Actor Michael Rapaport expressed his approval of Macklemore being removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour after the rapper publicly called for a “Free Palestine” and performed his anti-Israel song “Hind’s Hall” during his opening act. Rapaport criticized Macklemore in a video, stating, “Macklemore don’t rap no more, you got kicked off the tour. That’s a better verse than anything you’ve done in your ridiculous career as a non-rapper.”
He further labeled Macklemore as an “anti-Jewish ‘rapper'” and suggested that he should return home to Washington State to focus on music lessons instead of spreading what he termed “bulls— lies about a fake genocide, a fake occupation and a fake apartheid.” Rapaport’s remarks were pointed, concluding with a rather emphatic dismissal.
Macklemore had previously defended his platform during the tour in a social media video, citing the importance of raising awareness for Palestine. “I wanted to do this tour to say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” he stated.
Rapaport has been vocal about his pro-Israel stance and mentioned that he’s faced backlash for it, describing the current climate as uncomfortable for him and other comedians. He noted that he experiences both verbal abuse and threats in New York City due to his beliefs. “Anti-semitic, anti-Jewish stuff… that hurts me,” he said, expressing concern for others who might feel scared or hesitant to stand up for their identities.
In contrast, some figures criticized the decision to remove Macklemore from the lineup. Twitch streamer Hasan Piker characterized the stance taken against Macklemore as excessive and argued that it reflects poorly on free expression in relation to the rights of Palestinians. He labeled the situation as reflective of deeper societal issues regarding support for Israel.
