Dublin, (Palestine Foundation Information Center), Tickets for all three concerts scheduled as part of US rapper Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” tour sold out shortly after going on sale, amid widespread support for the tour, whose proceeds the artist has dedicated to organizations supporting Palestinians.
Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, announced on his social media accounts that tickets for the tour’s concerts in Dublin, Paris, and London had sold out. He said the concerts were organized rapidly with the aim of supporting Palestinians and raising funds, using music as a means of solidarity and collective action.
Macklemore confirmed that the tour was organized out of a strong belief in musicians’ ability to stand in solidarity with Palestine and highlighted the importance of using the stage to raise funds and promote collective action. He stressed that art remains a means of resistance when those in positions of power seek to silence voices calling for freedom.
European Tour Follows Controversial Removal
The tour comes several weeks after Macklemore was removed from the remaining dates of British singer Ed Sheeran’s US tour following comments he made during a concert in New Jersey, where he expressed solidarity with Palestinians and called for a free Palestine. He also stressed that people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank had not been forgotten.
Macklemore’s removal sparked widespread controversy, particularly after Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, confirmed that the artist had been barred from performing at concerts scheduled there. Sheeran later clarified that the decision to remove Macklemore had been made by the tour organizers, rather than by him personally.
Following the controversy, several artists who had been scheduled to open Sheeran’s concerts, including Finneas, withdrew from the tour along with other performers. The move was described as a protest against Macklemore’s removal over his pro-Palestinian positions.
$1 Million Donation to Support Palestinians
Macklemore had previously announced his intention to donate $1 million from his net earnings from Sheeran’s tour to six organizations working to support Palestinians and provide humanitarian assistance in Gaza. He also called on Kraft to make a similar donation.
The “Free Palestine” tour continues Macklemore’s support for Palestinians since Israel launched its war on the Gaza Strip in October 2023. He has used his music and concerts to express solidarity with Palestinians and call for an end to their suffering.
“Hind’s Hall” — Music in Response to War
In May 2024, Macklemore released a song titled “Hind’s Hall” amid pro-Palestinian student protests at US universities. He announced that proceeds from the song would be donated to support the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA).
In September 2024, he released “Hind’s Hall 2,” featuring Palestinian artists, and allocated its proceeds to support Palestinian relief efforts. According to figures cited by US media outlets, proceeds generated through his protest songs for UNRWA exceeded $509,000.
The title “Hind’s Hall” was inspired by student protesters who occupied a building at Columbia University known as Hamilton Hall. The title referred to Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl who was killed after becoming trapped inside a vehicle with members of her family in the Gaza Strip.
The new European tour concerts are scheduled to take place in Dublin, Paris, and London during October. According to announcements regarding the tour, additional concerts in the United States are expected to be added later.
