Macklemore defends college protesters in pro-Palestine song, slams Biden: 'I'm not voting for you'

Brendan Morrow, USA TODAY
·2 min read

Macklemore is speaking his mind in a new pro-Palestine track.

The rapper, 40, on Monday shared a new song on social media, in which he passionately expresses support for the pro-Palestinian protests that have been occurring on college campus in the United States. The song is titled "Hind's Hall," a reference to the fact that protesters at Columbia University renamed Hamilton Hall as Hind's Hall in a tribute to a 6-year-old reportedly killed by Israeli forces.

"The people, they won't leave," Macklemore raps on the song, the video for which showed footage from protests. "What is threatening about divesting and wanting peace? The problem isn't the protests, it's what they're protesting. It goes against what our country is funding."

Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, has dropped a new song defending pro-Palestinian protesters.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, has dropped a new song defending pro-Palestinian protesters.

College protesters have demanded their universities divest from Israel amid the country's war in Gaza, which started in October following a deadly attack by Hamas.

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A post shared by BEN (@macklemore)

In the track, Macklemore slams "lies" that "it's antisemitic to be antizionist" before accusing Israel of genocide, rapping, "If 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?"

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In remarks about the campus unrest delivered at the White House last week, President Joe Biden said that peaceful protests are "in the best tradition of how Americans respond to consequential issues" before adding, "Destroying property is not a peaceful protest. It's against the law. Vandalism, trespassing, breaking windows, shutting down campuses, forcing the cancelation of classes and graduations, none of this is a peaceful protest."

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In "Hind's Hall," Macklemore directly calls out Biden and declares that he won't be voting for him in the 2024 presidential election. "The blood is on your hands, Biden," he raps. "We can see it all, and (expletive) no, I'm not voting for you in the fall."

On Instagram, Macklemore said that when his song is uploaded to streaming services, proceeds will benefit UNRWA, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.

"Hind's Hall" was not yet available to stream on Spotify as of Tuesday afternoon, but the rapper's Instagram video of the song has received over one million likes. "You are on the right side of history!" read one comment. "Thank you for showing us art should be a stance."

Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas, John Bacon and Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY; Reuters

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Macklemore defends college protesters in new pro-Palestine song

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