Macklemore has defended his onstage “Free Palestine” remarks after fellow stars Pink and Boy George condemned the performance, insisting his criticism was aimed at Israeli policy rather than Jewish people.
The Seattle rapper, 41, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, made the statements during a guest appearance at Ed Sheeran’s concert at the New Jersey Meadowlands last week. He wore a keffiyeh draped over his shoulders as he addressed the crowd.
“I wanted to stand up here on stages across America and say two words that are near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” he said at the show.
The Grammy winner also performed his song “Hindi’s Hall,” a reference to pro-Palestine protests at Columbia University, while images from Gaza played on giant screens. The Israeli-American Council launched a petition Sunday calling for Sheeran to drop Macklemore from the remainder of his tour, accusing the rapper of spreading antisemitic propaganda.
Pink reposted a StopAntisemitism message demanding refunds for concertgoers and stating they are “owed apologies.” Boy George issued a lengthier condemnation on X, writing: “On the subject of @macklemore it’s important to note that slogans such as ‘Free Palestine’ offer the appearance of moral courage without requiring much political knowledge. @edsheeran clearly has no spine and as for @Palomafaith and her stupid virtuous squealing of delight about Mackle-bore when she is about as political as a soggy tuna sandwich. The whole thing makes me queasy.”
Macklemore fired back Monday in a video posted to social media. “To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, is in no way a criticism of you,” he shared.
The controversy has also revived scrutiny of the rapper’s own living situation. Haggerty owns a three-bedroom, 2.25-bathroom home in Seattle’s North Capitol Hill neighborhood, where he has resided for more than a decade. The area, like all of Seattle, sits on historic ancestral lands of native peoples.
The Green Seattle Partnership’s land acknowledgement states: “We acknowledge that the city of Seattle and its greenspaces are on stolen Coast Salish land, specifically the ancestral land of the Duwamish, Suquamish, Stillaguamish, and Muckleshoot People.” The statement continued: “We recognize the stewardship of Seattle’s greenspaces by the Coast Salish people since time immemorial, the disruption of this work by colonization, and now endeavor to continue this work.”
Haggerty has previously addressed this issue himself. “I’m from Seattle, Washington, occupied Duwamish territory,” he said on a May 2024 episode of the LANDBACK FOR the podcast. He has also incorporated land acknowledgements into his concerts.
The “Thrift Shop” singer is not the only wealthy artist to face accusations of hypocrisy over “stolen land” rhetoric. Billie Eilish drew criticism after declaring at the Grammys, “No one is illegal on stolen land.” Detractors pointed to the singer’s $2.3 million horse ranch in Glendale, California, which she purchased at age 17 from former owner Leona Lewis.
Sheeran has not publicly addressed the petition calling for Macklemore’s removal from his ongoing tour.