Rapper Macklemore was removed from the remaining dates of Ed Sheeran‘s stadium tour following backlash over political statements he made on stage. The controversy began earlier this month during Sheeran’s Loop Tour performances at MetLife Stadium outside New York City on Sept. 4 and Sept. 5, where the Seattle rapper yelled Free Palestine!
and voiced support for Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.
Macklemore Dropped from Ed Sheeran Tour After Pro-Palestinian Onstage Remarks
The remarks drew criticism from pro-Israel groups, including StopAntisemitism, which accused Macklemore of ambushing fans with anti-Israel propaganda. Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, confirmed he made the decision to bar Macklemore from performing at his venue based on the rapper’s recent actions, material shared from the stage, and what he termed a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery. Macklemore claimed in a social media statement that Kraft had also rallied other stadium owners to issue an ultimatum to Sheeran.
Promoter and Ed Sheeran Respond to Tour Ouster
The Messina Touring Group, promoter of the U.S. leg of Sheeran’s tour, stated that venues on the upcoming itinerary notified them they would not allow concerts to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, warning that keeping the rapper would result in tour cancellation and impact hundreds of thousands of fans. Consequently, Macklemore was dropped from eight of the 10 remaining shows on the U.S. leg.
Ed Sheeran addressed the situation in a social media post, stating that Macklemore’s removal was the promoter’s and venues’ decision rather than his own, and noted that he was personally involved in direct talks with promoters and activists to find a mutual resolution. Sheeran explained that he chooses not to use his professional platform for politics because his audience includes children of all backgrounds. He added that he respected Macklemore’s strength of purpose while maintaining that his own priority was to protect fans, touring crew, and supporting acts who rely on the tour for work.
Supporting Acts Withdraw in Solidarity
The tour faced further disruption when four supporting acts announced they were quitting in solidarity with Macklemore. Irish acts Aaron Rowe and Beoga, Danish band Lukas Graham, and Finneas posted statements on Instagram withdrawing from their scheduled appearances.
* Finneas: Billie Eilish’s brother and musical collaborator who was due to tour with Sheeran in South America later in the year, stated that artists must not be silenced when speaking up for the oppressed. * Aaron Rowe: Voiced gratitude for Sheeran as a friend and life-changing influence, but stated that Irish people know too well about genocide and violent occupation and could not allow billionaires to use power to silence rightful voices. * Lukas Graham: Called the withdrawal a difficult decision while stating that money does not give anyone the right to own the conversation or decide whose suffering is acknowledged. * Beoga: The Irish folk band, which had been performing several songs in the middle of each set with Sheeran, also withdrew from the tour.
Rowe and Lukas Graham had been slated to serve as replacements for Macklemore on Sheeran’s remaining U.S. dates. The tour is scheduled to resume in Philadelphia, with subsequent stops including Gillette Stadium, Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium.
