Macklemore's pro-Palestine song "Hind's Hall" drew much praise and much backlash for a couple of different reasons, the most obvious of which is a political disagreement with his stance on the current conflict with Israel and Hamas. Wu-Tang Clan affiliate Remedy is one of many who criticized the rapper for this track, and released a response of his own with the diss "Ben" and an accompanying music video. The visual, in addition to showing various statistics and video evidence of some of the topics, also shows a performance in which he dressed up in a stereotypical Jewish "costume," linking this to alleged antisemitism within "Hind's Hall."
Furthermore, Remedy attempts to debunk what he perceives as Macklemore's bigoted claims about Jewish people and their connections to governance and the media. He will donate all proceeds from the "Ben" track to Polyphony, "an organization that bridges the divide between the Palestinian and Israeli communities, by using music as a common ground," per the YouTube video's description. It's important to note that this is a much more gray, nuanced, and complicated topic than what either MC is letting on in their songs. So take their statements with a grain of salt and do your own research on both sides to avoid bigoted generalizations, blind defense of systemic oppression, or anything in between.
Remedy's Macklemore Diss "Ben": Listen & Watch The Music Video
"When I say ‘Free Palestine,’ it’s not against anyone," Macklemore posted on social media last December, before "Hind's Hall" came out. "It actually means we should protect everyone. It means equality for all. Respect, peace and love. It means the right to exist, regardless of what sector you’re from. My intention is to never offend anyone. I want every soul in this arena to feel the reflection of love. But there’s innocent humans out in Gaza murdered with our dollars. Those precious human lives are an extension of us.
"I can’t get up here and jump around in a fur coat and pretend while in my gut… my gut’s saying, ‘You know better, Ben,’" Macklemore continued. "The ancestors yelling, ‘You’d better step up for us.’ I love my Jewish brothers and sisters so much. My perspective is one that’s saying ‘Free Palestine’ is also rooted in your protection, my loves. There isn’t a drop of anti-Semitic thought in my head or my blood. ‘Never again,’ means never again for all."
