Stormzy responds to backlash following deleted pro-Palestine posts
Stormzy has released a statement addressing backlash following a deleted pro-Palestine social media post amid his current promotional partnership with McDonald’s.
The fast food chain initially sparked controversy after it was revealed the branch in Israel gave out thousands of free meals to Israeli forces and citizens following the attack from Hamas back in October.
At the time, CEO Chris Kempczinski denied the speculation and ties to Israel, saying that any such claim was rooted in “misinformation” and was entirely “disheartening and ill-founded”.
The corporation’s latest move to unveil a Stormzy meal drew mixed reactions from his fans. It arrived at a time when a campaign for a complete boycott was in action, particularly as the rapper previously posted about being pro-Palestine on his social media, which has since been deleted.
As attention to his now-deleted post grew, many branded his move tasteless and offensive, while former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn urged him to end the collaboration to demonstrate his political position.
In a new statement, the rapper labelled the backlash a “twisted narrative” and explained that, while he understood why some were “hurt” and “confused” by his latest move, he prefers to remain silent until he shares his further views on the matter.
“Hey guys, I wanted to address some twisted narrative that has been circulating online this past week,” he wrote on Instagram, continuing, “Firstly, I didn’t archive the post where I came out in support of Palestine for any reason outside of me archiving loads of IG posts last year. In that post, I spoke about #FreePalestine, oppression and injustice and my stance on this has not changed.”
He also said that the brands he chooses to work with don’t govern what he does on social media and beyond, and if they did, he wouldn’t opt to strike up collaborative deals with them. Doubling down on his views, he explained he felt the need to share the statement because he wanted “to give [fans] clarity.”
Concluding, “Social media and the internet quickly pass judgment without full context. While I want to continue to be open and honest, I prefer not to respond immediately to every misunderstanding or clear up every false narrative that surrounds my name.”
While it remains unclear whether he will comment further on the deal or explain why he chose to archive the post supporting Palestine amid the current political climate, he seems eager to clear up any lasting confusion about the partnership while reinstating that his viewpoint remains the same.
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