Barrera, Larsson Back Macklemore’s Palestine Advocacy
Barrera, Larsson Back Macklemore’s Palestine Advocacy
Anonymous
Key Points
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Macklemore announced he would donate $1 million in net earnings from the Loop Tour to organizations supporting Palestinians.
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Barrera said that, in a statement issued after her Scream dismissal, she condemned both antisemitism and Islamophobia; Spyglass’s policy cited not only antisemitism but also alleged incitement, Holocaust distortion and references to genocide or ethnic cleansing that it considered hate speech.
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Matthew Lillard, who appears in Scream 7, said he regretted participating in the film and described Barrera as being “on the right side of history” for her humanitarian stance.
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Macklemore said billionaire Robert Kraft, who owns one of the venues, pressured other venue owners to drop him or risk losing stadium bookings; Barrera questioned what might have happened if Sheeran had refused to accept that pressure.
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Larsson’s Midnight Sun album peaked at No. 36 on the Billboard 200, while its title track reached No. 13 on the Billboard Hot 100; she said fan-created live moments—including drone footage of a festival crowd, an audience member joining her onstage at Lollapalooza and a crowd being lifted in Belgium—cannot be manufactured.
Actress Melissa Barrera has publicly backed rapper Macklemore after his removal from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour over pro-Palestinian remarks, but noted a stark difference in how the music industry treated them. Remezcla reported that Barrera, who was fired from the Scream franchise in 2023 for Gaza-related social media posts, questioned why she didn't receive comparable support when her career took a hit. Barrera said she was "moved" by the solidarity Macklemore received, NME noted, while contrasting it with the limited backing she got after her dismissal.
Fashion Times reported that Barrera criticized what she saw as a double standard. Spyglass Media, the studio behind Scream 7, stated that Barrera's social media posts violated its zero-tolerance policy on antisemitism and hate speech — not support for Palestinians itself. Meanwhile, singer Zara Larsson has praised Macklemore for continuing to speak up for Palestinians, saying artists and fans can unite around important issues to create real change.
Barrera's 2023 Firing and the Support Gap
Barrera was removed from Scream 7 in November 2023 after posting about Israel's military actions in Gaza. In her statement at the time, she condemned both antisemitism and Islamophobia. Creepy Catalog noted that three years later, Barrera observed how the industry's response to Macklemore differed sharply from her own experience. She questioned what might have happened if Ed Sheeran had resisted pressure to remove Macklemore from the tour, suggesting the artist's willingness to stand firm could have changed the outcome.
Scream 7 star Matthew Lillard added weight to Barrera's position. Geo reported that Lillard said he regretted appearing in the film and described Barrera as being "on the right side of history" for her humanitarian stance. The actor's public backing signals growing recognition within Hollywood that Barrera's original stance may have been justified.
Macklemore's Tour Exit and $1 Million Pledge
Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour after performing pro-Palestinian songs, including at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. NME reported that the rapper announced he would donate $1 million in net earnings from the tour to organizations supporting Palestinians. Multiple musicians withdrew from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore, signaling fractures within the entertainment industry over the issue.
Sheeran said the decision was made by promoters and venue authorities, not by him directly. However, Remezcla revealed that Macklemore claimed billionaire Robert Kraft — owner of one of the venues — pressured other venue owners to drop him or lose access to stadium bookings. This behind-the-scenes pressure underscores how power dynamics shape who gets removed and how resistance is discouraged.
Zara Larsson Amplifies Macklemore's Stand
Zara Larsson has publicly praised Macklemore for continuing to speak out in support of Palestinians. She emphasized that artists and fans can unite around important issues to drive meaningful change. Larsson's backing adds another prominent voice to the growing chorus within the music world questioning industry silence and suppression of pro-Palestine speech.
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