbia University, which was occupied by pro-Palestinian protesters who renamed it "Hind's Hall" in memory of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian child killed in Gaza.

Macklemore, whose song "Can't Hold Us" was a hit in Israel, has been a prominent voice against Israel in the music industry since the outbreak of the war. He has participated in pro-Palestinian events and spoken out on the issue multiple times. The concert was part of Sheeran's "Loop Tour," which has two consecutive shows at the 80,000-capacity MetLife Stadium. Macklemore is joining Sheeran for several U.S. dates on this tour.