Rapaport brands Macklemore a ‘clown’ over ‘Free Palestine’ rant

An Israeli concertgoer said Macklemore’s remarks felt like “a knife in the heart” amid the cheering crowd.

By World Israel News Staff

Jewish actor and pro-Israel activist Michael Rapaport slammed rapper Macklemore over a recent concert rant in which the performer led the audience in chanting “Free Palestine,” dubbing the musician a “clown.”

Rapaport, who has long been vocal about his support for Israel, took to X to criticize Macklemore after the rapper used an opening set for superstar Ed Sheeran as a platform to denounce Israel and make allegations of war crimes in Gaza.

“Imagine going to see Ed Sheeran & this absolute no talent none singer non rapping non dancing clown Macklemore is opening & because he actually has no act or specific skill set he’s jumping around…carrying on about a genocide that never happened in Gaza,” Rapaport posted, adding “this is a nightmare.”

Macklemore, who has had a some number-one hits as a rapper, made the anti-Israel comments at a New Jersey show last Friday.

“A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” Macklemore said in a video clip of his set that was shared on social media.

He then held his microphone toward the crowd, encouraging concertgoers to join him in chanting “Free Palestine.”

“I said, ‘Free Palestine!’ I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them,” he added.

Macklemore continued his remarks by claiming that Palestinian parents were unsure whether they would see their children again when saying goodbye to them each day, implying that they could be killed by Israel.

The comments drew a strong reaction from Israelis who attended the concert, according to Hebrew-language outlet Ynet. The outlet spoke to two Israelis who had gone to the event to see Sheeran but said they were left shaken by Macklemore’s remarks.

One concertgoer described the experience as “shocking” and “horrifying.”

Macklemore’s comments made the concertgoer think “about everything our people have been through and how even when we’re abroad we still have to feel this antisemitism,” the concertgoer said.

“It was even harder because friends of ours were killed in the war and murdered at Nova. It was like a knife in the heart to hear him sing that way and hear people cheering.”