Kehlani in the “Next 2 U” music video.
Kehlani reveals receiving death threats over Palestine advocacy
Note: AI technology was used to generate this article’s audio.
- R&B singer Kehlani revealed that her outspoken support for Palestine led to a barrage of highly organized death threats, which forced her to relocate due to fears for her safety.
- Kehlani's advocacy resulted in professional consequences, including the cancellation of performances at Cornell University and New York City's SummerStage concert over accusations of antisemitic and anti-‘Israel’ sentiments.
R&B singer Kehlani revealed the toll of her outspoken support for Palestine, including a barrage of death threats that forced her to relocate.
The Oakland native, known for hits like “CRASH” and her Grammy-nominated single “Folded,” described the threats as “highly organized, typed-out, detailed” messages targeting her at shows, which escalated fears for her safety and strained her relationships.
“It got into my safety, my family dynamics, my friendships,” Kehlani said in an interview on New York’s Power 105.1 FM’s The Breakfast Club on Monday, adding that she constantly questioned if “everybody [was] out to get me.”
It caused a “really bad paranoia” which forced her to move residences.
Kehlani has used her platform to call for ceasefires, share safety tips for pro-Palestine protesters, and release politically charged content, such as her 2024 video for “Next 2 U,” featuring Palestinian flags and the phrase “long live the intifada.”
It earned her praise from allies like rapper Vic Mensa, who lauded her “humanity and courage” in a May 2025 open letter, but has drawn fierce backlash from pro-‘Israel’ groups and public figures.
In April, Cornell University canceled Kehlani’s scheduled performance at its Slope Day event, citing her “antisemitic, anti-Israel sentiments” after she voiced support for Palestinian resistance.
Organizers faced pressure from campus warnings by the US Department of Education to protect Jewish students amid rising tensions.
Similarly, in May, New York City’s SummerStage Pride concert in Central Park was axed under advisement from Mayor Eric Adams over unspecified “security concerns,” a move applauded by Congressman Ritchie Torres, who accused Kehlani of antisemitism without evidence beyond her anti-Zionist stance.
