Rapper Macklemore cancels Dubai concert over Sudan conflict: Will others follow?

When fans heard that rapper Macklemore had canceled an upcoming concert, some assumed it was an act of solidarity with Gaza.

However, the cancellation was due to the ongoing war in Sudan, which has led to tens of thousands of deaths, millions of famines and a severe humanitarian crisis.

Dubai, the glamorous Gulf city and the largest in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has been widely accused of funding the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), one of Sudan’s warring factions.

Macklemore addressed the situation in an Instagram post on Monday, saying, “The crisis in Sudan is catastrophic.” Some food security experts predict that up to 2.5 million people could die from hunger and disease by October.

The rapper, who rose to fame with his 2012 hit “Thrift Shop,” questioned his role as an artist, asking, “I have to ask myself, what is my intention as an artist?”

He added: “If I take the money knowing it doesn’t fit my soul, how am I any different from the politicians I actively protest against?”

Macklemore’s decision has put a spotlight on the brutal conflict in Sudan, which has received far less global attention than Ukraine or Gaza. Activists hope it will inspire other artists to take similar stands.

“It was huge,” said a London-based activist who campaigned for a ceasefire in Sudan. “In the comments, a lot of people were saying, ‘Oh my God, what’s happening in Sudan?'”

The activist believes Macklemore’s action has raised awareness about the situation.

The RSF is fighting the Sudanese army for control of the country and has been accused of sexual violence, looting and ethnic cleansing in areas it controls.

A Human Rights Watch report has found that RSF may have committed genocide against non-Arabs in a city where an estimated 15,000 people were killed. However, the organization denies the allegations.

The RSF traces its origins back to a militia known as the Janjaweed, which was also accused of genocide in Sudan 20 years ago, a conflict that has killed an estimated 300,000 people.