US rapper Macklemore canceled a planned concert in Dubai in October because of the United Arab Emirates’ role in the Sudanese war. The United Nations has accused the UAE of supplying weapons to the Rapid Assistance Forces, a paramilitary group fighting against Sudanese forces, and has said that without their involvement, the ongoing conflict that has caused the world’s worst humanitarian crisis would have already ended.
While the UAE has repeatedly denied supplying arms to the RSF, UN experts have reported “credible” evidence that the country is sending weapons from northern Chad several times a week. Click here to read our full explanation of why the UAE and other countries, including Russia and Iran, are fueling the war.
Macklemore’s decision comes after the rapper publicly voiced support for the Palestinians with the release of “Hind’s Hall,” a song about a building at Columbia University that was occupied by student protesters last spring and temporarily “renamed” after Hind Rajab, a young girl killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.
Macklemore’s message to fellow artists isn’t intended to criticize those who choose to perform in the UAE, but rather asks, “What might we accomplish if we used our platform to call for collective liberation?” It’s worth noting, however, that the rapper performed at the LIV golf tournament hosted by Saudi Arabia in June, a country suspected of supporting Sudanese forces that have been accused of committing war crimes.