Shadowing Practice: Breaking: Macklemore Challenges Bob Kraft To Match His MILLION DOLLAR Donation - FULL HIS STATEMENT - Learn English Speaking with Video
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We have breaking news regarding Macklemore offering to donate a million
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dollars of his net earnings from the tour where he was opening for Ed Sheeran, all to Palestinian causes.
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And he asks Bob Kraft, billionaire owner of the New England Patriots, to match his donation.
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This is an absolute wild escalation to a story we almost never heard about.
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So Macklemore spoke out on behalf of the Palestinian people
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and shared this video from MetLife stadium where he was talking about free Palestine.
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He also talked about defunding ICE.
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He talked about really supporting victims all across the world from Sudan to so many other places.
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But this was too much.
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Bob Kraft of the New England Patriots, billionaire owner, coordinated with a handful of other billionaire owners of other NFL football teams at their stadiums.
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Many of the stadiums funded by our tax dollars and got them all to agree, which was kick Macklemore off of your shows now.
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Now, Ed Sheeran, worth $400 million, could have said no mother effer, but he took the bag over the people, and he's paying the consequence for that.
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All of his supporting acts have quit on him.
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Who will join him?
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Will it be Lee Greenwood and Kid Rock?
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I mean, literally, what the hell?
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Will it be Kash Patel's girlfriend singing the national anthem before Ed Sheeran goes on stage
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and speaks about wanting peace but not doing any of the work needed to get there.
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So this is the update we have from Macklemore.
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I'm going to read it for you guys.
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With everything that has happened over the last 48 hours, I want to bring the conversation back to where it belongs, to the Palestinian people who are still being killed,
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still living under military occupation, and still fighting for their freedom.
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I will be donating the entire $1 million of my net
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earnings from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour to six organizations working directly to support the Palestinian people.
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And I invite Robert Kraft to match my donation.
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Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this.
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Palestinian lives are worth protecting.
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A Palestinian life is no less valuable than any other life on this earth.
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Period.
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That is what this has always been about.
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Not me, not a tour, not the headlines or the controversy.
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It is about Palestinians' right to freedom, dignity, and safety in their own homeland.
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I want to center the parents carrying their children into hospitals without the basic resources to treat them.
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The physicians, paramedics, journalists, and aid workers who keep going back in.
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I want to center the organizations and activists who have paid real costs for standing with Palestine.
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Their risk is of a far different order than mine.
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Just yesterday, 15 -year -old Mohammed al -Zanadi was killed in an Israeli strike while rushing to help aid worker Sharif Labad, who had already been injured.
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He was a child.
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Both were murdered.
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Both should be alive and
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that one still under the rubble whose names exist only in
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the memories of people who may not have survived to speak
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them writing a check is one of the least costly forms of solidarity available to me i am doing it
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because i can and because these organizations are doing the work
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while much of the world debates it but aid alone cannot address the conditions
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that make it necessary this is a man -made injustice
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and i believe it requires immediate political change palestinians have lived for decades without basic rights
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and should not have to wait another day to be free.
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That is where my focus will remain.
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I will continue to stand with the Palestinian people and their fight for liberation.
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When the news cycle moves on, which it will, don't move with it.
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Free Palestine.
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Imagine that.
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Imagine this entire world swirling around you and Macklemore continues to center the conversation around these atrocities.
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Miss Rachel shared the post.
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While celebrities defend their silence, children continue to be killed.
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An Israeli double tap airstrike killed this child as you rush to help a wounded paramedic yesterday.
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Someone's precious child.
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He mattered.
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Say something.
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Of course, Macklemore is doing just that.
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I want to share Colin Kaepernick and what he has to say.
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Colin Kaepernick spoke out about police brutality by kneeling down,
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kneeling down during a national anthem a quiet protest um you know speaking out about the fact
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that too many innocent people are getting killed by police again a completely different issue
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but the same result which was he was blackballed from the league
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and maybe he wasn't good enough to be one of the 30 starters
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but what happens
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when several of those starters get injured he wasn't good enough to be second string third string he
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or or you could just say he wasn't allowed there
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because the billionaires made an example out of him here's what
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he has to say regarding the macklemore canceling the part
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that i hope people appreciate and take away in this moment is what robert craft
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and what they're saying by denying macklemore the opportunity to go out
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and perform with ed sheeran is they are willing to collude they are openly colluding screen.
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Um, and when we, when we filed the grievance, it was like, well, the owners wouldn't do that.
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They, you know, everybody just wants to win within the NFL.
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And the realization is, no, they want to protect their interests.
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Bingo.
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They want to protect their interests.
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Robert Kraft is intertwined with the Israeli government, period.
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Look, I say that as a lifetime New England Patriots fan, you know, he sends his players over to Israel.
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And again, it's like, look, you want to share the culture of where your people came from?
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Sure, whatever.
