"Anti Semitic Jew costume": Macklemore controversy erupts in wake of Palestine genocide statement

A seemingly antisemitic picture of Macklemore has resurfaced online in light of his statement on the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict. The singer recently took to Instagram to share his disheartenment over the increasing death toll in the aforementioned conflict.

On October 19, Macklemore took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the “looming genocide” of Palestinians and how he wishes for a “ceasefire.” He said in a post:

“I condemn the murder of any human. The bombings, kidnappings and murder of the Israelis people carried out by Hamas was horrific every way imaginable… but killing innocent humans in retaliation as collective punishment is not the answer.”

The rapper also opined that criticizing the Israeli government does not make him antisemitic. He also added:

“Killing the innocent is never the answer. Revenge only breeds more hatred… I stand with all humans. I stand for peace. I stand for love. I stand for freedom. And because of that, I stand for a Free Palestine and an end to the looming genocide.”

As Macklemore’s (whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty) post garners traction online, his past antics, including a questionable costume, have reappeared in the limelight.

Actor Seth Rogan responds to the 2014 controversy (Image via X)

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Picture of Macklemore seemingly being antisemitic resurfaces online in wake of statement

Several statements made by celebrities have been comprehensively broken down in light of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. As the Glorious singer’s post gets analyzed by netizens, a picture of him in a costume has gone viral on X (formerly known as Twitter).

X user @still_oppressed was one among the many who shared an image of the 40-year-old wearing a costume that included a black wig, a long beard, and a prosthetic nose in April 2023. The rapper sported the costume in 2014 as he briefly attempted to disguise himself at his concert.

At the time of writing, the post had amassed over 3.5 million views.

In 2014, actor Seth Rogan was one among the many who criticized Haggerty for the costume:

“First you trick people into thinking you’re a rapper, now you trick them into thinking you’re Jewish,” Rogan said.

Many criticized him for the controversial costume and his supposedly antisemitic statement related to the Israel-Palestine war. A few tweets read:

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"A 'Jewish stereotype' never crossed my mind": Macklemore addressed the controversy in 2014

Following the backlash, the rapper explained that he did not attempt to “mimic any culture, nor resemble one. A ‘Jewish stereotype’ never crossed my mind.” The Same Love singer also explained that he bought the props from a costume store simply because it was “the furthest color from my natural hair.” He also said:

“I acknowledge how the costume could, within a context of stereotyping, be ascribed to a Jewish caricature. I am here to say that it was absolutely not my intention, and unfortunately at the time I did not foresee the costume to be viewed in such regard. I'm saddened that this story, or any of my choices, would lead to any form of negativity.”

In light of the heightened Israel-Palestine conflict, Macklemore took to Instagram to share news of the turmoil in Gaza. He reposted a video of a young Palestinian girl mourning the loss of her mother.

On October 7, Palestinian armed group Hamas launched an attack on Israel and killed 1,400 people. To retaliate, the latter launched one of the heaviest airstrikes Gaza had ever experienced. The complete siege of Gaza also included the saddening death of over 4,000 civilians.