Monday night, Macklemore took to social media to drop a new song: “HIND’S HALL.”
The track is inspired by the work of student protesters at Columbia University, who occupied the campus’s Hamilton Hall last week and renamed it “Hind’s Hall.” It acts as a tribute to a six-year-old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, who was recently killed by the Israeli military in Gaza.
In fact, the whole song is a tribute to student protesters and their cause: An immediate ceasefire and a free Palestine.
“What you willing to risk? / What you willing to give? / What if you were in Gaza? / What if those were your kids?” He raps in the song.
“You’d want the world to stand up / And the students finally did.”
While it’s not yet available on streaming platforms, Macklemore said that the song’s proceeds will all be donated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency once it is.
UNRWA works to support Palestinian refugees displaced across the Middle East, of which there are an estimated six million.
This isn’t the first time Macklemore has shown his support of Palestinians. Earlier this year, he waved a keffiyeh during a concert in Arizona. And in the fall of 2023, he took to the stage at a pro-Palestine demonstration in Washington, D.C.
“When I say Free Palestine, it’s not against anyone. It actually means we should protect everyone,” he said in an Instagram Reel, posted in December 2023.
“It means equality for all, respect, peace, and love. It means the right to exist, regardless of what sector you’re from… There’s innocent humans out in Gaza getting murdered with our dollars, and those precious human lives are an extension of us.”
The rapper has also consistently made posts on social media in support of Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, the only Palestinian American in Congress, and has amplified the work of Palestinian journalist Motaz Azaiza.
Despite comments telling him to “shut up and rap,” Macklemore believes his music carries a deeper meaning.
“Art, in its purest form, is resistance. Art, in its purest form, is from the heart, and it connects with people. It brings people together,” he said on stage earlier this year.
“The day that I stop following my heart and talking about things in the world that matter is the day that I don’t need to be on stage anymore.”
So, to his loyal fans and supporters, the release of “HIND’S HALL” doesn’t come as a surprise at all.
“Thank you for using your platform for peace,” one fan commented on the song’s Instagram debut.
The song also earned praise from popular social justice activist adrienne maree brown, who shared a fire and heart emoji.
Additionally, a number of fans made comparisons between this song, and the diss track drama between Kendrick Lamar and Drake that has dominated entertainment news coverage this week.
“Jaw-droppingly embarrassing to see those rappers exchange schoolyard insults when THIS is what artists should be doing with their talent right now,” one supporter commented.
But longtime fans know that Macklemore isn’t one for petty disputes — rather, his game is creating change.
“You’re a real one, brother,” a fan wrote. “You’ve stood ten toes down since day one — no hesitation. You are loved and respected and will be remembered forever for your loud voice in a silent industry.”
And another, with fire and clapping emojis said: “The revolution always needs a soundtrack.”
Header images courtesy of Macklemore/Instagram
