Macklemore speaks out against war in his new track ‘Fu**ed Up’. Targeting Trump, Musk, and the ongoing crisis in Gaza [Getty]
Award-winning US rapper Macklemore released a powerful track on Tuesday, taking aim at US President Donald Trump, billionaire Elon Musk, and the war-torn regions of Gaza, Sudan, and Congo.
Since the onset of Israel’s war on Gaza on 7 October 2023, the American artist has notably used his online platforms to amplify pro-Palestine advocacy.
This later inspired the release of ‘Hind’s Hall’ and ‘Hind’s Hall 2’- two politically-charged anthems that famously criticised the former Biden administration’s handling of the devastating war on the enclave.
His latest song, ‘Fu**ed Up’, was shared across his social media platforms, continuing his unapologetic stance in promoting anti-war activism.
Accompanied by a video using both archival and recent news footage highlighting the scale of devastation in conflict-ridden regions, Macklemore shared his views on the track, criticising the current Trump administration’s domestic and foreign policies.
“New era ushered but white supremacy is still in charge / Talking colonising Gaza from the White House lawn,” he rapped, referencing the US leader’s controversial comments regarding his ‘ethnic cleansing plan’ to forcibly displace Palestinians from Gaza.
Similar to ‘Hind’s Hall’, Macklemore expressed his support for pro-Palestine protesters who have called for an end to the war on Gaza, which has since claimed the lives of nearly 62,000 Palestinians during Israel’s 15-month assault on the Palestinian enclave.
“Finally see the oligarchy and men that control us all,” one of the verses states, stressing the burden on American taxpayers who fund the US alliance with Israel, providing both military and financial aid.
“Killing Palestinian kids and we get hit with the cost?” another states.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, also highlighted the rise of misinformation and disinformation in the US. The music video showed footage of major tech corporations such as Netflix, Apple TV, Amazon Prime and Facebook, while he alluded to their role in shaping public perceptions.
“But you know us Americans, out of sight, out of mind, and they know it too. That’s why they’re running game on our lives,” he rapped.
The Grammy winner also took aim directly at X and Tesla owner Elon Musk, infamous for his far-right advocacy, with the music video showing Musk’s infamous ‘Nazi salute’.
“They got me f***** up, they got me f***** up, Elon got me f***** up. And Elon, we know exactly what that was, bruh. They got us f***** up,” Macklemore chanted in the chorus.
He also rapped: “You can bomb a mosque but you can’t bomb faith. You can kill people, resistance grows in the wake. And while our president sends billions to Israel’s safes, ethnic cleansing’s never gonna make Israelis feel safe.”
‘Fu**ed Up’ has yet to be released on major streaming platforms such as Spotify; however, the rapper has stated that all proceeds will go to the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), an organisation which is critical for providing humanitarian aid for Palestinians but was banned by Israel last year.
Macklemore has been outspoken on numerous causes, having previously cancelled a music gig in Dubai over the ongoing crisis in Sudan and the United Arab Emirates’ role in the “genocide and humanitarian crisis in the region.”
Pro-Palestine advocates praised the rapper’s activism, especially following the release of ‘Hind’s Hall’, which was inspired by the pro-Palestine protest movement that swept through US college campuses last year, as well as the tragic killing of six-year-old Hind Rajab from Gaza, who was killed in an Israeli shooting.
