Rapper Macklemore brought his charity concert series to Paris on Thursday night, marking the second stop of the Free Palestine Tour. The tour was launched following his removal from Ed Sheeran’s stadium lineup due to onstage statements supporting Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.
The sold-out Paris concert featured a diverse roster of musical acts and speakers who united in support of the Palestinian movement. Performing artists included Aurora, who sang her track “The Seed” from her album A Different Kind of Human (Step 2), alongside DJ Habibeats, Pomme, Portugal The Man, Redvell, Siba, Tamer Nafar, Xiuhtezcati Martinez, and Zeyne.
“All the artists, all the speakers that have come together with one common goal, which is a free Palestine,” Macklemore told the roaring crowd. Addressing the audience during the event, he spoke about historical borders, inherited hatred, and the visibility of the ongoing conflict through digital media. “We’ve all seen a live-streamed genocide for the past three years in the palm of our hand. You cannot dehumanize another human being without dehumanizing yourself.”
During his set, Macklemore performed Rudimental’s “These Days” and delivered his hit “Can’t Hold Us” from his debut album, The Heist. During the bridge of the track, he jumped the barricade to join the audience while green and red confetti, mirroring the colors of the Palestinian flag, rained down on the venue.
The evening also featured guest speakers including journalist Ahmed Shihab-Eldin, actor Carice van Houten, and Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories. Albanese addressed the audience regarding human rights documentation and international solidarity, urging listeners to turn awareness into collective action.
The concert series began on Monday in Dublin with appearances from Hozier, Kneecap, and Boega—the backing band that previously withdrew from Sheeran’s tour in solidarity with Macklemore. The Seattle rapper is scheduled to conclude the charity run in London on Friday, with proceeds designated for organizations including Medical Aid for Palestinians, the Palestinian Youth Movement, Heal Palestine, the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, the Gaza Soup Kitchen, Jewish Voice for Peace, and the UNRWA USA National Committee.
