Hind's Hall

In 2024, pro-Palestinian protests on university campuses took place across the world, particularly in the United States, as protesters called on their universities to sever links with Israeli entities due to Israel's actions in the Gaza war. ==Composition==

, a six-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed by the Israeli military, is referenced in the song. "Hind's Hall" was composed and produced by Macklemore, and samples "Ana La Habibi" by Lebanese singer Fairuz. In his lyrics, Macklemore is critical of the United States' funding of Israel and describes Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories as apartheid. Macklemore calls for a ceasefire in the Gaza war. and that he was undecided. The song also denounces Congress' banning of TikTok, the white supremacy apparent in policing and policy decisions, and the conflation of antisemitism with anti-Zionism. Macklemore quotes the title of the 1988 song "Fuck tha Police" by hip hop group N.W.A. == Release ==

The single was released on social media on May 6, 2024. Macklemore announced that once the song was available on streaming services, all of the single's proceeds would be donated to UNRWA. Macklemore performed the song live for the first time on May 9, 2024 in New Zealand, saying, "I stand here today and every day forward for the rest of my life in solidarity with the people of Palestine, with an open heart, in the belief that our collective liberation is at stake – that we all deserve freedom in this life of ours". On May 11, the song was made available on major streaming platforms including Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. The song's music video includes a photo of a college building spray-painted with the phrase "Free Palastine". Some internet users erroneously believed the photo was taken at Columbia University and used it to criticize the protesters. The photo was taken of Tabaret Hall at the University of Ottawa in Canada. On September 21, 2024, Macklemore released a new version of the song titled "Hind's Hall 2", featuring Palestinian and Palestinian American artists Anees, MC Abdul, Amer Zahr, the LA Palestinian Kids Choir, the Lifted! Youth Gospel Choir, and Tiffany Wilson. In the song, he endorsed the Uncommitted National Movement, warning presidential candidate Kamala Harris that she would lose the state of Michigan in the 2024 United States presidential election unless she supported an arms embargo on Israel. He performed the song at the Palestine Will Live Forever Festival in Seward Park Amphitheatre in Seattle on September 21, 2024. == Reception ==

Solcyre Burga in Time called it "the latest addition to the catalog of American protest songs that includes Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit" and Crosby, Stills, and Nash & Young's "Ohio." Jill Stein, the Green Party's presidential candidate in 2024, publicly thanked Macklemore for making the song. Reception from social media has been positive, with many users praising Macklemore's use of his platform to protest. Aja Romano of Vox called the song "electrifying" due to its surprise release; they noted that Macklemore's position as a white independent artist has helped him to express himself freely without career-ending consequences, especially considering the song's contentious subject matter. == Charts ==