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But the fact that Robert Kraft spends a lot of money, a lot of his, and again, this is why we need to tax the billionaires more.
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Like why, like why, why does Robert Kraft have such an oversized influence on people's decision -making?
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So we should live in a world where people just stop going to New England Patriots games and supporting him.
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I don't think that'll be the case, but I hope to see some protests.
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I hope to God that my fellow New Englanders will be protesting this
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and not blindly supporting him because he has the New England Patriots kid.
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Like, I really hope this can lead to more conversation happening
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because Robert Kraft spends money for organizations that try to cloud people's judgment.
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When things are anti -Israel, they're not anti -Semitic.
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But these organizations want to make the anti -Israel seem anti -Semitic
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and that forces people to not have the conversation imagine
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if we didn't talk about police brutality
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because we didn't want to be accused of being racist
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or something then we would never solve the problem do you know what i mean
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so it's like have the conversations uh here's pierce morgan i normally hate these shows
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because there's too many people shouting on top of each other
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but some good points are made about how ridiculous this is
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that macklemore was canceled regardless on whether you think bob craft should be allowed to
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or not 12 years ago when macklemore did
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that he apologized the adl the anti -defamation leagues ate foxman
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all right not a a dove uh pretty much a hawk right uh very very astute
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when it comes to anti -semitism uh said we accept his apology
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that was 12 years ago macklemore by the way they're talking about
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when macklemore or a prosthetic nose and wig
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when he was trying to be incognito at a concert immediately said didn't mean to be a jewish person, so extremely sorry.
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That wasn't my intent.
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Years ago, wrote that song.
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People were being canceled and are still being canceled.
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It did not help his career.
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He literally just got booted off a lucrative tour.
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As this is happening, I'll remind you, Robert Kraft has said nothing about Kanye West selling out the same stadiums and singing Hail Hitler.
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As this is happening, I'll remind you that two Israeli Jewish filmmakers of the documentary Nasa, they just got a 24 and a half minute standing ovation in Venice Film Festival.
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Do you know what Israel is doing to them right now
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israel's cultural minister is trying to revoke their citizenship susan sarandon
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can no longer work in america susan sarandon academy award -winning actress says
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that she has to work in europe right now
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because she got banned for saying free palestine you know who
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also is trying to be getting banned right now the hulk
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mark ruffalo thankfully 170 jewish american hollywood celebrities yeah imagine
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that they tried to cancel mark ruffalo it's like look if everyone stands up and calls out the obvious, which is, this is wrong.
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This is devastating.
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We've watched it happen for several years on our phones.
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This is not a war.
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Ed Sheeran wants to call this a conflict.
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It is not.
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There is no conflict here.
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There is the murder of an innocent child.
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And one after another, till there's 20 ,000 of them.
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For my New England fans, you want to relate that?
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That's like a very full Fenway Park of innocent lives killed.
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And it's not just any innocent lives.
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It's innocent lives killed with our tax dollars.
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So we do speak out against this.
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We won't be silenced and you will see cancellations happening.
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But if the people continue to support those speaking out and advocating and educating on what the real issue is,
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then, you know, we can change this faster than not.
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There have been plenty of other artists, artists who are 10 times bigger than Macklemore, like Lorde and Harry Styles,
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who have screamed free Palestine from their stages and no one cared.
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Lorde literally had the Palestinian flag on her stage and no one cared.
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And the reason for that is that Lorde and Harry Styles are not anti -Semitic.
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They never bought prosthetic noses to make fun of the Jewish people and mock their suffering and their pain.
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So I guess the question becomes are you allowed to accept
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an apology from somebody who did this 12 years ago
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and say I didn't mean I didn't mean
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that I just wanted to look different from my normal appearance
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so I could so I could surprise my audience during a show are you willing to accept
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that and then 12 years later.
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he doesn't continue to do something problematic.
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If Macklemore wore blackface, much like Jimmy Kimmel did, I would say, you know what?
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It's about where you are today.
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It's about what you have learned about yourself.
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And if Macklemore or Jimmy Kimmel
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or any number of people who may have done something that was problematic or have learned as they've grown, I accept them as we are today.
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The world is on fire anybody carrying a pail of water
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is helping the cause right now you know the house isn't burning
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and you go
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but wait a second i know you've got a pail of water to put this fire out
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but also did you wear a prosthetic nose 12 years ago
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because uh you know rubbish rubbish and
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so this is what they want to point to they want
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to point to this as a reason why macklemore should be canceled when his message is what we should be dissecting.
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And that message has no flaws.
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It has no flaws.
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So we shared this.
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And by the way, I do want to thank so many people who have written to me that found my video yesterday.
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I got a quarter million views.
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We've had videos of all sorts going viral recently.
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55 ,000 new subscribers this month.
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It took me 10 years to get to 50 ,000 subscribers.
