The rapper Macklemore is now facing serious career repercussions after he declared “Fuck America” during a recent pro-Palestinian concert in Seattle.
Macklemore has been dropped as the headliner for an upcoming Las Vegas music festival in the wake of the blowback. His affiliations with local Seattle sports teams are also reportedly in jeopardy following his stunt.
In response, Macklemore issued a quasi-apology on his Instagram account.
“My thoughts and feelings are not always expressed perfectly or politely,” the 41-year-old rapper wrote. “Sometimes I slip up and get caught in the moment. Saturday night was one of those times.”
As Breitbart News reported, Macklemore was performing Saturday at an event titled “Palestine Will Live Forever,” which aimed to raise funds for several organizations, including the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which has been linked to Hamas by Israeli officials.
“Straight up, say it — I’m not gonna stop you; I’m not gonna stop you. Yeah, Fuck America,” he said, in what appeared to be a response to the crowd’s chants.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, faced immediate blowback after journalist Cam Higby shared footage of the episode on social media.
Las Vegas’s inaugural Neon City Festival announced Tuesday that Macklemore will no longer be headlining the event, though organizers didn’t provide a reason.
The festival shared the news on Instagram, writing: “Macklemore will no longer be performing due to unforeseen circumstances.”
Mackelmore’s affiliations with local Seattle sports teams are also reportedly in jeopardy following his stunt.
The Kraken and Sounders issued a joint statement following the rapper’s festival appearance. Macklemore is part of the ownership groups of two Seattle sports teams.
“We believe that sports bring people together and unite us. We are aware of Macklemore’s increasingly divisive comments, and they do not reflect the values of our respective ownership groups, leagues, or organizations. We are currently evaluating our collective options on this matter,” they said in a statement to the Seattle Times.
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