The Daily BS • Bo Snerdley Cuts Through It!
The Daily BS • Bo Snerdley Cuts Through It!

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Macklemore takes on 50 British lawmakers after Ed Sheeran controversy

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THE DAILY BS: HOW MUCH CAN YOU HANDLE?

 

SPARE ME THE BS (I’ve got things to do)

  • Macklemore concluded his three-show European Free Palestine Tour at London’s OVO Arena Wembley on October 30 after being dropped from Ed Sheeran’s American tour.
  • Greta Thunberg, Paloma Faith and Nemahsis appeared at the concert, which combined music, political speeches and fundraising.
  • Fifty members of Britain’s House of Lords had urged the government to prevent Macklemore from entering the country.

LAY IT ON ME (I’ve got time)

Rapper Macklemore lost his spot on Ed Sheeran’s tour, faced opposition from 50 British lawmakers, and responded by staging a sold-out pro-Palestinian concert at London’s Wembley Arena.

And just in case anyone thought the evening might be a conventional rap show, Greta Thunberg was among the guests. Yes, the Swedish climate activist has found another stage.

The October 30 performance marked the conclusion of Macklemore’s three-date European “Free Palestine Tour,” organized after he was removed from Sheeran’s American “Loop Tour” following controversial pro-Palestinian statements.

The Wembley event featured thousands of attendees, musical performances, political speeches, and fundraising for organizations supporting Palestinians.

Among those appearing were British singer Paloma Faith, Palestinian-Canadian musician Nemahsis and Thunberg, whose activism has increasingly focused on the war in Gaza. Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos and Palestinian activist Arab Barghouthi also addressed the audience.

This was less a conventional concert than a political rally with a professional sound system. But the real confrontation had begun before the first note.

Fifty members of Britain’s House of Lords had urged Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to prevent Macklemore from entering Britain. Their concerns centered on the Palestinian Youth Movement, one of the organizations designated to benefit from the tour. The group has denied allegations of links to terrorist organizations or celebrating terrorism.

Macklemore had a message for the lawmakers.

“Regardless of what the 50 Lords have to say, this is a story of equality for all human beings around this earth,” he told the Wembley audience.

The rapper also defended his decision to speak publicly about Gaza.

“It was more uncomfortable for me to stay silent than to say something,” he explained. “I don’t believe that saying something is courageous. I believe that saying something is human.”

Macklemore had been scheduled to participate in Sheeran’s American tour before the arrangement collapsed amid controversy over his public statements. Sheeran subsequently explained that the decision to remove Macklemore came from the tour promoter, not from him personally.

“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,” Sheeran said.

According to Sheeran, venues had threatened to cancel concerts if Macklemore remained on the bill. Rather than retreat from the issue, Macklemore organized a European benefit tour explicitly built around it.

The London finale demonstrated how thoroughly the rapper has embraced political activism as part of his public identity. Thunberg urged concertgoers to continue campaigning beyond the event, warning that the “occupation will not end by philanthropy and slogans.”

Nemahsis, who previously lost her record-label deal after publicly supporting Palestinians, delivered another pointed declaration.

“My existence is the strongest form of resistance,” she told the crowd.

Macklemore performed songs including “Thrift Shop,” “Same Love,” “Can’t Hold Us” and his pro-Palestinian protest track “Hind’s Hall.”

Proceeds from the London, Dublin and Paris concerts were designated for organizations providing humanitarian assistance, medical care, education and advocacy related to Palestinians.

DBS WIRE SOURCES (I’ve got all day)

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