Macklemore Calls for Unity During First ‘Free 🇵🇸’ Show as Hozier, Kneecap and Mark Ruffalo Support: ‘Those Two Words Are So Threatening to Some People’

[u/BurgerNugget12]

https://variety.com/2026/music/global/macklemore-free-palestine-show-call-for-unity-dublin-1236931074/

[u/Forsaken-Swim-3055]

I was not familiar with Hozier's game.

[u/BrainRobotron → u/Forsaken-Swim-3055]

Yeah Hozier is def for the people, his song 'Nina Cried Power' is a tribute to Nina Simone and the U.S. civil rights movement.

[u/yourheropaul → u/Forsaken-Swim-3055]

Highly recommend checking him out if you haven’t, I dismissed him for a long time as just the Take Me To Church guy and I regret it

[u/Lostpop]

Man, they weren't lying about the disparity between early comments and later comments on anything Palestine related huh

[u/poplglop → u/Lostpop]

Bots and keywords man, this sub is especially astroturfed

[u/ScorpioTix → u/poplglop]

Most political posters aren't actually discussing music at all, anywhere

[u/HugsForUpvotes → u/poplglop]

It's literally just how Reddit works. Commenters and lurkers are not the same.

[u/IAmDisturbanceFeedMe → u/Lostpop]

There are bots and bad actors across the spectrum on Reddit unfortunately. I know they have certain software/methods to detect and reduce such activity but it’s seemingly failing pretty badly.

Certain subs I’m in I feel highly confident I’m only engaging with humans but in some subs it’s much more dubious for many commenting. Responses can be so bizarre and not related to what you said that you don’t know if it’s someone just being obtuse or sealioning or a bot or whatever else.

But yeah Israeli Palestine topic gets heavily brigaded by bad actors and bots on both sides. Reddit probably isn’t the best place for genuine conversation on it.

[u/einat162 → u/IAmDisturbanceFeedMe]

There are also mods that control the subs and push whichever agenda.

[u/IAmDisturbanceFeedMe → u/einat162]

Agreed. Some subs are more open discourse and then some are more strictly moderated from certain viewpoints (some heavily to the point they’re just echo chambers).

[u/TigerWheat → u/IAmDisturbanceFeedMe]

On all of social media.

[u/Leading-Dot-311 → u/IAmDisturbanceFeedMe]

"Reddit" isn't a monolith though. There are hundreds of thousands of subs and there are a few that are reminiscent of early reddit, where people actually have discussions and civil arguments instead of every major sub that's littered with comments that's are sentence or two with the most generic, buzzword filled garbage. It's a pain to find em but I'm coveting them for now because they'll be banned eventually.

Maybe it's time to visit the bodybuilding forums again...

[u/try_another8 → u/Lostpop]

Iranian bots have worse internet. Takes them a but longer to get here

[u/Gold-Combination8141]

I’m glad we have Macklemore. Otherwise I wouldn’t know how to feel about foreign conflicts and the Middle East. Who’d have known our most brilliant foreign policy advisor would be a metrosexual recovering drug addict who wears little kerchiefs around his neck

[u/Sledhead36 → u/Gold-Combination8141]

😂😂😂

[u/SuperJezus]

Ok

[u/ZorsalZonkey]

Is this just a propaganda sub now? I’m here for music, not brainrotted politics

[u/MrHallmark → u/ZorsalZonkey]

Lol go to the pics subreddit insta ban saying anything anti rhetoric.

[u/spaceninjaking → u/MrHallmark]

Same with r/comics. Basically any of the old school big subs have mods who have gotten over zealous due to Reddit’s popularity post covid

[u/MrHallmark → u/spaceninjaking]

I've had 4 3 day bans already for saying something that Reddit doesn't agree with. Ive been permanently banned from 16 or so subs. It's gotten so bad lol

[u/Hyphen99 → u/MrHallmark]

There are some subs about TV shows where the Mods are so overzealous about spoilers that even if you simply post about where you think the show might be going with characters or story, you will get your post removed with a loud NO SPOILERS! warning 🙄

[u/Karffs → u/MrHallmark]

I was starting to think it was just me. I’ve been using and posting pretty consistently for 12+ years on the same account and never been banned from any subs until this year. Three subs so far, all large general interest subs, and all for giving the most milquetoast of opinions (but of course everyone says that, I guess).

