Celebrity5 min(s) read
Macklemore has revealed the ultimatum he said Ed Sheeran was given before the rapper was removed from the remaining American dates of the Loop Tour.
The rapper, born Benjamin Haggerty, was originally scheduled to open for Sheeran at eight of the ten remaining U.S. concert dates.
The controversy escalated following Macklemore's performances during Sheeran's concerts at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and September 5.
During those appearances, the artist performed his 2024 protest track 'Hind's Hall,' which criticizes Israel's military actions in Gaza, while also displaying background visuals and delivering political remarks directly to the crowd.
During his performance on Friday in New Jersey, Macklemore addressed the stadium directly regarding his motivation for joining the tour.
He told the audience: “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: 'Free Palestine'.”
He added: “I said, ‘Free Palestine!’ I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them.”
Following the New Jersey shows, Macklemore posted a statement on Instagram detailing conversations he had with Sheeran about his removal from the lineup.
According to Macklemore, Sheeran told him that Robert Kraft, CEO of the Kraft Group, which owns Gillette Stadium and the New England Patriots, personally reached out regarding the scheduled September 25 and September 26 concert dates in Massachusetts.
Macklemore wrote on Instagram that Sheeran explained the situation to him directly: “Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.”
The rapper added that Sheeran felt pressured by venue owners and public reaction. Macklemore explained on Instagram: “He told me that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with.
"I told him that if those words were more offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood. But he couldn’t get past his public-facing, ‘I don’t take sides.’ And I get why people don’t.”
Messina Touring Group, the promoter handling the North American dates for Sheeran's tour, confirmed the change to the lineup.
A spokesperson told Rolling Stone that venue management across upcoming dates expressed reluctance to host the show with the original supporting act, stating that allowing the performance "would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans."
After consultations with involved stakeholders, the decision was finalized to remove Macklemore from the remaining dates.
Robert Kraft also issued a public statement clarifying the venue's position regarding the upcoming concerts at Gillette Stadium.
Kraft stated via Variety that the stadium "has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech."
Kraft elaborated on the decision by citing prior stage statements and actions. Kraft stated: “Based on Macklemore's recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran's shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community, we determined that his participation in the September 25th and 26th concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line.”
The stage remarks sparked swift reactions from external organizations and fellow artists. Following the New Jersey concerts, the Israeli-American Council launched a formal petition advocating for Macklemore's removal.
The group argued that the artist used a “global concert platform to advance a one-sided political agenda,” adding: “This was an Ed Sheeran concert – not a political rally, not a protest, and not an activist event.”
Musician Pink also publicly commented on the situation after reposting a message criticizing the rapper's stage presentation.
In an accompanying message, Pink reiterated her stance that “Palestinians deserve a future that honors their humanity and their aspirations”, but noted her disagreement with displaying “violent images from a war on the screens” and telling “all of the Jews is the stadium that it wasn’t about them”.
Addressing Macklemore, Pink wrote: “You don’t get to decide that for us. That’s what prompted my repost.”
Macklemore acknowledged that his public advocacy has carried significant professional costs, stating that he has lost "money, brand deals, sponsorship, festivals, private shows, relationships and access."
On Tuesday, Sheeran took to social media to defend himself, arguing that he was not "complicit."
He said he was "appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine" and spoke about the "suffering and pain caused on both sides".
"I am not complicit," he went on. "I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn't mean I don't have them, and it doesn't mean I don't care."
He added that the decision to remove Macklemore from the tour was not made by him but was instead made by the promoter.
Sheeran's tour is set to resume its schedule in Philadelphia.
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