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US rapper Macklemore said on Tuesday that his recent Free Palestine tour across three European cities was his favourite thing to have been a part of.

The rapper talked about the event’s success in a post on his Instagram account, saying he was “overwhelmed with gratitude and awe” for everyone who was a part of the last show in London, from the musicians to the speakers to the members of the audience.

Macklemore said the tour was an “affirmation” that when people come together to stand for the freedom of others, “something profound happens”. He said the crowd and the performers were equal parts of that.

“We live in an era where advocating for Palestinian life and freedom is controversial. Where saying that Palestine should be free, that Palestinians deserve the same dignity, safety and rights as everyone else, can come at a cost,” Macklemore said.

He said when people stop thinking about those costs and join hands for liberation, “Love is found.” He said he felt that love in London on Friday and he can still feel it.

Talking about his experience organising the tour, the rapper said he had spent “five of the most intense weeks, reaching out to artists, organising, dealing with logistics and constant meetings,” but now felt like he could take a breath.

He acknowledged there was still a long way to go, but thanked everyone who had come along so far. “I feel honoured to have shared that experience with you all,” he said.

The sold-out show at London’s Wembley Stadium followed similarly popular nights in Paris and Dublin, where fans decked out in keffiyehs and waving Palestinian flags were seen at the venue.

The proceeds from the shows went to organisations working to support Palestinians through humanitarian relief, medical care, education, advocacy and community initiatives.

Musicians performing at the event included Paloma Faith, Vic Mensa and Nemahsis, while climate activist Greta Thunberg and actors Mark Ruffalo, Susan Sarandon and Javier Bardem addressed the crowd of over 12,500.

The tour materialised as a response to Macklemore being booted off singer Ed Sheeran’s tour of the Americas after he made a pro-Palestine speech during an appearance in New York.

The remarks drew criticism from certain pro-Israel venue owners who threatened to cancel Sheeran’s shows if Macklemore were to perform with him.

The rapper is an outspoken voice for Palestine, often using his platform to highlight Israeli crimes, especially in the aftermath of the country’s brutal invasion of Gaza in 2023.

In 2024, he wrote a song called ‘Hind’s Hall’, celebrating student protesters at Columbia University in the US who took over and renamed one of the campus halls of residence after six-year-old Hind Rajab, who was killed by the Israeli military in Gaza.