‘A waste of space’: DJ Khaled gets slammed for silence over Gaza

DJ Khaled received his favorite dish, maqluba, on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon for his birthday. Social media users flamed Khaled for claiming to love the dish, despite his silence over the ongoing genocide in Palestine.

During the show, Khaled claimed, “You know it’s my favorite food? I haven’t ate yet.” He scarfed down the rice dish with Fallon. While they didn’t finish the dish on air, Khaled told the staff he’d eat the rest later. Despite his evident admiration for the dish, Khaled didn’t explain its origins or relationship to Palestine. Social media users were frustrated with Khaled’s silence. Khaled has proudly claimed his Palestinian heritage in the past, after all. One disappointed Twitter user wrote, “Eating maqluba on national TV and still won’t utter a word about what’s happening to his people. DJ Khaled is a waste of space.”

Another Twitter user encouraged Jimmy to answer where maqluba is from since his guest conveniently left out its origins. Meanwhile, on TikTok, people mocked Khaled and called him “Dj silent.”

Palestinian only when convenient

Khaled wouldn’t be obligated to talk about the onslaught against Palestinians if he hadn’t been vocal about his heritage. He even graced the fall/winter cover of Vogue Arabia in 2018. In this edition, Khaled even recalled how he visited Palestine at nine years old. He even claimed that his parents made sure that he’d know where he came from, hence their two-year stay in Palestine.

It’s no wonder the internet is enraged that a man who claims to be proud of his roots is silent when bombs blitz his country and people. He hasn’t put out a message of support or sympathy since 2023, amidst the deaths of countless Palestinian children and civilians. The inhabitants of the Gaza Strip are at risk of famine. Meanwhile, Khaled happily stuffs his face with Maqluba on a talk show. There’s no better way to describe this gesture than Khaled’s version of “let them eat cake.”