Latest news with #Macklemore
Ya Biladi
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Ya Biladi
Macklemore closes Jazzablanca with a powerful message of solidarity for Palestine
The final night of the 18th Jazzablanca Festival was more than just a concert, it was a celebration of sound, spirit, and solidarity. From the opening notes to the final chant of «Free Palestine», the evening pulsed with energy, unity, and unforgettable moments. The night began with a vibrant performance by Jupiter & Okwess, all the way from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Led by the charismatic Jupiter Bokondji, known as the «Rebel General», the group delivered a high-voltage show on the Scene 21 stage at Anfa Park, blending Congolese rhythms with rock, funk, and soul. The crowd was swept into a musical journey connecting African roots with global influences. A show full of surprises The party continued on the bigger Casa Anfa stage, promising a unique fusion of Gnaoua music and jazz. Moroccan guembri player and singer Mehdi Nassouli kicked things off with flair and a few surprises. The first was the arrival of Gnaoua master Hamid El Kasri. «You can't believe how happy I am. I dreamt of being like Hamid El Kasri on stage, and tonight, I stand next to him», Nassouli told the crowd before welcoming El Kasri. Together, they performed a soul-stirring rendition of «La Ilaha Ila Allah», followed by «Moulay Hmed», which the audience sang along to, word for word. The second surprise? Moroccan star Oum, who brought Sahrawi influences to the mix. With Nassouli on bendir, the two performed her moving «Taragalte», weaving together styles and regions in a heartfelt duet. But Nassouli wasn't done surprising the crowd. He called on stage American soul singer Bilal Sayeed Oliver, who brought a wave of R&B, jazz, and groove. The performance ended in pure ecstasy with a Gnaoua classic: «Lalla Aicha», the whole stage swaying to its trance-inducing rhythm. Electrifying show and solidarity Then came the headliner the crowd had been waiting for: Macklemore, straight from Seattle. He took the stage wrapped in a Palestinian keffiyeh, radiating joy, defiance, and a powerful message. The show opened with «CHANT», a track filled with resilience, rebirth, and confronting fear. «This show», he said after the opening number, «is not just about me and my band. It's about you. What you give to us, we give back to you, reciprocity». Then came a trip down memory lane with Macklemore's 2012 hit «Thrift Shop». Dressed in his signature leopard-print coat from the song's music video, he shouted, «Choukran!» to the Moroccan crowd. The night was interactive, emotional, and at times spontaneous. «Does anyone know the hook to Downtown?» he asked. Two fans, Nourdine and Bella, jumped at the chance, joining him on stage for a dazzling performance. Afterward, Nourdine was spotted taking selfies with fans, still high on adrenaline. «It was amazing. I didn't expect the night to be like this, but I loved it», he told Yabiladi. But the energy also shifted to something more serious. Macklemore paused mid-show to address the war on Gaza: «As a human being, I watched a video from Gaza that tore my heart apart», he said, visibly emotional. «This time I saw a girl the same age as my daughter… and I thought, how is this still happening, this genocide?» He condemned the violence and asked: «Can we rally around justice and equality without mirroring hatred?» Then came the chant: «Free, free Palestine!» echoed by thousands. He grabbed a Palestinian flag from the audience and performed «Hind's Hall», his anthem in solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Later, he left the stage to walk among the public, shaking hands. The connection was electric. Back on stage, he launched a dance-off, selecting two members of the crowd—Yassine and Salman—to battle it out to «Dance Off». Both brought the house down with their moves. «I knew Morocco would have the best dancers!» Macklemore laughed. The evening continued with hits like «Glorious» and «Summer Days», each one delivered with joy, purpose, and crowd-wide singalongs. He asked the audience to light up the sky of Casablanca, and in an unforgettable moment, thousands lifted their phones and lighters, turning Anfa Park into a sea of stars. The finale came with «Good Old Days», as confetti rained down and flags waved in every direction. To wrap up the show, Macklemore dove into the crowd wearing a green jersey that read Visit Morocco. «I had no idea what to expect tonight», he said after emerging from the crowd. «But this—this was the show of the summer. Hands down». That's how the night ended, with peace, with love, and with a final shout: «Free Palestine — until it's backwards».
Sunday World
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
Macklemore's US home robbed by masked raiders while he played gig in Ireland
The rapper was in Ireland for shows in Dublin and Cork The home of US star Macklemore was robbed by masked raiders while he played a concert in Ireland. The rapper, real name Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, was in Ireland for concerts in Dublin and Cork earlier this month when his Seattle home was robbed. TMZ have reported that his three children, Sloane Ava Simone (10), Colette Koala (7) and Hugo Jack (4) were in the $2.1million mansion with a nanny when two men broke into the home. Macklemore (Photo by) News in 90 Seconds - June 24th The two robbers, dressed in all black broke into the Capitol Hill mansion via a patio door, and sprayed the kid's minder in the face with bear mace, demaning: 'where are the jewels, b**ch?' The Seattle Times reports that the nanny said one intruder looked 'scared' after spraying her and helped to clean her eyes. She led the men to a bedroom where they stole thousands of dollars worth of jewellery, watches and shoes. The men then reportedly forced her to face a mirror with her hands up. They also stole her phone and threw her to the ground, one of whom put a boot on her neck. According to the police report, she was pinned against a wall after she began to scream. One of the men held her mouth shut before she bit him, causing him to let her go. Police said she fled through the bathroom and escaped the home before banging on a neighbour's door for help following the incident. When police responded to the scene, the men had already fled. Family members quickly arrived at the home, and the three young children, who were in bed during the raid and seemingly unharmed, were safely taken to a nearby residence.
