Rapper Macklemore releases song in the US in support of Palestine

The North American rapper Macklemore published a video for the song “Hind’s Hall” on his Instagram profile on Monday (May 6, 2024). The clip features a compilation of images of pro-Palestinian protests at universities in the United States and the detention of students by American police. At the beginning of the song, Macklemore says: “The problem isn’t the protests, it’s what they’re protesting about”. And he adds: “Screw the police.”

He stated that he will donate all proceeds from the track to UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, in Portuguese). The song has not yet been released on broadcast channels. streaming, such as Spotify, Deezer and YouTube.

Watch the clip posted by the artist (2min48s):

Since April 18, 2,500 people have been arrested in demonstrations at US universities, according to a report published by New York Times on Monday (May 6). The police operated in 52 higher education institutions. Among them are Yale, Dartmouth College, Princeton and Columbia, which are part of the Ivy League (group of the best universities in the country).

The rapper, who has already won 3 Grammys, also criticized US military funding for Israel and said he will not vote for President Joe Biden (Democratic Party) in the November presidential elections.

Macklemore also mentions the possible ban of TikTok in the country, capitalism and “white supremacy”.

Finally, the rapper reprimanded artists who are not taking a stance on Palestine. “I want a ceasefire, screw a Drake response.”. The reference is to a fight between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar, who released tracks exchanging insults on Saturday (May 4).

According to the British newspaper Independent, the artist’s song uses rhythms from the song “Ana La Habibi” by Lebanese singer Fairuz. She is known for supporting the Palestinian cause.

Read the translated lyrics of “Hind’s Hall”:

“Yes, people don’t leave
“What’s threatening about falling apart and wanting peace?
“The problem is not the protests, it is what they are protesting for
“This goes against what our country is funding
“Block the barricade until Palestine is free
“Block the barricade until Palestine is free
“When I was 7, I learned a lesson from Cube and Eazy-E
“What’s new? Ah yes, screw the police.”

“Agents with badges protecting property
“And a system designed by white supremacy
“But the people are in the streets
“You can bribe Meta, but you can’t bribe me
“Politicians who serve at any cost
“AIPAC, CUFI and all companies
“You see, we sell fear for the land of the free
“But this generation is about to cut ties
“You can ban TikTok, take us out of the algorithm
“But it is too late, we have seen the truth, we have witnessed
“We saw the rubble, the buildings, the mothers and children
“And all the men you murdered and then we see how you distort
“Who has the right to defend themselves and who has the right to resist
“It was always a question of money and the color of your pigment, but
“White supremacy is finally exposed
“Shouting ‘Free Palestine’ until they’re finally home.”

“We see the lies in them, claiming that it is anti-Semitic to be anti-Zionist
“I have seen Jewish brothers and sisters out there and supporting
“Solidarity and shouting ‘Free Palestine’ with them
“Organizing, unlearning and finally cutting ties with
“A state that must rely on an Apartheid system to maintain a violent occupation
“History has been repeating itself for the last 75 years
“The Nakba never ended, the colonizer lied
“If students in tents posted on the lawn
“Occupying the campus actually goes against the law
“And it’s a reason to call the police and their troops
“Where does genocide fit into your definition, huh?
“Destroying every college in Gaza and every mosque
“Pushing everyone into Rafah and dropping bombs
“The blood is on your hands, Biden, we can see everything
“And of course not, I won’t vote for you in the fall
“Undecided, you cannot distort the truth, people here are united
“We will never be defeated when freedom is on the horizon
“Yet the music industry is silent, complicit in its platform of silence.”

“What happened to the artist? What do you have to say?
“If I was on a label, you could drop me today
“I would be okay with that because the heart feeds my page
“I want a ceasefire, screw a Drake response
“What are you willing to risk? What are you willing to give?
“What if you were in Gaza? What if those were your children?
“If the West were pretending you didn’t exist
“You wish the world would rise up and the students finally did that, come on.”