The Seattle-born rapper Macklemore, once known for his catchy hits and uplifting message, has recently found himself in hot water after footage emerged of a controversial moment during one of his performances.
The artist, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, was captured on video encouraging his audience to chant an expletive-laden attack on America. It all went down during a concert in Seattle, where Macklemore was performing at an event titled “Palestine Will Live Forever Festival.”
The atmosphere took a tense turn when he responded to a remark from the crowd by saying, “Yeah, f**k America,” amplifying the chant to an enthusiastic response from the audience.
This moment of defiance wasn’t isolated to just a crowd reaction. Following the chant, Macklemore introduced a new song, “Hinds Hall 2,” which has raised eyebrows for its harsh criticism of Israel.
The song, reportedly laced with anti-Semitic themes, points fingers at Israel's actions in the aftermath of the October 7 attack by Hamas, which claimed over 1,200 lives and left hundreds of civilians taken hostage. His rhetoric is nothing new for the rapper, who has been vocally critical of Israel in the past, but this incident seemed to strike a new chord with those both inside and outside his fan base.
"F*ck America" - Macklemore tonight in Seattle. The cheering crowd goes wild. pic.twitter.com/gF8AP6uAje
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) September 22, 2024
The blowback was swift and unforgiving. Social media erupted with outrage, with many expressing their disgust at Macklemore’s words. One post bluntly stated, “If you hate this country, then get [the f] out. Go find one that represents your ideals. American doesn’t want or need your trash here.”
Others pointed out the irony of his statement, noting that America was the very country that made his rise to stardom possible. As one comment sarcastically noted, “Shame. This country made Macklemore possible. Where else could he have got rich and famous?? Shame.”
But Macklemore's anti-Israel stance has been brewing for some time. Earlier in the year, he released the original version of “Hinds Hall,” which was already critical of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In the track, he didn’t just stop at condemning Israel’s actions; he also took aim at President Joe Biden, calling him out for his handling of the conflict and stating explicitly that he wouldn’t be voting for him in the next election.