Does Kehlani Support Palestine? A Detailed Timeline of Their Unapologetic Support

The Breakdown: Kehlani has been at the forefront of artists supporting Palestine, so much so that they were removed from the lineup of an annual event held at Cornell University. So, just how hard does Kehlani support Palestine?

Over the past decade, Kehlani has become a fan favorite in the R&B scene. They’ve built one of the most loyal fan bases in music, and it’s no surprise why. They’ve seen plenty of commercial success since their debut mixtape Cloud 19, most notably with their 2020 album It Was Good Until It Wasn’t. In the time since the hit album, Kehlani has been extremely vocal about their political views. Their support for Palestine has been a major topic in particular.

Kehlani's support for Palestine has been unwavering since 2023. The “After Hours” singer has been very outspoken about their views on the ongoing conflict since the Hamas-led attack against Israel on October 7, 2023. That attack has since sparked an onslaught of missile strikes from Israel and resulted in an astounding number of casualties for Palestinians living along the Gaza Strip.

Kehlani released a music video for their song “Next 2 U” in May 2024. The video sparked controversy as it featured a Palestinian flag and the words “Long Live The Intifada” before the visuals began. The term “intifada” has been seen as a way to incite violence against Jews, but the term is originally an Arabic translation for uprising or resistance.

In the same month, Kehlani called out other entertainers for not using their platforms to speak out against the conflict. In videos they posted to their Instagram, they stated, "The disorience that is this f***king industry, that is my peers of highly f***king platformed people...and you can't stop for a second? And recognize that we wouldn't have anything we have, nothing we do has a f***cking purpose without people, and you can't turn the f**k around and reach back for people?"

They continued their rant saying, "It's f**k Israel, and it's f**k Zionism, and it's also f**k a lot of y'all too." They’ve also been spotted as one of the many supporters as part of the Musicians for Palestine movement. With the singer being so loud about her support of Palestine, it's gotten her into some trouble.

After being removed from a Cornell event's lineup in 2025, they took to their Instagram to clarify that they are not antisemitic. “I am anti-genocide, I am anti the actions of the Israeli government…I am anti an extermination of an entire people, I am anti the bombing of innocent children, men, [and] women. That’s what I’m anti,” they stated in a reel.

Kehlani’s performance at Cornell University was cut due to their stance on the ongoing conflict across the Gaza Strip. In a time when peaceful pro-Palestine protests turned intense across the country, the singer was one of many public figures to use their voice to support the movement. Many protests occurred on college campuses, most of which featured student-led encampments on the grounds of schools.

According to the Associated Press, the "Next 2 U" video and Kehlani’s social media presence alarmed Cornell students, parents, and community members. The Ivy League’s President received a multitude of concerns that the artist was promoting anti-semitism and anti-Israel views.

“While any artist has the right in our country to express hateful views, Slope Day is about uniting our community, not dividing it,” Cornell University President Michael Kotlikoff stated. Kehlani’s strong political viewpoints aren’t an isolated issue within Ithaca, though.

The singer was also slated to headline her own "Pride with Kehlani" event in New York's Central Park. The organizers of the concert, a non-profit called SummerStage, were pressured by the mayor's office to cancel their event. According to Truthout, the First Deputy Mayor, Randy Maestro, sent the non-profit a letter stating that the city would revoke their license if they did not.

The letter referenced the Cornell controversy specifically and stated worries for public safety as a result of it. Kehlani has not commented on the cancellation of the free Pride celebration concert. They are still slated to headline a Pride event in San Francisco during their celebrations in June.