An Open Letter to Macklemore


Dear Macklemore,

This letter is a response to your comments at the recent Palestine Will Live Forever Festival.


First, let me tell you about myself. I could be considered a rapper since I rap better than sing. Years ago, I pursued a career in the recording industry. I worked as a disc jockey plus produced electronic music that received national radio exposure. Then in the 1990s, I committed my life to Jesus and became a missionary. Occasionally, I glance at the Billboard website to see what’s happening with the music scene.


I first became familiar with you in 2013 when your gay anthem “Same Love” became a hit. A short time later, a friend who performs Christian rap in parades added “And We Danced” and “Can’t Hold Us” to his repertoire but with rewritten lyrics. I helped him remix the parodies of your songs.


You once told an interviewer, “I want to be someone who is respected and not just in terms of my music. I want to be respected in terms of the way that I treat people.” I would respect you more if you showed appreciation for living in a nation that’s given you the freedom to amass a net worth of $25 million. Instead, you uttered an expletive while denouncing America. Although you later made what some might consider a retraction, I have a question: Do you know of a better place to live?


Since you are interested in “freeing Palestine”, have you considered moving to the Middle East? Then again, it would be better to educate yourself more about the history of Israel and its ongoing conflicts with so-called Palestinians. Jewish people have existed in the Holy Land for over 3,000 years. It wasn’t until Israel became a nation again in 1948 that her Arab neighbors complained about the land being theirs. 


You wrote the song “Hind’s Hall” in support of pro-Palestinian protesters on college campuses. One of your lyrics states, “The problem isn’t the protests, it's what they’re protesting.” Try applying that to yourself. The current Israel–Hamas war was started by terrorists who slaughtered over a thousand innocent Israelis and foreign nationals plus holding hundreds hostage. Pro-Palenstian protesters ignore that but commemorate Hind Rajab, a six-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by the Israeli military in Gaza. It’s unfortunate civilians get killed in armed conflicts. Nevertheless, a nation has a right to defend itself when attacked.


Last but not least, I read on Wikipedia that you come from a Catholic background. While I disagree with many tenets of Catholicism (such as praying to Mary), I hope they taught you the gospel. God gave you a talent but that won’t mean anything after you die if you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. I pray you recognize your need for salvation. Eternity is a long time to be wrong.


“O Israel, hope in the Lord from this time forth and forever.” - Psalm 131:3

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