Macklemore has decided to use his platform and power to stand up for the Sudanese people against The United Arab Emirates. The “Thrift Shop” rapper hopped on Instagram Stories to share the news with his fans. Macklemore says after “numerous conversations with trusted organizers” and friends (along with his own research), it was ultimately best to cancel his upcoming show in Dubai.
“I don’t take this decision lightly, and I think it’s important to explain why,” he says. The rapper continues: “Over the last several months I’ve had a number of people reach out to me, sharing resources and asking me to cancel the show in solidarity with the people of Sudan and to boycott doing business in UAE for the role they are playing in the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis in the region. It was important for me to learn and really get a grasp on the situation. I never want to make a decision out of fear but a measured one from the heart.”
“how am I any different than the politicians I’ve been actively protesting against?” Macklemore says.
Macklemore’s lengthy post continues, highlighting the crisis in Sudan including, displacement, famine, and sexual violence. “While numerous external forces contribute to this crisis, advocates, organizers, journalists, and officials repeatedly highlight the UAE’s role in funding the RSF militia as a major factor.” The rapper says he pondered his intention as an artist. In his opinion, taking the money makes him just as guilty as the politicians he’s fighting against.
“I keep getting led back to self interest over collective interest at the root. Capitalism is the glue that holds this ideology together. And if I take the money, while knowing it doesn’t sit right with my spirit, how am I any different than the politicians I’ve been actively protesting against?” Macklemore writes. “How can I be outraged by their lack of integrity while compromising my own? How am I different than the countries that put dollars and power over human life?”