In 2024, pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses have taken place across the world, particularly in the United States, as protesters called on their universities to sever links with Israeli entities due to Israel's actions in the Israel-Hamas war.[2] Protestor encampments have been raided by US police, who arrested more than 2,300 students, many of whom face expulsion and campus bans.[3]
Protests at Columbia University have been prominent. At Columbia, activists occupied Hamilton Hall and renamed the building as "Hind's Hall" in honor of Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza City along with her relatives and paramedics who came to her rescue. On April30, 2024, New York police sieged Hamilton Hall and arrested the protestors inside.[1][4]
Macklemore calls for a ceasefire in the Israel–Hamas war.[2] He condemns the music industry's "platform of silence" on the war.[7][8] He also references the ongoing feud between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar, saying he considers it a minor issue compared to the war.[2][8][7] Additionally, Macklemore declares President Joe Biden to be complicit in the Israeli government's mass murder of Palestinian civilians, saying "The blood is on your hands, Biden".[1] Macklemore proclaims that he will not vote for Biden in the 2024 United States presidential election,[3] and that he is undecided.[9][10]
The single was released on social media on May 6, 2024.[2][11] Macklemore announced that once the song was available on streaming services, all of the single's proceeds would be donated to UNRWA.[12] Macklemore performed the song live for the first time on May 9, 2024 in New Zealand, saying, "I stand here today and every day forward for the rest of my life in solidarity with the people of Palestine, with an open heart, in the belief that our collective liberation is at stake – that we all deserve freedom in this life of ours".[13] On May 11, the song was made available on major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.[14]
The song's music video includes a photo of a college building spray-painted with the phrase "Free Palastine [sic]". Some internet users erroneously believed the photo was taken at Columbia University and used it to criticize the protesters. The photo was taken of Tabaret Hall at the University of Ottawa in Canada.[15]
Reception
Solcyre Burga in Time called it "the latest addition to the catalog of American protest songs that includes Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit" and Crosby, Stills, and Nash & Young's [sic] "Ohio."[16] Guitarist Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine tweeted: "Honestly @macklemore’s 'Hind’s Hall' is the most Rage Against The Machine song since Rage Against The Machine."[17]Jill Stein, the Green Party's presidential candidate in 2024, publicly thanked Macklemore for making the song.[2] Reception from social media has been positive, with many users praising Macklemore's use of his platform to protest.[18] Aja Romano of Vox called the song "electrifying" due to its surprise release; they noted that Macklemore's position as a white independent artist has helped him to express himself freely without career-ending consequences, especially considering the song's contentious subject matter.[19]