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And now you're showing up in droves and
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so many people said I watched the Macklemore story not knowing I'd get
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so much politics but I'm here for it it's all political right now I've had
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so many people try to shame me don't talk politics stick to bachelor nation don't do this don't do
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that even in my own family I am unwanted in
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so many places because my voice isn't one
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that some people want to hear
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so I thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for those
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that have been willing to listen to this message that we're giving this message, which is this insanity doesn't have to happen.
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And we do not need to be coward.
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The number one rule as a standup comedian is, is to tell the truth.
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As you see it, you try to make it funny on stage, but you have to tell the truth as you see it, or else you're a hack.
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I refuse to be a hack on my channel
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and neither do the folks that are working or were working with Ed Sheeran.
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Because every single band, every single opening act, they've all decided to stick on Macklemore's side of history.
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They understand the levity.
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24 hours ago, a traditional Irish music band, Bioga, I don't know if I'm pronouncing that right, who were served as Ed Sheeran's band,
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had 39 ,000 followers on Instagram.
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Then they dropped out from what was undoubtedly an enormous opportunity for them in the name of their heritage
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and generally having a spine.
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Now, 24 hours later, they have 274 ,000 followers.
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That's a way to put bread on people's table.
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People that are sharing the right message, that have conviction.
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The way you put bread on their table is in an attention economy, giving them some attention and giving them some love.
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So how about that?
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274 ,000 followers, excuse me, 298 ,000.
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So there they are sitting graciously on the right side of history.
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What side would you be on?
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I'm thinking you're also on that side and hit the subscribe button.
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If you agree that we're not going to be silenced, that we're going to fight this and too many lives have already been lost.
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Whether you were at the table two years ago or came today, it's time to put this fucking fire out.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Breaking: Macklemore Challenges Bob Kraft To Match His MILLION DOLLAR Donation - FULL HIS STATEMENT”. This video has 204 sentences and 2368 words to shadow. The speech runs for 13:20. The speaker talks at a natural 178 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| cancel verb | /ˈkæn.sl̩/ | To cross out something with lines etc. |
| innocent adjective | /ˈɪnəsənt/ | Free from guilt, sin, or immorality. |
| billionaire noun | /ˌbɪl.jəˈnɛɚ/ | Somebody whose wealth is at least one billion (10⁹) currency units (usually understood to exclude holders of hyperinflated currencies). |
| silence noun | /ˈsaɪ̯ləns/ | The absence of any sound. |
| protest noun | /ˈpɹoʊ.tɛst/ | A formal objection, especially one by a group. |
| follower noun | /ˈfɒləʊə(ɹ)/ | One who follows, comes after another. |
| rush verb | /ɹʌʃ/ | To hurry; to perform a task with great haste, often not properly or without thinking carefully. |
| string noun | /stɹɪŋ/ | A long, thin and flexible structure made from threads twisted together. |
| remind verb | /ɹəˈmaɪnd/ | To cause one to experience a memory (of someone or something); to bring to the notice or consideration (of a person). |
| craft noun | /ˈkɹæft/ | Ability, skillfulness, especially skill in making plans and carrying them into execution; dexterity in managing affairs, adroitness, practical cunning… |
| celebrity noun | /səˈlɛb.ɹɪ.ɾi/ | Fame, renown; the state of being famous or talked-about. |
| earnings noun | Wages, money earned, income. | |
| apology noun | /əˈpɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/ | An expression of remorse or regret for having said or done something that harmed another: an instance of apologizing (saying that one is sorry). |
| donate verb | /ˈdoʊˌneɪt/ | To make a donation; to give away something of value to support or contribute towards a cause or for the benefit of another. |
| starter noun | /ˈstɑɹ.tɚ/ | Someone who starts, or who starts something. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| call out verb | To specify, especially in detail. |
| go out verb | To leave, especially a building. |
| sell out verb | To sell all of a supply or stock of something. |
| speak out verb | To assert or promote one's opinion; to make one's thoughts known. |
| stand up verb | To rise from a lying or sitting position. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I'm going to read it for you guys.
- It's about where you are today.
- It's about what you have learned about yourself.
- We've had videos of all sorts going viral recently.
- What side would you be on?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have quit · has happened · has always been |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | being killed · was killed · were murdered |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | agree, which was · people who are · people who may |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 44 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, didn't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: anthem /ˈæn.θəm/ [ˈæn̪.θəm], prosthetic /ˌpɹɑsˈθɛtɪk/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: rush /ɹʌʃ/, donation /doʊˈneɪʃən/, rubbish /ˈɹʌbɪʃ/, occupation /ˌɑkjʊˈpeɪʃən/, physician /fəˈzɪʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: celebrity /səˈlɛb.ɹɪ.ɾi/, apology /əˈpɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/, anthem /ˈæn.θəm/ [ˈæn̪.θəm], problematic /ˌpɹɑ.bləˈmæt.ɪk/, brutality /ˌbɹuːˈtælɪti/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like cancel, innocent, billionaire.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.