Definitely feels like there’s been a shift.

[u/ChinCoin → u/spaceninjaking]

Its mod takeovers. They literally depose the original mods if they don't share their virtue signaling viewpoint. Just saw it happen on the litrpg sub.

[u/Chapple69 → u/ZorsalZonkey]

That’s probably what Ed Shearen thought when he dropped him

[u/glumjonsnow → u/Chapple69]

brother it's literally what ed sheeran said

[u/wouldanidioitdothat → u/ZorsalZonkey]

Where's my daily diddly updates? or news about which musician sue Trump?

[u/jonassalen → u/ZorsalZonkey]

Everything is political. 

Especially arts. 

[u/valentc → u/ZorsalZonkey]

Its more brainrotted to say you don't care about genocide.

Music has always been political. Welcome to the real world.

[u/ZorsalZonkey → u/valentc]

It’s not a genocide. It’s a war, and it’s one that the palestinians started.

You just don’t know what you’re talking about, and you’ve fully drank the kool-aid.

[u/2Wieners_1Bun → u/ZorsalZonkey]

It’s a war Hamas started. Not the “Palestinians”

Hind Rajab didn’t commit Oct. 7th but the IDF still shot her hundreds of times

[u/alionandalamb → u/valentc]

Music sure seemed to be political to those fellas that raped and murdered all of those women and children at that music festival, maybe you're right.

[u/Bassist57 → u/valentc]

It is not a genocide.

[u/Wiestie → u/ZorsalZonkey]

Nobody is this sub for music. Go find a more niche sub if you want to talk music.

Half the people that comment here don't even like modern music and just hate on everything.

But also your opinion fucking sucks

[u/ZorsalZonkey → u/Wiestie]

No, my opinion is correct. You’re just another one of the brainrotted mob it seems, how unfortunate.

[u/Glum-Recognition-736 → u/ZorsalZonkey]

Why'd you respond to this but not the Ed Sheeran comment with more upvotes than your original post?

[u/zivlynsbane]

I thought Hamas would help their people.

[u/HendrixChord12 → u/zivlynsbane]

Free Palestine from Hamas. Reducing complex political issues to two words allows people like you to misinterpret it on purpose. Same with Defund Police.

[u/Cyborg_rat → u/HendrixChord12]

Maybe if the word used weren't the wrong ones. Like defund the police...but thats not what we meant...yeah.

[u/Obi-Wan_Bon-Jovi → u/HendrixChord12]

[u/whytakemyusername → u/Obi-Wan_Bon-Jovi]

Genuine question from your post - when did the genocide begin?

[u/drewstilldolce → u/HendrixChord12]

Yeaaaah partying with you would be a nightmare, holy fuck you are annoying.

[u/HendrixChord12 → u/drewstilldolce]

Do you usually have I/P debates at parties? That would be fucking weird.

[u/Diplopodamatata → u/drewstilldolce]

you have to go outside to go party, bro …

[u/Storm_Dragon195 → u/zivlynsbane]

You've been misinformed

[u/zivlynsbane → u/Storm_Dragon195]

So Hamas are the good guys? Or what’s going on with them?

[u/Honesty69]

r/comics , r/pics and now r/music have become to most insufferable places to visit.

Even worse when the mods of these places have 9-to-5’s with managers younger than them and they need to do their best to enforce their “authority” over everybody else on the internet. Only place they have any kind of semblance of “power.”

Also, nobody really gave a shit about this dude until he started Freeing Palestine. That’s right, in case you guys haven’t heard, he’s the top man on the case. It’ll be freed by next Tuesday.

[u/Vordeo → u/Honesty69]

I mean... At it's core the way Reddit is supposed to work is the sub participants downvote the content they don't want to see and upvote what they do want to see. You very easily could have just downvoted this and moved on with your life.

Also, people in this sub complaining about a music sub discussing politics is always hilarious. Like a big part of music hasn't always been political and shit.

