Macklemore cancels Dubai show over Sudan conflict

US rapper Macklemore has canceled his October show in Dubai due to the UAE’s alleged involvement in the conflict in Sudan. He told the BBC that people had for months been asking him to call off the concert in protest of its reported support for Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which are involved in the ongoing conflict and humanitarian crisis in Sudan.

This is not the first time the artist has spoken up about geo-political matters that have caused catastrophic humanitarian crises. The Hollywood Reporter in May 2024 revealed that Macklemore released a song titled “Hind’s Hall,” which supports pro-Palestinian college protesters and critiques President Biden amid the Gaza conflict. The song’s name honors Hind, a 6-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed while trying to escape the fighting in Gaza City. Macklemore’s lyrics express that the issue isn’t with the protests themselves but with the causes they are fighting for, urging protesters to continue their efforts until Palestine is liberated.