On September 19, it was announced that Macklemore would headline the inaugural Neon City Festival in Las Vegas. However, just days later, on September 24, festival organizers revealed that “Macklemore will no longer be performing due to unforeseen circumstances.”
On September 21, Macklemore delivered a performance at a benefit festival in Seattle titled Palestine Will Live Forever. During this event, he expressed strong sentiments about the United States, stating, “We should be ashamed of America,” which sparked significant attention online.
Although Macklemore has not publicly commented on his withdrawal from the Neon City Festival, his recent remarks have drawn responses from two local sports franchises. Both the Seattle Kraken and Seattle Sounders FC issued a joint statement emphasizing their commitment to unity: “We believe that sports should bring people together. Macklemore’s divisive comments do not reflect our values, and we are actively evaluating our options regarding this situation.”
Additionally, a Seattle Mariners representative stated, “We recognize this incident and align with the local teams regarding our belief that sports and music should connect, not divide us. We continue to monitor developments closely.”
Macklemore has emerged as a prominent advocate for Palestinian causes, particularly during the Seattle festival where he supported various aid organizations, including Pious Projects and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. Recently, he released “Hind’s Hall 2,” a follow-up to his pro-Palestine track “Hind’s Hall.” This new song features contributions from Palestinian American artists and was performed at the Palestine Will Live Forever event.