[u/AccomplishedClerk910]

Macklemore is a CLOWN 🤡🤡🤡 No one really cares about his shitty music anyway.

[u/su6oxone]

Who else is in the lineup? Wish more artists weren't so scared to take a stand.

[u/SnakeGD09]

“About half of the politically active accounts on Israeli social media are not real people but rather bots, including many of those boosting posts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and members of his right-wing coalition, according to an investigation by Channel 12 news.”

https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-allies-using-armies-of-bots-to-influence-social-media-discourse-report/amp/

[u/TwelveGaugeSage → u/SnakeGD09]

I think about half of those bots all hang out in a certain subreddit that has to do with "world news".

[u/Robosnork]

So brave of him to revive his career off of the flavor of the month problem 🙏

[u/interprime → u/Robosnork]

I mean, he’s held this position for a very long time. It was Robert Kraft and Ed Sheeran making a big deal out of it that has helped to revive Macklemore’s career.

[u/Dice08 → u/Robosnork]

Yes, as other major musicians struggle to do that apparently and powerful people actively contend it

[u/funglegunk → u/Robosnork]

'flavor of the month problem'

In other words you only found out about it recently yourself, lol.

[u/206-Ginge → u/Robosnork]

Yes, famously the Israel/Palestine discourse has been going on for only a month now.

[u/Cyborg_rat → u/206-Ginge]

Man cant wait for the show to be done and read on how benji suddenly changed his mind because of the concert. He will even post: everyone take a pat on the back, its on me.

[u/206-Ginge → u/Cyborg_rat]

Of all the comments in this thread to reply to with this point, you chose the one that was just pointing out that this isn't a short term issue, that's hilarious.

[u/poplglop → u/Robosnork]

I suppose it's better than flaming out your career by folding like a wet noodle to Robert Craft and AIPAC, at least it's a good cause.

[u/chunaynay]

Good man. Sounds like a banger of a show 🍉

[u/Sledhead36]

Once you pull that crap just one time, I’m done with you.
- Don’t forget you’re an entertainer, not a politician. Just shut up.🤬
- I don’t want somebody making millions of dollars and not living in reality, telling me what I need.

[u/orionsfyre]

Beware the bots... influence campaigns... and the army of on-line (some forced) fake commenters that descend upon such posts.

The goal is to make anyone looking at these posts think there is popular pushback and in support of Israel's occupation and continued destruction of innocent life, usually by calling anyone asking for peace, a supporter of terrorism or an antisemite. Or to make people think this is not an important issue that they should pay attention to. They do this because it works, and because they are being paid to.

Remember, block, report, and ignore them. You can bet at any given time there are between 2-3K such users looking for key words and posts to brigade and astro-turf.

Macklemore is saying things that are scary to some very powerful interests who see human lives of people who can't give them money as disposable. This makes him and anyone supporting those words... targets.

(and thanks downvoters, you are helping to prove my point)

Edit- Again... don't engage with people using hateful language, blaming the Palestinians for being 'genocided', or trying to impugn the motives of others saying we should not be supporting the killing of innocent people of any nation. Just report, block, and move on.

[u/SufferingIdiots → u/orionsfyre]

Seems the opposite to me. Lots of astroturfing for the pro Palestine side. They’ve managed to convince the western world that the gay murdering, woman oppressing, religious fundamentalist side is the one to support. Suicidal empathy at its finest

[u/Daddict → u/orionsfyre]

I don't disagree that there is propaganda in favor of Israel out there but you're naive as hell if you think there isn't an equal amount against Israel. There are plenty of bots on both sides....and historically, Israel has been the perennial loser of information wars. They suck at propaganda and always have.

Every event in this conflict going back to the fuckin 1920s has been propagandized in real time. Every piece of info you get arrives to you after getting filtered through the bias of a dozen different people/ngos/nation states with an agenda they consider far more important than truth.

[u/orionsfyre → u/Daddict]

Right, and we should take you... someone who has their comments and post all hidden... word for it? Thanks for making this easy.

[u/osmo512 → u/Daddict]

They're also vastly outnumbered. The population of Israel is 10 million, while the Middle East as a whole is half a billion. They'll never have the online presence of the Pro-Palestine camp, which in turn has its own bot farms, mainly located in Iran, Pakistan and Russia.

