Macklemore criticizes Biden in new song supporting pro-Palestinian student protests

Rapper Macklemore has released a sudden new track in which he commends the college scholars who are actively protesting against Israel’s recent conflict with Gaza. He promises that he will not support President Joe Biden in the upcoming November elections.

On Monday, a new song was released called “Hind's Hall," which refers to a building at Columbia University. This building was occupied by pro-Palestinian protesters, who gave it a temporary name.

After its publication, the rapper who won a Grammy Award now belongs to the initial set of renowned musicians to openly criticize the US government's enduring financial support towards Israel. Additionally, the rapper also shows admiration towards students who are participating in protests against their universities' financial investments in businesses that have affiliations with Israel. These protests are happening in various colleges throughout the United States.

Macklemore states that the issue does not lie with the demonstrations, but instead with the subject matters that are being protested. He suggests that these matters contradict the allocation of finances within our country.

Macklemore agrees with the pro-Palestinian demonstrators who declare they won't cast their vote for Biden in the upcoming presidential election because of his unwavering support for Israel. Democrats are worried that Biden might lose support from young voters who are dissatisfied with his approach to the conflict and this could result in him losing the election, leading to the possibility of former President Donald Trump returning to power.

The tune also condemns the law enforcement officers that universities ordered to disperse protests on their premises. Some of these educational institutions claimed that the gathering of protesters was illegal and that they had tried to communicate with the students before calling the police. However, when the students refused to disperse at the University of California Los Angeles, it seems like police officers resorted to firing rubber bullets at them. Similarly, at the University of Arizona, law enforcement officials deployed pepper balls and rubber bullets against the demonstrators.

In various universities in the US, individuals who support Palestine are demonstrating by occupying different areas such as lawns and buildings. They are urging their schools to disinvest from Israel. Unfortunately, police have been evicting some of these protesters from their camps, leading to over 2,300 detentions in educational institutions throughout America.

Numerous individuals apprehended during demonstrations at universities were enrolled as students, and a portion of them have received prohibition orders from their respective campuses and may be expelled.

Several protests on college campuses have sparked significant counter-demonstrations in favor of Israel.

The protesters who support Palestine have given a new name to Hamilton Hall in Columbia, which is now known as Hind's Hall. The name is a tribute to a young Palestinian girl named Hind Rajab, who passed away tragically in Gaza. Hind was found dead along with six of her family members after they got stuck in a car.

According to a previous report by CNN, they were trying to escape from the conflict in northern Gaza when the Israeli military attacked their vehicle. Hind, her uncle's four children, and everyone else who was travelling in the car were killed. Additionally, two ambulance workers who were attempting to rescue them also lost their lives.

Macklemore's song lyrics refer to the staggering number of children who have lost their lives in Gaza due to the ongoing war - a number that has surpassed 13,800. The song urges anyone who has yet to speak out against the violence in Gaza, including politicians, university officials, and fellow artists, to take a moment to consider the human toll of the conflict. Macklemore implores listeners to imagine themselves in the shoes of those living in Gaza, and to ask themselves how they would feel if their own children were at risk. The song also calls out the Western world for turning a blind eye to the suffering of Gazan citizens.

Macklemore: Music Industry Complicit, Backs ‘Free Palestine’

In the song "Hind's Hall," Macklemore points the finger at the music industry for remaining silent in allowing certain issues to persist and be ignored.

It's possible that he's the sole prominent artist who has written a tune about the disagreement. Nevertheless, many acclaimed musicians such as Dua Lipa, Jon Batiste, and Selena Gomez have attached their names to the Artists 4Ceasefire note, which was aimed at President Biden. Furthermore, Scottish vocalist Annie Lennox vocally requested a ceasefire during her performance at the Grammys, which occurred in February.

Macklemore used his social media platforms to announce that he will donate all profits earned from streaming his new song to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.

Macklemore has been very vocal in his support for the people of Palestine since last year. He expressed his sorrow over the loss of lives in Israel and Gaza in a post he shared within two weeks after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7. The attack resulted in at least 1,200 casualties and over 250 people being taken hostage.

He expressed his sorrow over the tragic loss of lives in the brutal attack on Israelis on October 7. However, he believes that resorting to revenge killing of innocent people is not a wise choice. Instead, he is lending his support to those who are advocating for a ceasefire globally.

Further down in the article, he expressed his support for the liberation of Palestine and his opposition to the potential mass killing of its inhabitants.

He mentioned in the same article the disputable statement that condemning the actions of the Israeli administration is a form of hatred towards Jewish people. "I am able to express my genuine fondness for my fellow Jewish peers, and at the same time, denounce the Israeli authorities for their widespread atrocities and discriminatory policies."

Macklemore was present at a demonstration in November that supported Palestine. After the event, he shared an Instagram message expressing his delight at the sight of Jewish and Muslim young people uniting and chanting in defiance.

Macklemore was accused of being hostile towards Jewish people in the past. Back in 2014, he wore a strange outfit consisting of a fake nose and a thick black beard during a surprise performance in Seattle. A number of his critics, including Seth Rogen, accused him of being against Jewish people based on his costume. This led Macklemore to admit that the outfit could be viewed as a stereotype of Jewish people.

Throughout his music career, the rapper expressed his political views. He was recognized for a Grammy nomination for the song "Same Love" in 2012, which encouraged equal treatment of the LGBTQ community and approval of same-sex marriages. Moreover, he also collaborated with YG on a song remix titled "FDT, Pt. 2" in 2016, which states "F**k Donald Trump."

Macklemore persisted in expressing his opposition towards Trump even after the latter’s inauguration. At present, demonstrators on college campuses are still raising their voices against the conflict in Gaza, notwithstanding the fact that several universities have cancelled or modified their graduation ceremonies and have already punished fellow student protesters.