I’d rather lose every opportunity in this industry than spend another day protecting people who value their business relationships with Israel more than they value Palestinian human life,
Macklemore said in a lengthy social media statement released Friday.
The US rapper claims that nine major American arenas have refused to host his Free Palestine tour, alleging that venue operators withdrew available dates once they learned the shows were intended as fundraisers for Palestine. The musician, whose legal name is Ben Haggerty, stated that his team had been in contact with these venues regarding dates through the end of 2026 by mid-September, but those opportunities were abruptly rescinded. He noted that in over twenty years of touring, he has never experienced such a situation.
[Macklemore says that nine US arenas turned down his Free Palestine tour] “Rapper called out ‘intimidation, manipulation and suppression’ in a social media post, claiming major arenas refused to host him after the Ed Sheeran controversy“https://t.co/yvrfXS3i2N
Nine US venues named in Macklemore’s statement
Macklemore singled out several iconic locations across the United States that he says turned him down. According to his Instagram post, the venues include:
- Madison Square Garden (New York City)
- Barclays Center (Brooklyn)
- Prudential Center (New Jersey)
- UBS Arena (Long Island)
- Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles)
- Kia Forum (Los Angeles)
- Intuit Dome (Los Angeles)
- Chase Center (San Francisco)
- Climate Pledge Arena (Seattle)
The rapper characterized the experience as a form of intimidation, manipulation and suppression
used by those in power to keep entertainers quiet. He argued that the ability of a small group of billionaires to decide which political causes are acceptable challenges the principles of free speech in the United States. He added, Today it’s Palestine. What will it be tomorrow?
MSG responds to Macklemore's claim that the arena turned down his "Free Palestine" tour: "We have some of the busiest venues in the world with extremely limited availability and he's not an arena level act." 🔗: https://t.co/SwLw8BEb3h pic.twitter.com/fABHynZlZN
Madison Square Garden disputes claims
While Macklemore alleges the denials were politically motivated, representatives for Madison Square Garden provided a different explanation, according to Deadline. A spokesperson for MSG Entertainment told Variety and Us Weekly that the decision was based on the fact that the venue has extremely limited availability and that Macklemore is not an arena level act.
The dispute follows the rapper’s recent European tour, which included sold-out performances in Dublin, Paris, and London at the end of October. The London show, held at the OVO Arena Wembley on October 30, was the final date of the three-city European benefit tour. The event featured a lineup of musicians and activists, including climate activist Greta Thunberg, Holocaust survivor Stephen Kapos, and Antoine Raffoul, a Palestinian displaced during the 1948 Nakba. Palestinian-Canadian singer Nemah Hasan, also known as Nemahsis, spoke about being dropped by her record label in 2023 after expressing support for Palestine.
Macklemore shares the U. S. venues that declined to host his Free Palestine Tour: • Madison Square Garden • Prudential Center • Barclays Center • UBS Arena • Intuit Dome • Kia Forum • https://t.co/Q8eBMHf4jf Arena • Chase Center • Climate Pledge Arena pic.twitter.com/ksQHbuD6o2
During the London performance, Macklemore wore a custom “Free Marwanshirt to show solidarity with Marwan Barghouti, a prominent Palestinian political leader who has been in an Israeli prison since 2002. The set included his protest track
Hind’s Hall.” All proceeds from the three European shows were designated to support various humanitarian organizations, including Medical Aid for Palestinians, UNRWA USA, the Gaza Soup Kitchen, HEAL Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.
Removal from Ed Sheeran tour sparked protest tour
The Free Palestine tour was launched in response to Macklemore being dropped from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour in September. The removal occurred after Macklemore made pro-Palestinian remarks during an opening set at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. The stadium owner, Robert Kraft, reportedly objected to the remarks and threatened to block Macklemore from performing if he remained on the bill.
The tour’s European leg featured various celebrity appearances and guest performances, including Hozier, Mark Ruffalo, Susan Sarandon, Aurora, Paloma Faith, Kneecap, and Portugal. The Man. Other speakers included Antoine Raffoul.
Undeterred by the lack of US arena availability, Macklemore told fans he is exploring other ways to bring the shows to America, stating, We will build our own stages. They may own the arenas. But they do not own the people who fill them. And they never will.
MSG tells TMZ they didn’t book Macklemore because he isn’t an “arena level act”, despite him immediately selling out his Free Palestine arena tour: “We have some of the busiest venues in the world with extremely limited availability and he's not an arena level act.” pic.twitter.com/HKKVcYgyvS
Earlier coverage: Macklemore Claims Major US Arenas Are Refusing to Book His "Free Palestine" Tour
