Ms. Rachel is putting her money where her Instagram posts have been. The children's show host, whose real name is Rachel Accurso, announced Thursday that she's matching Macklemore's $1 million donation to Palestinian relief organizations, and she's not being subtle about who else she thinks should chip in.
"I will match Macklemore's donation and I invite every wealthy white celebrity to match it and speak out against the genocide in Gaza," she wrote, a characterization that remains contested internationally even as she presented it as settled fact. She said more than 20,000 Palestinian children have died in the conflict and that children continue to be killed daily. "We have a moral obligation to use our privilege and platforms to protect children and human rights," she added.
Accurso, who serves as an ambassador for the Palestine Children's Relief Fund, said her donation will go through that organization.
The gesture follows a rough week for Macklemore. The rapper was dropped as an opening act on Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour, reportedly after pressure from Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft, who didn't want him performing on his property. Macklemore responded Wednesday by announcing he'd give away the entire $1 million he was set to earn from the tour, splitting it among six organizations that work directly with Palestinians. He also challenged Kraft directly to match the sum.
Kraft didn't take long to answer. By Wednesday evening he'd pledged $2 million toward what he called the region's "humanitarian crisis," framing it as a match to a separate $2 million commitment from Sheeran himself. In his statement, posted to Gillette Stadium's X account, Kraft said Sheeran called him before Macklemore's challenge went public and that the two intend to bring in other venue owners.
Macklemore's exit set off a small exodus. Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham and house band Beoga all pulled out of the remaining Loop Tour dates in solidarity, leaving Sheeran without an opener or a backing band as the tour heads into its next stretch.
This isn't the first time Accurso has waded into this particular fight. Earlier in the week she'd already gone after Sheeran directly, writing that he'd had a chance to show he wouldn't be "bullied into punishing people for supporting Palestine" and instead caved. "Silence during a genocide is not neutral," she wrote then, again asserting the term without qualification.
Macklemore's own reaction to Accurso's donation was brief. He posted "wowwww" on his Instagram Story, along with a heart, some stars and a Palestinian flag.
Sheeran's Loop Tour is due to pick back up Saturday, September 19, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. Whether he finds a replacement opener before then, or plays the date solo, is still an open question.








Be the first to comment
Join the argument. No password, just your email or a passkey.