As a Muslim Woman of Color, Thank You, Macklemore

Dear Macklemore,

As I sit here reflecting on the weight of our world, I find myself compelled to reach out — not just as a fan, but as someone deeply moved by your humanity. In a time when silence is utter complicity, your voice has been a shining light, cutting through the darkness with clarity and conviction.

Your song “Hind’s Hall” resonated with people like me on a level that’s hard to put into words. It wasn’t just music; it was a lifeline for so many of us who have felt the sting of injustice, and who have seen the world turn their backs in unison on Palestinians in Gaza. Your support for Palestinian students and their cause felt like a breath of fresh air in the suffocating music industry that often shies away from the uncomfortable truths.

But What’s more beautiful to me is that when push comes to shove, you always stand on the right side of history. Your song “White Privilege” was a moment of raw, unfiltered honesty — a song that laid bare the realities of white supremacy in a way that few others have dared. And when you canceled your concert in Dubai, refusing to ignore the UAE’s role in the genocide in Sudan, you reminded us all that some principles are worth more than any paycheck. You’ve shown that being human comes before being an artist, and for that, we’re profoundly grateful.

African American literature taught me how words can fight battles that fists cannot. Thanks to Maya Angelou, I know why the caged bird sings. But you, Ben… you’ve been the free bird that sings for those who cannot. You’ve used your privilege not to overshadow, but to amplify, and in doing so, you’ve given us hope in a world that often feels hopeless.

For long enough, my younger self had held onto the axiom that no one could truly understand the pain of segregation and the weight of injustice the way the Black community would. But you showed us that empathy doesn’t require firsthand experiences for it to manifest.

In a music industry that so often avoids, marginalizes, and silences us, your voice has been a powerful reminder that change is not just possible, but necessary. Thank you for being the artist we didn’t know we needed and the human we so ardently hoped for.

With all my heart and soul,