Macklemore has shared a new protest song that not only supports Palestine but also takes a direct swipe at fellow artist Drake.
The Seattle-based rapper shared a snippet of the untitled track on social media, highlighting his stance on the ongoing conflict in Palestine, which has seen increased violence since October 2023.
In the snippet, Macklemore criticises the silence within the music industry regarding Israel’s war on Gaza, questioning the integrity and activism of artists today. He raps, “Yet the music industry’s quiet, complicit in their platform of silence / What happened to the artist, what do you got to say?”
The song escalates when Macklemore then mentions Drake: “If I was on a label, you could drop me today and be fine with it cause the heart fed my page / I want a ceasefire, f**k a response from Drake / What you willing to risk, what you willing to give?”
View this post on InstagramLove Hip Hop?
Get the latest Hip Hop news, features, updates and giveaways straight to your inbox Learn more
This isn’t the first time Macklemore has been in the spotlight for his interactions with other artists. His history with Drake dates back to the 2014 Grammys, when after winning Best Rap Album for over Kendrick Lamar, Macklemore sent a controversial text to Kendrick, which he later publicised. Drake criticised this move in a Rolling Stone interview, calling it “cheap” and questioning its sincerity.
🇺🇸MACKLEMORE RELEASES PRO-PALESTINE SONG: HIND'S HALL
Macklemore has released a new track supporting student protesters advocating for Palestine, directing all streaming proceeds to UNRWA.
Columbia University students renamed Hamilton Hall to Hind Hall in honor of the… pic.twitter.com/PHsc6du42j
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 7, 2024
Meanwhile, Drake is currently embroiled in a heated feud with Kendrick, marked by a series of diss tracks including Lamar’s “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us”, and Drake’s response with “The Heart Part 6”.
In other Macklemore news, the rapper was recently praised by friend and collaborator Tones and I on the ‘Behind The Rolling Stone Cover’ podcast. The Aussie pop star described Macklemore as “one of my best friends in this industry” in the podcast appearance.