The Vancouver artist is showing support for the country after rapper Macklemore was fired from Ed Sheeran’s world tour for his “Free Palestine” comments, one of many responses from Canadian artists.
The buzzy Vancouver act took to social media to announce that he wants to “throw a massive charity concert” to raise money for the people living in Palestine.
“WHO WANNA LOCK IN ?!?,” he captioned the post, asking his followers who should perform and what city the concert should be hosted in. “Calling all my artist friends to stand on business and raise some money 🍉,” he continued.
bbno$ is one of the artists who supported Macklemore after it was announced that the rapper was fired from Ed Sheeran’s tour because of the “Free Palestine” comments made during his opening set. The decision came after venues allegedly threatened to cancel tour dates with the rapper.
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The news has divided many artists and executives in the music industry, bringing their political values and morals to the forefront, including Robert Kraft, the owner of Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, who had a heavy hand in Macklemore’s removal from the tour, claiming that the rapper’s “recent actions” at Sheeran’s show in New Jersey were “deeply offensive.”
“We determined that his participation in the September 25th and 26th concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line,” he said in a statement, claiming that the decision was “not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf” — rather, he felt “a line had been crossed” by Macklemore.
In close succession, Beoga — the band that played a six-song mini set alongside Sheeran during the Loop Tour shows — shared earlier this week that they wouldn’t complete their trek with Sheeran, citing “the silencing of Macklemore by zionist lobbies.”
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Continuing to stand on business, Macklemore donated $1 million in his earnings from Sheeran’s tour to Palestinian aid, calling on Kraft to match his donation.
“Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting,” he wrote in his statement addressing Kraft. “A Palestinian life is no less valuable than another life on this earth.” It seems Kraft followed through but explained that Sheeran had already asked him "to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis."
Currently boasting over two million likes, Macklemore’s statement generated much praise from musicians, including a handful of Canadian acts.
“standing on business !!!!!! ❤️,” wrote bbno$, while Nemahsis, a Palestinian-Canadian artist who has faced career repercussions for her own pro-Palestinian advocacy, said: “WE fill those rooms. It's up to US to [decide] what we need with this information. Steadfast ♡.”
Cœur de pirate said she had "actual shivers reading this. All of my respect,” and rising pop singer Sofia Camara just commented a series of hearts: “❤️❤️❤️❤️.”
Meanwhile, pop artist Pink has been an outspoken critic of Macklemore's on-stage remarks and led the charge for his removal from the Ed Sheeran tour. In a long clarification post posted last week at the start of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year celebration, she wrote that "What I need is to be able to say, as a Jewish mom, that scared me, and it scared people I love, without being told our fear is just propaganda, and without being told I’m somehow cool with genocide because I noticed?”
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That post got likes from a few Canadian artists, including Michael Bublé and Geddy Lee, singer and bassist of Rush, who wished her Shana Tova (a Rosh Hashanah greeting meaning "good year") in the comments of the post.
As for bbno$'s post, many Canadian artists have already answered the call. "Hell Yes!" wrote Good Kid. "IM IN!!!??" said drag star Priyanka. Star Canadian actor Maitreyi Ramakrishnan wrote "I vote Toronto," suggesting the city as the site of the Palestine charity concert.
With music industry reactions continuing to swirl, there is sure to be much more to come from artists across the world.
