From Palestine to New York to Hawai’i, club banger to rock to hip-hop, BDS Mixtape Volume 2 is a call to artists and audiences to Rise Up for Palestinian freedom — and the response resounds: a declaration of the deep knowledge that none of us is free until all of us are free.

As we write, Israel has intensified its years-long siege of Gaza, cutting off electricity, water, and fuel, and preventing food and medical supplies from entering — all while unleashing a massive aerial assault. In just the first six days, Israel dropped six thousand bombs on the world’s largest open-air prison, and Israeli leaders have made it clear that this is only the beginning — openly signaling the intent to commit mass atrocities. It is a terrifying escalation of a long campaign of erasure through dispossession, racist laws, and cultural repression, as well as military and state-backed settler violence. We must rise up against the denial of Palestinians’ right to live in freedom in their homeland.

By raising our voices and instruments to protest occupation, dehumanization, genocide, and vengeance, we broadcast a message to Palestinians and the many Israelis who have joined in the struggle for a future with justice and equality: We are with you. We will not be complicit in allowing art to be used in service of an apartheid state. Our creativity is in the service of liberation. We are cultivating connection. We are inviting reflection. We are intrepidly insisting on joy.

We have power.

BDS Mixtape* celebrates and builds upon historic global solidarity mobilizations like DJs for Palestine and Musicians for Palestine; groundbreaking productions like Palestine Music Expo and Boiler Room Palestine; benefit compilations like It’s Not Complicated and Never A Land Without People; musicians respecting the boycott like Sam Smith, Rodrigo y Gabriella, Buddy Guy, BadBadNotGood, and Big Thief; and so many other artist actions and grassroots campaigns. With growing momentum, we surge past the anti-Palestinian gatekeepers and their attempts to silence us, to amplify Palestine far and wide.

Though we release this album in far different circumstances than when we first began gathering contributions, we remain steadfast in our vision of exuberant solidarity with Palestine not just in times of extreme crisis, but also in the ongoing creative work of collective liberation.

The vibrant album art by queer Palestinian artist Elias Rischmawi reminds us: Palestinians have been creatively resisting repression for decades. When not only their flag was forbidden but even artwork with its colors, Palestinians defied the colonist censors. The watermelon has become a symbol of that defiance and a worldwide icon of solidarity.

Let this art lift us.

Let our solidarity resound.

Let us rise up for justice – for a world where all are free.


– Amplify Palestine’s BDS Mixtape production team


* Palestinians have called on people of conscience to use boycott, divestment, and sanctions to pressure Israel to end its occupation and colonization of Palestinian lands, recognize the right of Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality, and respect the right of Palestinian refugees to return home.