Kehlani‘s unwavering support for the people of Palestine amid the ongoing crisis in Gaza has paid off, all thanks to her latest single.
In late May, she reaffirmed her stance in the music video for “Next 2 U” and released merchandise for the song that is “made in Bethlehem in a family owned and run sewing workshop.” According to her website, all proceeds will be “distributed amongst Palestinian, Congolese, and Sudanese families through Operation Olive Branch.”
On Wednesday (June 12), the Bay Area native took to social media and shared that said items have sold out less than two weeks after they were first listed.
“Next 2 U tees capped out with over $555K raised,” she wrote on Instagram. “This song is about protection, something that institutions have failed to do for the people of Palestine, Congo, and Sudan. No one got us the way we got each other. Me & my team feel overwhelmed with gratitude for yall showing out for this fundraiser.
“We’re blessed to say we supported artists in the West Bank while raising money for families in Gaza, Sudan, and Congo. We’re blessed to say that we are supported by a community standing on business together. We’re blessed to play a small part in a growing tide towards the truth about Palestine.
“We’re invincible together and I feel ever so inspired by yall. THANK you for showing out on the streets of DC, with your dollars, with your labor and [organizing], with your bodies blocking business as usual THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. I believe that we will win.”
Over the past month, Kehlani’s public presence has been largely centered on her support for Palestine as the Israel–Hamas war enters its eighth month. However, the money she has raised from her most recent song will also aid people affected by the civil war in Sudan as well as those suffering as a result of the armed-resistance attacks in Congo.
Last month, the 29-year-old singer addressed the Gaza crisis in a social-media video and said: “It’s fuck Israel. It’s fuck Zionism. And it’s fuck a lot of ya’ll too.”
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In the post’s caption, she added: “I don’t got it no more i just don’t i tried hella ways to cope & it doesn’t exist and that’s okay, nobody should know how to cope right now. I tried to drop some music & get my mind back right, my focus back & the rage is just EXTREMELY prevalent. this shit is fucking me up BEEN fucking me up it should be fucking a lot of yall up but apparently it’s not????
“What’s good yall??? we don’t sell out shows without A CROWD FULL OF PEOPLE. the songs don’t chart without PEOPLE. the trends don’t trend without PEOPLE. you don’t draw a line at beheaded babies or people burnt alive after 7 months the of plenty of other atrocities?”
She concluded: “Idc about the roll out the formula the strategy the algorithm at this point i’m begging U TO BE PEOPLE. BE A FUCKIN HUMAN BEING.”
