Kehlani revealed to followers on Thursday (June 13) that gross sales of shirts selling their “Subsequent 2 U” single raised greater than $555,000 for the Palestinian folks, in addition to the folks of war-torn Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. “This tune is about safety, one thing that establishments have did not do for the folks of Palestine, Congo, and Sudan,” she wrote in an Instagram submit on Wednesday.
“Nobody acquired us the best way we acquired one another,” they added. “Me & my staff really feel overwhelmed with gratitude for yall exhibiting out for this fundraiser. We’re blessed to say we supported artists within the West Financial institution whereas elevating cash for households in Gaza, Sudan and Congo. We’re blessed to say that we’re supported by a neighborhood standing on enterprise collectively. We’re blessed to play a small half in a rising tide in the direction of the reality about Palestine.”
The singer concluded the be aware by saying, “we’re invincible collectively and I really feel ever so impressed by y’all. THANK you for exhibiting out on the streets of DC, along with your {dollars}, along with your labor and organizing, along with your our bodies blocking enterprise as common.” The be aware additionally featured the phrase “I imagine that we’ll win” and a watermelon emoji, which has grow to be an emblem exhibiting assist for the Palestinian folks.
The $65 T-shirts for the singer’s newest single have been made in Bethlehem and printed in Ramallah, cities which might be each within the West Financial institution. The fundraiser comes because the struggle between Israel and the militant group Hamas drags into its ninth month following Hamas’ shock Oct. 7 assault on Israel during which officers stated greater than 1,200 ladies, kids and males have been killed and 250 residents have been taken hostage. Israel’s retaliatory strikes have killed greater than 36,000 Palestinians so far in keeping with authorities, whereas displacing multiple million folks and inflicting what assist teams have known as the worst famine in latest historical past.
Within the video for “Subsequent 2 U,” Kehlani positioned her solidarity with the Palestinian folks front-and-center, with a gap message that includes a poem from Palestinian-American author Hala Alyan and the message “Lengthy Dwell the Intifada” — a reference to the 2 violent uprisings within the West Financial institution and Gaza Strip aimed toward ending Israel’s occupation of these territories. The clip additionally options the singer and their background dancers waving Palestinian flags and sporting fits accented with keffiyeh scarves. It ends with a message saying that her staff included a hyperlink to the record of the names of the “1000’s of deceased kids” killed in Israel’s assault on Gaza offered by Al Jazeera within the video’s description as a result of it was too lengthy to incorporate within the clip.
Over the previous few months, Kehlani is among the many artists who’ve been talking out in assist of the Palestinian folks, posting an Insta video in Might — which has since been eliminated — during which she known as out her “extremely f–king platformed” friends for not commenting on the struggle, saying “You possibly can’t converse? Disgusting… It’s f–ok Israel. It’s f–ok Zionism. And it’s f–ok a whole lot of ya’ll too.” Her feedback have been supported by rapper Macklemore, who just lately launched his pro-Palestinian protest tune “Hind’s Corridor,” named for the Hamilton Corridor constructing at Columbia College that college students occupied in April and renamed in honor of a six-year-old Palestinian woman, Hind Rajab, who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.
Try Kehlani’s submit beneath.
