After being unceremoniously dumped from apolitical pop singer Ed Sheeran’s tour for calling out the systemic persecution and murder of Palestinians, Macklemore is going on his own run of live dates. He’ll be joined by artists “who understand that our platforms mean very little if we’re only willing to use them when it’s safe.” Those acts—along with a host of US stops—will be announced at a later date. Tickets go on sale September 30.
Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore. People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment.
To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it. What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage. When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention.” You can read his full statement below.
The list of charities Macklemore has chosen for the tour are 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. Macklemore: 10-25 Dublin, Ireland - 3Arena 10-29 Paris, France - Accor Arena 10-30 London, England - OVO Arena Wembley Macklemore: If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years. There has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation, the power of billionaires that try to censor that call, and what we expect from artists right now.
So, as you all know, my schedule freed up a bit. I’ve spent the last week reaching out to artists who have shown up and used their stages to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, regardless of the consequences. Artists who understand that our platforms mean very little if we’re only willing to use them when it’s safe.
Because of how quickly all of this has come together, a lot of the conversations, schedules and details are still being worked out. But this is a moment of momentum, and there is work to be done. Dublin Paris London Artist announcements coming soon, as well as US dates. .com.
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