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Macklemore<\/strong><\/a> has announced that he is cancelling one of his upcoming shows.<\/p>\n The 41-year-old \u201cThrift Shop\u201d rapper was scheduled to perform at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on October 4, 2024.<\/p>\n However, on Saturday (August 24), Macklemore<\/strong> announced that he was cancelling the show due to the UAE\u2019s involvement in the Sudan War.<\/p>\n Keep reading to find out more\u2026<\/em><\/strong><\/span>After careful thought, numerous conversations with trusted organizers and friends and my own reading\/ research, I have decided to cancel my upcoming show in Dubai this October. I don\u2019t take this decision lightly and think it\u2019s important to explain why,\u201d Macklemore<\/strong> started in a statement shared on Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cOver the last several months I\u2019ve had a number of people reach out to me, sharing resources and asking me to cancel the show in solidarity with the people of Sudan and to boycott doing business in UAE for the role they are playing in the ongoing genocide and humanitarian crisis in the region,\u201d Macklemore<\/strong> continued. \u201cIt was important for me to learn and really get a grasp on the situation. I never want to make a decision out of fear but a measured one from the heart.\u201d<\/p>\n He added, \u201cThe crisis in Sudan is catastrophic. Over ten million people have been displaced, millions face imminent famine, sexual violence is widespread, and at least 150,000 lives have been lost, including thousands of children. While numerous external forces contribute to this crisis, advocates, organizers, journalists, and officials repeatedly highlight the UAE\u2019s role in funding the RSF militia as a major factor.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAt the end of the day I have to ask myself what is my intention as an artist? The last 10 months I\u2019ve been learning what factors\/motivators feed genocide and global systemic oppression,\u201d Macklemore<\/strong> wrote. \u201cI keep getting led back to self interest over collective interest at the root. Capitalism is the glue that holds this ideology together. And if I take the money, while knowing it doesn\u2019t sit right with my spirit, how am I any different than the politicians I\u2019ve been actively protesting against? How can I be outraged by their lack of integrity while compromising my own? How am I different than the countries that put dollars and power over human life?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFor a long time I lived in a shoulder shrug place of \u2018The worlds f\u2013ked up, but I\u2019m gonna get the bag. What difference can we individually make anyway?\u2019 We have been intentionally conditioned to be apathetic on issues outside of our personal needs,\u201d Macklemore<\/strong> continued. \u201cBut the plight of the Palestinian people has woken the world up. We have seen people around the globe protesting in the millions, college encampments and widespread information through social media that has not only documented the last 10 months of genocide but the last 76 years of ethic cleansing and occupation in Palestine.\u201d<\/p>\n He wrote, \u201cAlthough dismantling systemic oppression might not fully happen during my lifetime, our collective analysis is evolving. That is where it starts. When we realize our individual liberation IS Palestinian liberation. Is Sudanese liberation. Is Congolese liberation. We are being called in this moment to advocate for the most marginalized around the world. To put our own luxury and abundance aside for the collective pursuit of freedom and safety for all. What are we willing to risk in order to uproot the systems that depend on genocide for monetary gain?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy decision to cancel the Dubai show comes from this place. I know that this will probably jeopardize my future shows in the area, and I truly hate letting any of my fans down. I was really excited too. But until the UAE stops arming and funding the RSF I will not perform there,\u201d Mackelmore <\/strong>explained. \u201cWhy cancel this show and not others when clearly I disagree with the actions of many governments? Because the current situation in Sudan is urgent, horrific and it\u2019s going largely unnoticed globally. I\u2019m following the lead of Sudanese organizers and activists who are trying to be heard.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have no judgment against other artists performing in the UAE. But I do ask the question to my peers scheduled to play in Dubai: If we used our platforms to mobilize collective liberation, what could we accomplish?\u201d Macklemore<\/strong> concluded. \u201cUltimately, I hope this brings more awareness and conversation about the urgent humanitarian crisis in Sudan. As always, my message is love.\u201d<\/p>\n Last October, Macklemore <\/strong>shared his stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n