At MetLife Stadium, Macklemore made headlines by turning up the heat in his opening act for Ed Sheeran, boldly calling for a “Free Palestine.” With his performance of “Hind’s Hall,” the rapper raised the stakes, stirring up both applause and discontent among concertgoers. But how exactly does the cosmos influence such charged moments? Maybe it’s the fiery energy of a Mars-in-Aries kind of day, igniting passionate takes and fiery debates. Enter Michael Rapaport, who wasn’t having any of it. The actor and outspoken supporter of Israel took to social media, delivering a scathing critique of Macklemore’s message and questioning Sheeran’s choice of tour mates. What does this intersection of celebrity activism and astrology reveal about our current cultural climate? Jump into the drama as we unpack this stellar clash of opinions, where art meets activism under the twinkling stars!
Michael Rapaport tore into Macklemore after the rapper used his opening set at an Ed Sheeran concert to deliver a forceful pro-Palestinian message. Macklemore performed “Hind’s Hall” and repeatedly called for a “Free Palestine” while appearing at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The politically charged performance drew cheers from some audience members and backlash from others, including Rapaport, who publicly questioned why Sheeran invited Macklemore to join his tour.

Rapaport, who is Jewish and has become one of Hollywood’s most vocal supporters of Israel since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, responded to footage from the concert with a blistering post on X.
“Imagine going to see Ed Sheeran & this absolute no talent none singer non rapping non dancing clown Macklemore is opening & because he actually has no act or specific skill set he’s jumping around like dkc carrying on about a genocide that never happened in Gaza,” Rapaport wrote. “This is a nightmare.”
The actor and comedian then turned his attention toward Sheeran, questioning the British singer’s decision to include Macklemore on the tour. “So Ed Sheeran is ok with this p-ss stain opening up for him? Sweet Ed Sheeran?” Rapaport wrote.
In a separate post, he continued criticizing Macklemore’s career and musical abilities. “Calling this dude a ‘Rapper’ is disrespectful to any actual ‘Rapper,’” he declared.
Rapaport’s claim that genocide “never happened” reflects his own position in the ongoing and highly disputed public debate over how Israel’s military campaign in Gaza should be characterized.

Videos from the MetLife Stadium performance showed Macklemore wearing a keffiyeh around his neck and leading the audience in a chant. “Say free, free Palestine!” he repeatedly called from the stage.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, also explained why he wanted to join Sheeran for the U.S. leg of the tour. “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” he said.
“I said, ‘Free Palestine!’ I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them,” Macklemore continued.
The rapper then spoke about his 11-year-old daughter, Sloan, while arguing that every child deserves the opportunity to grow up in safety. “I have an 11-year-old daughter, her name is Sloan, she’s here tonight,” he said. “And if any of you guys are parents, then you know that that love that you have for your kids cannot be put into words, right?”
He added, “I want to see her grow up, I want to see her go to school, to fall in love, to figure out meaning, purpose, joy, her existence on this planet. I want it to be the most beautiful possible.”

Macklemore acknowledged that he felt apprehensive about delivering the speech but said remaining silent would conflict with his reason for performing. “And if I let that fear I felt on the plane yesterday stop me from speaking my heart in order to keep my own comfort and the audience’s comfort, that is the day I no longer continue to be on stage,” he said. “So, I say, ‘Free Palestine!’”
Macklemore broadened his message before concluding the speech, calling for freedom in several countries and condemning U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “I say, free America, free Cuba to the Congo to Sudan to Iran, and all the people in America who have to live in fear because of this terrorist organization, ICE,” he said.
Macklemore reportedly repeated the pro-Palestinian messaging during Sheeran’s second MetLife Stadium concert on Saturday night.

Following his speech, Macklemore performed “Hind’s Hall” as images of Gaza, Israeli soldiers and pro-Palestinian protests appeared across the stadium’s screens. The 2024 protest song was inspired by the demonstrations that erupted on college campuses across the United States during the Israel-Gaza war. Its title references Hamilton Hall at Columbia University, which protesters occupied and symbolically renamed in memory of Hind Rajab, a Palestinian child killed in Gaza.
According to TIME, the song criticized the Biden administration’s support for Israel and called for a ceasefire. Macklemore also pledged the track’s streaming proceeds to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees.

Macklemore is not the only celebrity who has used a major entertainment platform to address the conflict. At the 2024 GLAAD Media Awards, Reneé Rapp called for a ceasefire while accepting the award for Outstanding Music Artist.
“We’re in a room of very influential people, very privileged people, which is exciting and also is a huge privilege to be a part of that,” Rapp said. “Having said that, I’d like to take the opportunity to show support and call for an immediate ceasefire and permanent ceasefire in Gaza.”
Gigi Hadid, whose father is Palestinian, has also repeatedly addressed the conflict on social media. “I have deep empathy and heartbreak for the Palestinian struggle and life under occupation, it’s a responsibility I hold daily,” Hadid wrote in one post.
However, the model also explicitly condemned violence against Jewish people and stressed that her hopes for Palestinians did not include harming others.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.