Peter Rosenberg Talks Jewish Identity, Antisemitism, Macklemore, and Ye

When it comes to hip-hop, there are two Rosenbergs who reign supreme: Paul Rosenberg, longtime manager of Eminem, and Peter Rosenberg, the former Hot 97 host who now cohosts the Ebro Laura Rosenberg Show . Five minutes into my talk with Peter, I tell him as much, trying to impart that his success, like Paul’s, is a source of pride among Jews working in the music business. Whether someone listened to tri-state area radio or not, Peter Rosenberg’s name carries credibility — something earned, not given — through a career in a difficult and often unforgiving industry.

Being Jewish in the music business this past week has been especially fraught. Ed Sheeran, a superstar pop artist, found himself caught in the crossfire of Middle Eastern politics after his opening act, Macklemore , used the stage as a podium to rally the “free Palestine” cause. Sheeran was eight months into his Loop Tour, but after two dates in New Jersey — both featuring Macklemore — the fate of the rest of its North American leg was suddenly uncertain.

How did we get here? You could put a date on it — October 7; May 1948; the first century — but it doesn’t really matter, because we all have our version of history, and it is very difficult to convince someone to let go of their heritage for a version of yours. It might be trite to say two things can be true at the same time, but in the case of Israel as a sovereign nation, it could be 10 things, each difficult to parse, often debated, and rarely compromised.

It was in this environment that two members of the music media, and of the Jewish and Israeli communities, attempted to have a conversation. When Rosenberg and I first connected, Rolling Stone had not yet broken news of Macklemore’s exit from the tour, prompted by Robert Kraft, the New England Patriots owner and proprietor of Gillette Stadium. Kraft stated that he viewed Macklemore’s onstage comments as hate speech. Macklemore held steadfast to his position — that the ongoing war in Gaza has resulted in the deaths of thousands of children — and found supporters among the other openers on Sheeran’s tour and his backing band, who dropped out in solidarity. Editor’s picks The 250 Greatest Albums of the 21st Century So Far The 100 Best TV Episodes of All Time The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century

Amid the controversy , Rosenberg wrote on X, “A lot of people I love are being openly lame about Kanye. I am not saying no one deserves forgiveness or empathy but this man sang Heil Hitler ONE YEAR AGO. Disappointed in a lot of people,” later drawing a contrast between Macklemore’s treatment and the return of Ye, whose public statements have included admiration for Adolf Hitler and the sale of swastika-themed merchandise.

That the messaging is a mess is something Rosenberg and I agree on. How is someone supposed to find a way through this complex, emotional, deep-rooted conflict when it constantly contradicts itself? Another view we shared: that the loudest extremes drown out the rational middle. And that’s on all sides. The internal struggle we’re facing as individuals is rarely talked through.