Macklemore Says His Call to ‘Free Palestine’ Is Not a ‘Criticism’ of Jewish People: ‘None of Us Will Be Free Until We Are All Free’
What's happening
Rapper Macklemore is defending his pro-Palestine statement made during a concert at MetLife Stadium, clarifying that criticism of Israel and opposition to genocide are not attacks on Jewish people.
Who's involved
Macklemore (Benjamin Hammond Haggerty) is an American rapper from Seattle who rose to international success in the early 2010s as part of the duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. He made the statement while opening for Ed Sheeran, an English singer-songwriter, at the New Jersey venue on Friday night.
Why it matters
The statement reflects ongoing tensions around how support for Palestinian causes is received and interpreted, particularly regarding accusations of antisemitism. Macklemore's clarification attempts to distinguish between criticism of Israeli government policies and prejudice against Jewish people, a distinction that remains contentious in public discourse.
The story
Rapper Macklemore is speaking out in the wake of controversy surrounding his call to "Free Palestine" during a concert opening slot. The artist made the statement while performing at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Friday night as the opening act for Ed Sheeran's show, according to Variety. In his response, Macklemore sought to address concerns that his statement could be interpreted as antisemitic or offensive to Jewish communities.
"To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way makes someone antisemitic," Macklemore stated. He emphasized that his position reflects a broader commitment to human rights and justice. The phrase he invoked—"none of us will be free until we are all free"—underscores his framing of the Palestinian cause within a universal liberation framework.
The Seattle native, who began his career in 2000 as an independent artist before achieving mainstream success with producer Ryan Lewis in the early 2010s, has increasingly used his platform for political statements. His clarification arrives as public figures face heightened scrutiny when addressing the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with statements about Palestinian rights frequently drawing accusations of antisemitism from critics who view such advocacy as inherently anti-Jewish.
Macklemore's comments distinguish between criticism of Israeli government policies and apartheid systems on one hand, and prejudice against Jewish people on the other. This distinction has become a central point of debate in discussions about Palestine activism, with supporters arguing that the two positions are separable and critics contending that certain forms of advocacy can elide into antisemitism.
The statement during the MetLife Stadium performance appears to have prompted significant response, leading Macklemore to issue a formal clarification. By directly addressing Jewish communities and reframing his political position as compatible with solidarity toward that group, the artist sought to preempt or counter interpretations of his words as bigoted.