Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian stance costs him a spot on Ed Sheeran’s tour.
Macklemore says he has been removed from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour after making pro-Palestinian remarks during a recent show in New Jersey.
The Grammy-winning rapper revealed Monday that several US venues told tour promoter Messina Touring Group they would not allow him to perform as Sheeran’s opening act. According to Macklemore, Sheeran’s team subsequently decided to drop him from the tour.
Macklemore made the comments while introducing “Hind’s Hall” at MetLife Stadium on September 5. The protest track, released in 2024, takes its name from Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed in Gaza.
During the performance, Macklemore called for a free Palestine and stressed that criticism of Israel should not be interpreted as criticism of Jewish people. He also called for peace, equality and dignity for all.
The decision has sparked further debate around the rapper’s long-running advocacy for Palestinians. Macklemore questioned why his statements had become a problem now, suggesting that performing alongside one of the world’s biggest artists at major US stadiums had increased the commercial risk.
Messina Touring Group confirmed that venues had objected to Macklemore’s inclusion, saying his participation could have led to tour cancellations and affected hundreds of thousands of fans.
Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, also defended the decision. He cited Macklemore’s recent remarks and what he described as a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery, while stressing that the suffering of Palestinians should not be dismissed.
The Loop Tour is scheduled to continue across major US stadiums, including venues in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Arlington and Tampa.
Each and every supporting act withdraws from the tour
All four supporting acts on Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour withdrew in solidarity with Macklemore following his removal over pro-Palestine remarks. Finneas, Aaron Rowe and Irish backing band Beoga all pulled out of upcoming dates. Finneas said “artists should not be silenced for speaking up for the oppressed” and confirmed his support for Palestine. Rowe cited Ireland’s history of occupation and famine, while Beoga said they were protesting Macklemore’s silencing by pro-Israel lobbying groups.
Via a lengthy IG post on Tuesday, Ed Sheeran responded to the backlash over Macklemore’s removal from his Loop tour, saying he was “appalled by the Israel-Palestine conflict and the suffering on both sides.” Sheeran said Macklemore had asked to join the tour last year and that he agreed because he respected him as an artist.
“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,” he said. “I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.” Sheeran went on to outline his larger view on the use of his platform, which Macklemore had described the day prior as “his typical apolitical stance” that “was being challenged in a way it had never been before”.
Extensive Media backlash followed by Sheeran addressing the situation live on stage at Philadelphia
Following the incident, global media swooped in on Sheeran, questioning his lack of judgement and apolitical stance. The pressure was such that inside sources revealed that the singer was considering pulling the plug on his tour.
Ed Sheeran finally took to the stage and described the situation in Gaza as “catastrophic, unjustifiable and disproportionate” amid the controversy over Macklemore’s removal from his US tour.
Speaking at his Philadelphia concert on September 19, Sheeran addressed free speech and venue control. “I’ve never wanted to be an activist musician, but this has put me in the middle of an important and passionate argument about freedom of speech and the most complex political issue on the planet,” he said.
He called the October 7 attack “horrific” and apologised for decisions made during the tour dispute. “This concert is still a place where everyone is welcome.”
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