The US rapper Macklemore has performed live for the first time his new track Hind\u2019s Hall, expressing solidarity with Palestine and condemning Israel\u2019s military campaign, in front of a sellout crowd in New Zealand\u2019s capital, Wellington. \u201cI stand here today and every day forward for the rest of my life in solidarity with the people of Palestine, with an open heart, in the belief that our collective liberation is at stake \u2013 that we all deserve freedom in this life of ours,\u201d Macklemore said in a short speech 40 minutes into his two-hour set. \u201cYesterday [Tuesday], I put out a song called Hind\u2019s Hall \u2013 can I play it for you guys?\u201d he asked, to a screaming reception from the audience. As he performed, the red, white and green of the Palestinian flag flashed across the stadium. Behind him a video montage played showing student protesters in the US intercut with footage of politicians and Gaza. The audience of 5,500 raised their hands as he sang and multiple fans waved keffiyeh \u2013 the black and white scarf linked with Palestinian struggle. Towards the end of the song Macklemore led a chant of \u201cfree, free Palestine\u201d, which the crowd repeated back to him. Macklemore later called for an immediate ceasefire. The artist released his song on social media and YouTube on Tuesday, promising that once it hit streaming services all proceeds would be donated to the UN relief agency Unrwa. The song gives robust support to Palestine as well as those protesting at US universities against Israel\u2019s activities in Gaza. The title refers to Hamilton Hall, a Columbia University building occupied by students last week and renamed Hind\u2019s Hall by protesters in reference to Hind Rajab, a six-year-old child killed in Gaza. Macklemore performed Hind’s hall for the first time. this is how you use your platform. i wish more artist would follow. pic.twitter.com\/2rTsu0Cuz9 \u2014 k\u2077 (@behindOT7) May 8, 2024 \u201cIf students in tents posted on the lawn \/ Occupying the quad is really against the law \/ And a reason to call in the police and their squad \/ Where does genocide land in your definition, huh?\u201d he raps, referring to the police crackdown against protests. Israel has said that it is following all international law and that it investigates allegations of abuse by its security forces. Macklemore\u2019s track addresses Joe Biden, saying \u201cblood is on your hands\u201d, and says he will not be voting for him later this year. The rapper characterises Israel as \u201ca state that\u2019s gotta rely on an apartheid system to uphold an occupying violent history been repeating for the last 75 [years]\u201d, and says he has experienced support from Jewish people in solidarity with the pro-Palestine protests. \u201cWe see the lies in them, claiming it\u2019s antisemitic to be anti-Zionist \/ I\u2019ve seen Jewish brothers and sisters out there and riding in solidarity and screaming \u2018Free Palestine\u2019 with them.\u201d As well as condemning Israel\u2019s campaign in Gaza, Columbia students are calling for their university to divest from companies linked to Israel \u2013 a call that has been repeated in other campuses across the US. Last week New York police arrested more than 100 people protesting at Columbia, including some occupying Hamilton Hall. More than 2,000 people have been arrested over US campus protests. Macklemore fans Stacey and Matt Johnsen, who had travelled from the bottom of the South Island to see him perform in Wellington, praised the artist for taking a stand. \u201cI think it\u2019s so cool that someone has finally spoken out,\u201d Stacey said. \u201cHe\u2019s down to earth and human.\u201d \u201cLike anyone else you\u2019re allowed an opinion \u2026 nobody wants war, nobody wants innocent people to die or get hurt,\u201d Matt said. \u201cSome other people might be aggressive about it or lean a bit more towards a certain side but that\u2019s not how Macklemore comes across to me.\u201d The couple felt proud their music hero was taking a risk and hoped Macklemore\u2019s message would resonate with the audience and farther afield. \u201cI would hope it would encourage more people to speak out,\u201d Stacey said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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