Macklemore has said he is “overwhelmed with gratitude and awe” after finishing his Free Palestine Tour. The 43-year-old, real name Benjamin Haggerty, announced the concerts in London, Paris and Dublin in September after he was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour over comments he made about Gaza.
Tour Finale and Instagram Post
Following the final show – which was held in London on October 30 – Macklemore shared a post on Instagram thanking those who performed, attended and supported the events. Sharing a series of photos of the concerts – which featured acts including Kneecap, Hozier and Paloma Faith – he called the tour his “favourite thing I’ve ever been a part of”.
He wrote: “I am still overwhelmed with gratitude and awe for every musician who stepped on stage in London. Every speaker. Every person who chose to be there. We live in an era where advocating for Palestinian life and freedom is controversial. Where saying that Palestine should be free, that Palestinians deserve the same dignity, safety and rights as everyone else, can come at a cost.”
Artists and Supporters React
Faith – who performed at the London concert – said: “Thank you so much for having me, all of us and letting us have a moment to feel that we weren’t alone in seeing what a terrible injustice it is that lives are treated with such little value … I do hope that one day Palestine is free and when that happens we will all be free.” Rock band Garbage said: “Thank you for all that you do. You are a beautiful human.” Australian singer Tones and I – real name Toni Watson – who has toured with the rapper, said: “Wow. It was such a beautiful night, Ben.”
During his show at the OVO Arena Wembley in London on Friday night, videos showed Macklemore telling the cheering crowd he had reached a point where he felt unable to remain silent about the conflict. “I was scrolling, scrolling, scrolling and seeing the horrific, unimaginable catastrophe that was happening in front of our eyes,” he said. “At a certain point, it was more uncomfortable for me to stay silent than to say something. I just want to say, I don’t believe that saying something is brave. I don’t believe that saying something is courageous. I believe that saying something is human.”
Proceeds and Impact
Macklemore, known for hits such as Thrift Shop and Same Love, previously said the gigs “sold out immediately” after going on sale. All the proceeds from the concerts will go towards a number of organisations working in support of Palestinian people with medical care, humanitarian assistance, education, community support and advocacy. Those organisations include Anera, Glia, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Taawon, Heal Palestine, Palestinian Youth Movement, Middle East Children’s Alliance, Jewish Voice for Peace, Medical Aid for Palestinians, Institute for Middle East Understanding, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and UNRWA USA.
