SEATTLE — Washington musician Macklemore is facing backlash for his comments during a benefit concert at Seward Park in South Seattle over the weekend.
During the concert, which was billed as a benefit for United Nations Relief Works Agency to help aid Palestinians in the war in Gaza, Macklemore said, “Straight up, say it. I’m not going to stop you. I’m not going to stop you. Uhm, yeah, f**k America,” to which the crowd cheered.
Macklemore is an investor in both the Seattle Kraken and the Seattle Sounders. The sports teams reacted to the comment in a joint statement, “We believe that sports bring people together and unite us. We are aware of Macklemore’s increasingly divisive comments, and they do not reflect the values of our ownership groups, leagues or organizations. We are currently evaluating our collective options on this matter.”
Macklemore’s song ‘Can’t Hold Us’ also plays during Mariners home games, and the rapper has also had several performances around Seahawks games - including a performance during halftime of the NFC Championship game against the 49ers.
“It would be silly to expect a hip-hop artist to be apolitical, that’s not even close to that genre,” said Anne Searcy, Associate Professor of Music History at the University of Washington. She focuses on the intersection of music and politics, especially in the 20th and 21st Century.
Macklemore has been outspoken about the war in Gaza, releasing a song earlier this year supporting the protests that took over college campuses.
“There’s a very long history of [music and politics] coming together,” Searcy says.
Macklemore released the following statement Wednesday regarding his actions:
❤️
Posted by Macklemore on Wednesday, September 25, 2024
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