Macklemore has been removed from the U.S. portion of Ed Sheeran’s tour following threats from venues in the United States to cancel shows if the American rapper, known for his support of Palestinian rights, was not taken off the lineup.
Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, or Macklemore, joined Sheeran for the initial two U.S. shows on the Loop Tour on Sept. 4 and 5 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The Grammy-winning artist from Seattle was set to perform as the opening act for eight more of Sheeran’s U.S. shows before being ousted from the tour.
During his performances at MetLife, Macklemore made statements in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, which included chanting “Free Palestine” and donning a keffiyeh, a traditional Palestinian scarf. He also performed his song “Hind’s Hall,” released in 2024 to advocate for student protesters and criticize Israel’s military actions following the 2023 attacks by Hamas.
The Israeli American Council (IAC) initiated a petition urging Sheeran to remove Macklemore from the tour, a move welcomed by the IAC upon its announcement.
In a lengthy statement shared on Instagram, Macklemore attributed his removal from the tour to Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. Kraft allegedly influenced other stadium owners to threaten concert cancellations if Macklemore remained on the bill, placing Sheeran in a challenging position.
Responding to Macklemore’s claims, Kraft emphasized that Gillette Stadium does not tolerate hate speech and accused the rapper of divisive behavior, disregarding Hamas’ actions and engaging in offensive rhetoric.
Macklemore clarified that his criticisms were directed towards the Israeli government and not Jewish individuals, advocating for peace and equality for all. His remarks drew support from various activists and artists, including Palestinian-American Noura Erakat and singer Lauren Jauregui, who commended his solidarity.
The decision to remove Macklemore from the tour sparked debates on social media, with supporters and critics expressing their views on the situation. Humanitarian groups, such as Amnesty International and a United Nations commission, have labeled Israel’s actions in Gaza as constituting genocide.
