Macklemore leads anti-America chant during charity concert in Seattle to benefit Palestinian refugees

Macklemore chanted 'f*** America' on Saturday while performing in Seattle at a charity festival to benefit Palestinian refugees.

The 41-year-old Seattle native hit the stage at the Palestine Will Live Forever Festival in support of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees and encouraged people to 'straight up' join the chant, according to an article on Sunday by TMZ.

The rapper told the audience he wasn't going to stop them if they did and then said, 'F*** America' as the audience erupted into cheers.

Macklemore, real name Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, has been highly critical of United States foreign policy as the war between Israel and Hamas has intensified.

He released a protest song in May 2024 titled Hind's Hall in support of the 2024 pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses.

All proceeds from Hinds Hall will be donated towards UNRWA.

The Grammy-winning rapper in the protest song was critical of US President Joe Biden for providing military support to Israel.

He said in his song: 'The blood is on your hands Biden, we can see it all. And f*** no, I'm not voting for you in the fall.'

The rapper, best known for his pro-LGBTQ+ rights song Same Love, also called out the music industry for being 'complicit in their platform of silence.'

The video accompanying the song intersperses his lyrics with clips of protests across American colleges, which experienced a surge of clashed between protesters and campus police.

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees had much of its funding cut this year following allegations its workers were involved with the October 7 attack by Hamas against Israel.

Macklemore has long been a supporter of Palestinian people.

In November, Macklemore gave an impromptu speech at a pro-Palestine rally in Washington DC, in which he told the crowd: ' 'I don't know enough, but I know enough that this is a genocide.

His speech was preceded by a statement on October 19 in which he condemned Hamas' bloody incursion against Israel, and Israel's brutal response against the Gaza Strip, calling the latter 'an unfolding genocide' and a 'US backed catastrophe.' 

Macklemore rose to fame collaborating with producer Ryan Lewis as the duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis from 2009 to 2016.

Their single Thrift Shop reached number one on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart in 2013 and their second single Can't Hold Us also peaked at number one on the Hot 100 chart.

The duo won four Grammy Awards at the 2014 ceremony, including Best New Artist, Best Rap Album, Best Rap Song and Best Rap Performance.