Mumbai, Nov 7 — Rapper Macklemore has alleged that nine major arenas turned down his proposed Palestine benefit tour, claiming that venues withdrew previously available dates after learning that the shows were intended to raise funds for Palestine.
Reflecting on the successful Dublin, Paris and London concerts, the musician took to Instagram and shared a long note saying he would rather lose professional opportunities than remain silent on the issue, adding that he plans to continue organising benefit shows with fellow artists and activists.
He wrote in the note: “Good day, my people. A lot of you have been asking about US dates for The Free Palestine benefit tour, and I wanted to give you an update. The shows in Dublin, Paris and London were three of the most beautiful I've ever been a part of. Thank you to everyone who shared in those nights of joy, love and resistance. I left with a renewed sense of what's possible when people come together for something bigger than themselves.”
“From the beginning, our plan was to bring this tour home to the US. But after weeks of reaching out, nine major American arenas have turned us down: Madison Square Garden, Prudential Center, Barclays Center, UBS Arena, Intuit Dome, Kia Forum, Crypto.com Arena, Chase Center and Climate Pledge Arena. Here's what happened,” Macklemore said.
“By mid-September, we received available dates at these arenas through the end of the year. But once they found out these were my benefit shows for Palestine, those dates were suddenly off the table. The doors were closed. The conversations were all different, but the result was the same. The shows were not going to be allowed to happen in these venues.”
Macklemore said that in over 20 years of touring, he has never experienced anything like this.
“But this is not an isolated incident. For decades, activists, poets, writers, musicians and entertainers who have stood in solidarity with the Palestinian people have faced consequences for doing so. Many have paid a far greater price than I have.”
“Looking back over the last three years, the only real regret I have is not speaking publicly when Zionists were kicking me under the table. At the time, I didn't believe that centering what was happening to me was worth taking any attention away from the genocide in Palestine. But the intimidation, manipulation and suppression I experienced are part of how those in power keep entertainers quiet. It's their main tactic to keep us in line. Shut up and dribble, or you will be punished.”
The “Thriftshop” hitmaker said that at this point, he is three years past caring about “maintaining any relationships, business or personal, with anyone that isn't riding for a Free Palestine.”
“I'd rather lose every opportunity in this industry than spend another day protecting people who value their business relationships with Israel more than they value Palestinian human life.
We live in a country that prides itself on freedom of speech. Yet we've reached a point where a handful of billionaires can decide which causes are acceptable, which voices are welcome and which human lives are worth defending. Today it's Palestine. What will it be tomorrow?”
He added: To these owners, the words Free Palestine represent a threat. Not because they endanger anyone, but because those words challenge the systems of power they have built their fortunes on. To the artists who are afraid of what those two words might cost them, I understand that fear. I felt it myself, especially when I was still wrestling with whether to speak out. But I believe that fear begins to lose its power the moment we realize we're not standing alone.”
He says he dreams of a world where saying Free Palestine is not controversial.
“It is expected. Where artists value their freedom of speech and collective liberation more than their brand deals. Look at what just happened in Europe. Three sold-out arenas. Tens of thousands of people from different backgrounds, religions and walks of life standing together. More than 40 artists and speakers putting their names and platforms behind Palestinian liberation. For all the attempts to paint this movement as one rooted in hatred, what filled those rooms was love.”
“The tides are turning. Just three nights ago, Abdul El-Sayed won his Senate race on a platform that included ending the genocide in Gaza and stopping US arms sales to Israel. AIPAC spent $42 million trying to defeat him. And they still couldn't win. The trouble with buying power is believing you've bought the people too.”
“The billionaires depend on our silence and complicity. They forget that we buy their tickets. We fill their arenas. We build their empires. And we have the power to bring them down. The people have spoken. We want an end to the genocide and we want a Free Palestine.”
“The arenas have made their decision. Now we'll make ours. If they think the threat of never playing another arena in America will make me retreat into silence…”
Macklemore said: “There will be more shows for Palestine. We'll keep working with other artists and organizers, continuing where we left off in Europe. We'll probably just take that shit outside where it belonged in the first place. Our commitment to raising funds and standing in solidarity with the Palestinian people remains the same.”
Macklemore concluded: There comes a point when the world changes, not because those in power give us permission, but because the people stop asking for it. We will build our own stages. They may own the arenas. But they do not own the people who fill them. And they never will. FREE PALESTINE.”