Earlier this year, Macklemore released a pro-Palestinian protest song called “Hind’s Hall.” Today, the rapper announced that he would cancel his concert in Dubai due to the UAE’s involvement in the Sudan war.
“After careful consideration, numerous conversations with trusted organizers and friends, and my own reading/research, I have decided to cancel my upcoming show in Dubai in October. I do not take this decision lightly and think it is important to explain the reasons behind it,” his statement begins. And continues:
Over the past few months, many people have reached out to me, sharing their resources, and asking me to cancel the show in solidarity with the Sudanese people and boycott businesses in the UAE due to their role in the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis in the region. It was important for me to learn and truly understand the situation. I never want to make a decision out of fear, but rather a considered decision from the heart.
The crisis in Sudan is catastrophic. Over ten million people have been displaced, millions face looming famine, sexual violence is widespread and at least 150,000 people have lost their lives, including thousands of children. While numerous external forces are contributing to this crisis, activists, organizers, journalists and officials repeatedly highlight the UAE’s role in funding the RSF militia as the main factor.
Ultimately, I have to ask myself what my purpose is as an artist. Over the last 10 months, I have learned what factors/motivators fuel genocide and global systematic oppression. I am constantly brought back to the root of self-interest rather than collective interest. Capitalism is the glue that holds this ideology together. And if I take the money even though I know it is incompatible with my spirit, how am I any different from the politicians I actively protest against? How can I be outraged at their lack of integrity while compromising my own? How am I any different from the countries that put dollars and power above human lives?
For a long time, I lived in a shrugging attitude of “The world screwed up, but I’ll take the blame. What difference can we make as individuals?” We have been deliberately conditioned to be indifferent to issues that have nothing to do with our personal needs. But the plight of the Palestinian people has roused the world. We have seen millions of people protesting around the world, student camps, and widespread information on social media documenting not only the last ten months of genocide, but also the last 76 years of ethnic cleansing and occupation in Palestine.
While systematic oppression may not be fully dismantled in my lifetime, our collective analysis is evolving. And that’s where it begins. When we recognize that our individual liberation is the liberation of the Palestinians. The liberation of Sudan. The liberation of Congo. We are called in this moment to speak up for the world’s most marginalized. To give up our own luxuries and excess for the common pursuit of freedom and security for all. What are we willing to risk to eradicate the systems that rely on genocide for financial gain?
My decision to cancel the Dubai show comes from here. I know this will probably jeopardize my future shows in the area and I really hate to disappoint my fans. I was really excited too. But until the UAE stops arming and funding the RSF, I will not perform there.
Why should this program be cancelled and others not, when I clearly disagree with the actions of many governments? Because the current situation in Sudan is urgent and terrible and receives little attention worldwide. I am following the example of Sudanese organizers and activists who are trying to make their voices heard.
I do not judge other artists performing in the UAE. But I ask my colleagues who will be performing in Dubai: what could we achieve if we used our platforms to mobilise collective liberation?
Ultimately, I hope this leads to more awareness and conversation about the acute humanitarian crisis in Sudan. My message, as always, is love.
The United Arab Emirates has denied supplying weapons to Sudan’s paramilitary RSF forces, although it has called it an “open secret.” On Friday, US-led mediators revealed that the Sudanese army was absent from a discussion on improving humanitarian access, hampering progress.