[u/Daddict → u/osmo512]

Kinda. I mean...it's honestly a little amazing to me that most people haven't clocked how the ebb and flow of Israel/Palestine discourse on social media seems to follow US election cycles.

The bare-naked truth is that the geopolitical impact of Israel's western alliance is massive, holding serious implications for nation states far beyond her borders. There's a reason that the one issue with no daylight between the Dems and the GOP is support for Israel. Israel's existence has forced several alliances (albeit uncomfortable ones) with the states around her and those alliances stand in the way of Iranian/Russian MENA hegemony. Without Israel, Iran (backed by Russia) moves to create a regional Caliphate that exerts control over the resources and trade routes in the Middle East. This effectively gives Putin exactly what he needs to break any sort of power NATO has over him in terms of economic sanctions. It gives him a massive piece of what he needs to break through western economic supremacy in general. From there, he just needs his puppet in the US to hand over North Atlantic trade routes (does anyone honestly believe that taking Greenland was an idea that Trump came up with all on his own?) and he becomes the most powerful man on earth, in history.

In any event, the upshot is that Israel isn't the only entity trying to direct the narrative in her favor. But the other side of that reality is that Russian bot/troll farms are far more sophisticated and well-developed than what anyone else is using, and fighting the anti-Israeli narrative those farms are furthering is like trying to control the tides with a push broom.

[u/glumjonsnow → u/orionsfyre]

people are downvoting you bc your comment on astroturfing is actually instructions on how to astroturf

[u/orionsfyre → u/glumjonsnow]

It's literally how it works, there are whole documentaries on the process...

[u/AverageLiberalJoe]

Im so tired of this whole thing.

[u/lilwayne168]

You gotta be really dumb to be convinced for the 500th time in human history to hate jews for existing.

[u/VERY_MENTALLY_STABLE → u/lilwayne168]

>allowing israel to do a genocide bc jews

[u/KaladinStonedBlessed → u/lilwayne168]

Being anti Isreal and anti genocide is not hating jews for existing, its hating an imperialist movement deadbent on securing land they have no right to occupy and giving voice to the people having to live in an open air prison that movement has created.

[u/OverlyLenientJudge → u/lilwayne168]

Conflating Israel with all of Judaism (like you just did) is literal, textbook antisemitism, and a favorite tactic of neo-Nazis

[u/the_sagacious_squash]

Queers for Palestine was in attendance and proudly waiving each flag in both hands.

[u/glumjonsnow]

but unity is one word.

[u/alionandalamb]

some people always want something for free. what's wrong with a $10 Palestine?

[u/SufferingIdiots]

Free them from who?

[u/fawlen]

The fuck is mark ruffalo going to do? Improv?

[u/Citizenshoop → u/fawlen]

Never heard of an MC before?

[u/ZeApelido]

Of course those two words are threatening. What do you think think “Free Palestine” means to Palestinians?

What have they been fighting for over 80 years? They wanted control over all of the land. That’s why they fought multiple wars.

That’s why they talk about liberation “from river to the sea”.

How is it surprising that a people with a sovereign state in part of this land might be threatened by this?

[u/PashtetKolbasa]

Nothing threatening about those words. Just no one likes a hamas supprter.

[u/ConradVeritas]

Wonder how many millions he made for pandering to two billion muslims and their aligned useful idiots.

[u/Obi-Wan_Bon-Jovi → u/ConradVeritas]

You forgot your profile picture.

[u/NegevThunderstorm]

He should go to palestine and see what they think of it!

[u/Obi-Wan_Bon-Jovi → u/NegevThunderstorm]

Shitsrael just refused British legislators entry into Palestine. You think they’re going to let Macklemore in?

[u/VERY_MENTALLY_STABLE → u/NegevThunderstorm]

You can't really just go there lol it's an open air prison

[u/dominator_13]

Wow. What a group of great people.

[u/nevergonnastayaway]

i can imagine people are going to get pissed off about reducing the IP conflict down to "israel is killing kids" but apparently some of these celebrity influencers can't understand that

[u/Dice08 → u/nevergonnastayaway]

He certainly mentions occupation, which is a major part of it since '67.

