Macklemore has been removed from the American segment of Ed Sheeran’s tour after multiple venues across the U.S. threatened to cancel the planned concerts unless the American rapper—who is a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights—was taken off the lineup.
Known as Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, Macklemore participated in the first two U.S. performances of the Loop Tour on September 4 and 5 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The Grammy-winning artist from Seattle was set to open for the final eight of Sheeran’s ten U.S. concerts before being excluded from the tour.
The comments Macklemore made on stage at MetLife, which included chants of “Free Palestine” and expressions of support for Palestinians in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, faced backlash from pro-Israel organizations.
During his performance, he also donned a keffiyeh, a traditional black-and-white scarf associated with Palestinians, and sang his track Hind’s Hall, one of two songs he released in 2024 to support student activists on college campuses and to condemn Israel’s military actions in Gaza following the Hamas-led attacks on Israel that occurred on October 7, 2023.
The Israeli American Council (IAC) initiated a petition urging Sheeran to remove Macklemore from the remainder of the tour. After the announcement of Macklemore’s removal, the IAC expressed its approval of the decision in a statement.
“Anyone who decides to transform an 80,000-person concert into a platform for promoting a one-sided political agenda must be prepared to defend that choice,” the statement read. “A concert stage is not a venue for anti-Israel and antisemitic propaganda.”
Macklemore points finger at Robert Kraft
Messina Touring Group, the promoter for the U.S. leg of the tour, informed Rolling Stone that the decision to drop Macklemore followed “conversations with stakeholders.”
“As the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran’s U.S. Loop Tour, we were made aware by venues of the upcoming U.S. tour dates that a concert could not proceed with Macklemore on the lineup, which would lead to the cancellation of the tour and affect hundreds of thousands of fans,” the group stated on Monday.
Macklemore addressed the situation on Monday in a detailed statement on Instagram, attributing his exclusion from the tour to Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, who owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. He alleged that Kraft asserted Macklemore would not be permitted to perform and persuaded other stadium owners to threaten concert cancellations unless he was removed from the event. These threats placed Sheeran, a friend, in a challenging position, according to Macklemore.
“Ed [Sheeran] found himself in a challenging situation. He was aware of it. His usual neutral stance was being tested in a way it hadn’t been previously. He confided in me that the phrases ‘Free Palestine’ and the Palestinian flag were painful for many individuals he had spoken with,” Macklemore said.
“I explained to him that if those phrases were more offensive than the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinian children at the hands of Israel, then there was a significant disconnect between the perspectives of those individuals and mine. However, he couldn’t move beyond his public-facing stance of ‘I don’t take sides.’
CBC News contacted Sheeran’s representatives for a response but did not receive an immediate reply.
Kraft responds to Macklemore
In his response to Macklemore, Kraft stated that Gillette Stadium does “not provide a platform for hate speech,” accusing the rapper of inciting division and hate by sharing “selective information and overlooking the actions of Hamas,” in a statement given to CBC News.
“Considering Macklemore’s recent actions, the material presented from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s performances in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been profoundly offensive and damaging to the Jewish community, we concluded that his involvement in the September 25th and 26th concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line,” Kraft remarked in an email.
“I would appreciate the chance to meet with Macklemore and discuss the facts, as our ultimate objective aligns – peace for all, an end to suffering, and a cessation of all forms of hate.”
During his first show speech, Macklemore said: “A major reason I wanted to embark on this tour was so I could stand in venues like this and declare two words that are very significant to me: Free Palestine.
“I want those words to resonate loudly so that individuals in Gaza and the occupied West Bank understand that we have not forgotten about them.”
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft responded to Macklemore on Monday after the U.S. rapper claimed Kraft had influenced other stadium owners to prevent the pro-Palestinian advocate from performing at their venues, stating that Gillette Stadium does not permit ‘hate speech.’ (Brynn Anderson/The Associated Press)
Macklemore clarified that his critiques were aimed at the Israeli government and were not directed at Jewish individuals.
“To all my Jewish friends: criticizing Israel, opposing apartheid, and speaking out against genocide is not a criticism of you,” he asserted during his speech at the second show on September 5. “My message advocates for peace; love for all individuals to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality.”
Following his remarks, singer Pink reshared a social media post from StopAntisemitism that called for his removal from the tour. She later clarified that the post “contained phrases I did not write, and I would not have chosen all of them,” yet she stood by her criticism of the rapper.
“He performed in front of a stadium filled with families who enjoy music, with violent images from a war displayed on the screens, dedicated a song to his chosen movement, and then told all the Jews present that it wasn’t about them. He does not have the right to make that decision for us,” Pink expressed in a lengthy statement on Instagram on Friday.
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“That was the reason behind my repost. Not ‘Free Palestine,’ nor anyone’s right to express it. I have never requested that another artist be silenced, and I am not doing so now,” she wrote.
Pink also recalled a 2014 performance by Macklemore where he wore an outfit that was widely criticized as offensive and antisemitic. The rapper later apologized, asserting, “I respect all cultures and all individuals,” and that the costume was not intended as a caricature of a Jewish person.
Humanitarian groups claim Israel’s actions amount to genocide
Responses to Macklemore’s statement on Monday included support for the rapper.
“The manner in which you show solidarity is truly commendable. Thank you for enduring this adversity while prioritizing Palestinians,” remarked Noura Erakat, a Palestinian-American activist, professor, and human rights lawyer.
“Thank you for acknowledging your relative power and privilege. Thank you for being humble enough to learn from Palestinians, not just a phrase but a core principle of our continuity – thank you for not abandoning this responsibility.”
U.S. singer-songwriter Lauren Jauregui, also a supporter of Palestinian rights, expressed: “So much love and respect for you.”
Popular children’s content creator Rachel Accurso, known as Ms. Rachel, has similarly encountered intense public backlash and accusations of antisemitism for utilizing her platform to emphasize the humanitarian needs, safety, and rights of children in Gaza.
“Ed Sheeran had a chance to demonstrate that we will not be intimidated into punishing those who support Palestine,” she posted on Instagram. “Instead, he yielded to those who refuse to accept what the world is aware of. A genocide is occurring in Gaza. We all must raise our voices against it.”
Humanitarian organizations, including Amnesty International and a United Nations commission, have stated that Israel’s actions in Gaza amount to genocide.
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