Rapper canceled his October concert in Dubai on Saturday, citing the United Arab Emirates’ involvement in the Sudan war. The singer said the decision came from a drive to “advocate for the most marginalized around the world.” The “Same Love” singer wrote that he came to the decision after “numerous conversations with trusted organizers and friends and my own reading/ research,” and urged his fans to read a lengthy statement explaining his reasoning.
The power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) descended into lethal chaos in April 2023, beginning in the country’s capital and continuing to spread across the country since then. Per the International Rescue Committee, the conflict has killed at least 15,500 people, while some estimates are as high as 150,000. “The crisis in Sudan is catastrophic,” Macklemore wrote, citing the death toll of 150,000 and saying that “over ten million people have been displaced, millions face imminent famine [and] sexual violence is widespread.
” “While numerous external forces contribute to this crisis, advocates, organizers, journalists, and officials repeatedly highlight the UAE’s role in funding the RSF militia as a major factor,” he continued. The singer acknowledged the “shoulder shrug” from which many around the world have approached the conflict — “What difference can we individually make anyway?” he wrote as an example — but pushed back against this sta.