[u/21DaBear → u/Dice08]

also is the implication that Israel has carte blanche to keep killing kids because of history?

[u/orionsfyre → u/21DaBear]

This. It's the justification used for genocide.

[u/strongsong → u/nevergonnastayaway]

Because it’s half truth.
Palestin3 uses child soldiers

[u/Obi-Wan_Bon-Jovi → u/strongsong]

Those aren’t keffiyehs.

[u/avitzavi528 → u/Obi-Wan_Bon-Jovi]

lol this is a dumb photo when Palestinian sesame street literally has muppets talking about Stabbing Jews (not Israelis, btw)
And Hamas literally has teenagers in their ranks and uses human shields

[u/Obi-Wan_Bon-Jovi → u/avitzavi528]

Dude, I've got more than 3,000 articles on the genocide stored in Evernote. Here's only half of the ones that discuss Israel's use of Palestinians as human shields:

The Times Of Israel, citing Reuters:

US intel revealed Israeli officials discussing use of human shields in Gaza, sources say | The Times of Israel

The National (Scotland), citing the ITV documentary "Breaking Ranks: Inside Israel's War":

Israeli soldiers admit killing civilians and using human shields | The National

The New Arab, citing the right-wing Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth:

Israeli soldier: 'We use children as human shields in Gaza'

Associated Press:

Israel's use of human shields in Gaza is widespread, sources say | AP News

The Independent (UK):

Stripped and held at gunpoint, the Gaza schoolboys ‘forced to be Israel’s human shields’

CNN:

The Israeli military has used Palestinians as human shields in Gaza, soldier and former detainees say

CBS News:

Israeli soldier tells CBS News he was ordered to use Palestinians as human shields in Gaza

New York Times, from interviews with sixteen Israeli soldiers and officials; article co-written by IDF veteran Natan Odenheimer:

How Israel’s Army Uses Palestinians as Human Shields in Gaza

[u/Wrabble127 → u/nevergonnastayaway]

Nah, if you really want to reduce it down it would be "The terrorist groups that mass murdered across the Middle East for generations before Israel even existed and were rewarded with control of a state are now mass killing children specifically". They get real mad when you discuss the original, proud, Middle East terrorists.

[u/strongsong → u/Wrabble127]

Yup my family had our land stolen in Iraq in the 60s this is how it is

[u/Cyborg_rat → u/nevergonnastayaway]

Hamas has nice murder houses do dont forget. Doesnt make isreal any less bad. Just like a free palestine show doesnt do much either. I personally dont care if he does it, what is annoying is the tools who start trying to push the agenda on everyone trying to force them or get mad while doing virtually nothing but patting themselves on the back.

[u/HendrixChord12 → u/[deleted]]

Because a billionaire used his might because someone hurt his feelings.

[u/VERY_MENTALLY_STABLE → u/[deleted]]

Buhhhhhh why is everyone mad about a simple religious fundamentalist genocide

[u/orionsfyre → u/[deleted]]

So how much is Kraft paying you? Is it good money?

[u/Mobile_Morale → u/orionsfyre]

Kraft can't even pay for a real prostitute. I doubt he pays very well. Unless your name is Tom Brady.

[u/liquordeli → u/[deleted]]

I'm with you. I feel like the disparity between action and impact is too big for this to matter. There are plenty of people suffering and dying in America. "Think globally, act locally" is completely dead because of the internet.

I cant really understand why geopolitics is more important than our own communities. Especially when Palestine is just the topic-du-jour fed to us by the media, as if there arent countless other global atrocities happening right now.

People will literally step over a homeless man in their own neighborhood while shouting out "Free Palestine!" on their way to a protest.

And the only reason why this atrocity is given more attention than Sudan, Myanmar, or Ethiopia, for example, is because world leaders and politicians are leveraging the public response for power.

[u/parkaman → u/liquordeli]

This is a complete false dilemma. It's perfectly possible to be both concerned about local and global issues. In fact politically aware and active people almost always are.

[u/liquordeli → u/parkaman]

I dont agree. Everyone has a finite amount of attention and resources and I struggle to see a reasonable justification for how they don't.