Calgary Herald
14-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
'Doesn't seem right': Skateboarders feel blindsided by temporary closure of city's biggest skatepark
Article content Members of Calgary's skateboard community say they're frustrated by the temporary closure of a main section of Canada's largest outdoor skatepark, in order to prepare for an upcoming music festival. Article content Local skaters expressed outrage in an online message board Friday, after the yellow zone of the Cowboys Park skatepark was barricaded for crews to set up for next month's Cowboys Music Festival. Article content The yellow zone is the largest section of the 75,000-square-foot skatepark. Article content Article content The Cowboys Music Festival, which takes place during the Calgary Stampede, will be held July 3 to 13 at the park just west of the downtown core. The 11-day festival will feature Macklemore, T-Pain, Kim Petras, Timbaland, and other headline acts, drawing an estimated attendance of 100,000. Article content A petition urging festival organizers to reconsider their use of the space and 'free' the skatepark — which many local users still refer to as 'Millz' — had garnered more than 1,800 e-signatures as of Saturday morning. Article content 'People are upset, understandably,' said skateboarder Evan Podilek, an employee of Ninetimes Skate Shop on 12th Street S.W., just a few kilometres from Cowboys Park. Article content 'We have a limited stretch of weather to skate outside.' Article content Another employee of the shop, Jasper Westbury argued skateboarders weren't consulted ahead of time, only hearing about the closure 'through the grapevine.' Article content Article content 'I think our big thing is, Stampede gets what Stampede wants,' he said. Article content 'It would have been sick if the city and Cowboys thought about everybody that is a stakeholder.' Article content At the skatepark on Friday afternoon, a small number of skateboarders and BMX riders were limited to using either the blue zone, which is designed for beginners, or the more advanced red zone, which features bowls and ramps catering to users of a high skill level. Article content Kincaid Chan said he skates at the park a few times a week and that he signed the e-petition. Article content 'It doesn't seem right,' he said of the closure. 'From what I've read … apparently they weren't supposed to touch the skatepark. That seems to have been contravened.'
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Seattle police disperse 'ICE OUT' protesters after fire breaks out downtown
The Brief Anti-ICE protesters marched from Cal Anderson Park to the Seattle Federal Building, causing road closures. A large fire could be seen at the protest downtown, with demonstrators later being dispersed by police. A previous protest on Tuesday saw brief clashes with Seattle police at the Federal Building. SEATTLE - Seattle police dispersed a large group of anti-ICE protesters Wednesday night after a fire broke out near the Seattle Federal Building. Officers broke up the crowd around 10 p.m., with some using pepper spray. Several fireworks could also be seen going off in the protest area. A fire broke out near the intersection of 1st and Marion around 9:30 p.m., with protesters burning a dumpster in the street. Seattle firefighters extinguished the fire after officers moved out protestors. SPD claims protesters were shining lasers at officers, and throwing rocks and bottles at them. The protest started at Cal Anderson Park around 7 p.m. and moved through downtown to the federal building, blocking off several streets. Some were holding signs and flags, with one window nearby tagged with the words "abolish ICE now." Protesters were also heard chanting and banging on trash cans in the area. The "ICE OUT" protest is in opposition of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and the increase in detainments and deportations under the Trump administration. A similar protest took place Tuesday at the Seattle Federal Building at 1st and Madison, where demonstrators briefly clashed with Seattle police after a vehicle exited the building. The Source Information in this story came from Seattle Police and FOX 13 Seattle reporting. Man, woman injured in downtown Seattle shooting, suspect arrested Home of Seattle rapper Macklemore invaded, nanny maced: police 2 dead after 'tragic' bus accident at Seattle retirement home WA deputies arrest teens for pistol-whipping boy, armed robberies Cyberattack hits supplier to Whole Foods and PCC; could impact store supplies To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Yahoo
2 injured, airlifted after propane truck, tank fire in Gig Harbor, WA
The Brief Two people were critically injured in a propane truck and tank fire in Gig Harbor on Wednesday. Fire crews extinguished the blaze and cooled nearby tanks to prevent further hazards. The fire involved a 120-gallon propane tank and 3,200-gallon propane truck. GIG HARBOR, Wash. - Two people were seriously injured in a large propane fire that happened in Gig Harbor on Wednesday. What we know The incident was initially reported at 2 p.m. as a possible gas leak at a Cenex gas station along 66th Avenue Northwest near State Route 16. Upon arrival, crews encountered an active fire involving a 120-gallon propane tank and 3,200-gallon propane truck, according to Gig Harbor Fire. Fire crews successfully extinguished the fire and worked to cool nearby tanks to prevent further incidents. The public was advised to avoid the area as emergency personnel worked. Two people sustained injures in the fire, and were later airlifted from Peninsula High School to Harboview Medical Center. They arrived at the hospital in critical condition. A photo shared by Gig Harbor Fire shows a tanker truck cab completely destroyed, likely engulfed by the earlier fire. What we don't know It's currently unknown what caused the propane fire. The Source Information in this story came from Gig Harbor Fire and Harboview Medical Center. Anti-ICE protesters clash with police at Seattle Federal Building Home of Seattle rapper Macklemore invaded, nanny maced: police 2 dead after 'tragic' bus accident at Seattle retirement home WA deputies arrest teens for pistol-whipping boy, armed robberies Cyberattack hits supplier to Whole Foods and PCC; could impact store supplies To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news.
