American rapper Macklemore has announced he will donate his entire net earnings of $1 million from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organizations supporting the Palestinian people, according to Euronews. The announcement followed his removal from the tour after he made pro-Palestinian remarks on stage, including shouting Free Palestine
during a performance at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on September 4.
Macklemore Donates Tour Earnings and Challenges Robert Kraft
In an Instagram post addressing the controversy, Macklemore stated: After everything that has happened in the last 48 hours, I want to bring the discussion back to where it belongs: to the Palestinian people who are still being killed, who are still living under military occupation, and who are still fighting for their freedom. He added that issuing a check is one of the most cost-effective forms of solidarity available to him, noting that these organizations do the actual work while much of the world debates.
The rapper challenged Jewish billionaire Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, to match his donation. Macklemore wrote that whatever they might disagree on, perhaps they could agree that Palestinian lives are worth protecting and that a Palestinian life is no less valuable than any other life on this earth.
Organizations Set to Receive the Funds
According to Rolling Stone, the net earnings will be distributed among six distinct humanitarian groups working directly to support people in the region. The designated recipients include:
- Palestine Children’s Relief Fund
- HEAL Palestine
- Gaza Soup Kitchen
- Medical Aid for Palestinians
- United Nations Relief Work Agency USA (UNRWA USA National Committee)
- Anera
Tour Removal and Fallout for Ed Sheeran
Macklemore’s removal from the Loop Tour came after pressure from venue owners and promoters. According to WELT and Gala, Robert Kraft intervened and pressed to have the rapper dropped because the stadium would not provide a platform for what was characterized as hate speech, pointing to a history of controversy. Ed Sheeran emphasized that the decision to exclude Macklemore was made by promoters and venue operators rather than himself, noting that the rapper’s contract was with the promoter.
The controversy triggered a broader backlash across the tour. All other opening acts and supporting artists scheduled for the North American leg—including Finneas O’Connell, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Beoga—withdrew from the tour in protest. Additionally, Gala reported that Sheeran lost approximately 300,000 Instagram followers in the wake of the dispute.
Response from Robert Kraft and Ed Sheeran
Robert Kraft responded to the public challenge by releasing a statement on social media disclosing that Ed Sheeran had previously contacted him to pledge $2 million to fight the humanitarian crisis in the region, and had asked Kraft to match that amount before Macklemore’s public challenge. Kraft stated that he and Sheeran plan to continue working together and that Sheeran intends to contact other stadium owners to garner further support for humanitarian aid.
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