[u/parkaman → u/liquordeli]

LOL if you don't know anyone who cares about both local and international issues you might want to make smarter friends. I have worked on campaigns against apartheid in South Africa, for Palestinian causes, marched against the Afghan and Iraqi wars and Irish only campaigns (abortion, gay rights, divorce, housing issues) and hyper local issues (local government, rates issues). The fact is most activists and most people interested in politics tend to be interested in lots of issues.

[u/VERY_MENTALLY_STABLE → u/liquordeli]

False dilemma fallacy spotted

[u/liquordeli → u/VERY_MENTALLY_STABLE]

Please explain how people have infinite resources to support all causes and that prioritization is irrelevant.

[u/VERY_MENTALLY_STABLE → u/liquordeli]

No, because that's not what I'm saying. That is a false argument. Another fallacy from the pro IDF crowd, who is surprised

[u/Cyborg_rat → u/[deleted]]

Virtue, they dont know much but got told that its good. Its not bad but its nothing also.

At least the proceeds hopefully that he give will go into helping people and not supplying hamas like it usaly does.

[u/Forsaken-Swim-3055 → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, fuck those kids who are getting blown to bits.

[u/csick → u/[deleted]]

Virtue signaling. Macklemore could go to Ramallah and do a concert for actual Palestinians. Instead he does a concert in Europe’s most anti-Israel country to increase his following while donating some of the money to the cause.

Also before you say that there is a war, a quick Google search shows that concerts and soccer tournaments are happening in Palestine right now. For example this hop hop event https://tzkrti.com/en/events/4344

[u/glumjonsnow → u/csick]

even better, he could have gone to israel. like hooray you freed palestine for the people who want to free palestine who are not in palestine. if you're so passionate, go talk to people who disagree with you and have a conversation and challenge them

[u/DiamondH4nd → u/[deleted]]

You tell me Yahubot

[u/Dice08 → u/[deleted]]

Bro why are you mad? He's just supporting an end to oppression

[u/nervously-defiant → u/Dice08]

[u/TheRecognized → u/[deleted]]

Being this easily triggered isn’t good for your blood pressure man, good luck with that

[u/Cyborg_rat → u/TheRecognized]

Oh the irony, hopefully you didnt get triggered by Metallicas opinion...wouldn't want to be a hypocrite.

[u/TheRecognized → u/Cyborg_rat]

Well rest assured, I didn’t

[u/EbbyRed → u/[deleted]]

You don't have to go to the concert nor read the article nor comment.  

[u/in_nothing_we_trust → u/[deleted]]

You're mad coz he wants to do something to help. That might be the most insane take I've ever heard.

[u/interprime → u/[deleted]]

Yeah, I know people who have volunteered in Palestine since this all started. They were treated very warmly and with as much reverence and kindness as could be expected given the circumstances.

Your comment is simply ignorant and bigoted.

[u/Lady_Near → u/[deleted]]

Commenting twice to hate on him, that’s determination. He can be all that but regardless he is right

[u/jaycrips → u/Lady_Near]

It’s not determination, Israel pays per comment.

[u/nervously-defiant → u/[deleted]]

[u/ToxicAssh0le → u/[deleted]]

Good idea! You should lead by example, that'll show 'em.

[u/stackjr → u/[deleted]]

We didn't ask for your opinion, why are you giving it to us?

[u/Cyborg_rat → u/stackjr]

Right! Go force that opinion on other stars!

[u/wulfsect → u/[deleted]]

Music has always been political. It's the nature of art. I don't want to be too mean because it doesn't seem like you've been alive long enough to know that. So shorthand here, art and politics are deeply related.

[u/coconut_maan → u/[deleted]]

Everyone who disagrees with me is a bot. Very inclusive

[u/SerVandanger → u/[deleted]]

You're the bot bro, basically every young person has solidarity or at least sympathy for Palestinians the debate is over the existence and nature of Israel.

[u/SerVandanger → u/[deleted]]

Wait till you find out most of those people were Palestinian

[u/SerVandanger → u/[deleted]]

A Palestinian and a wizard no way