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Macklemore Donates $1M to Palestinian Organizations After Being Dropped from Sheeran Tour
Confirmed
In Short: Macklemore announced he would donate his $1 million earnings from Ed Sheeran's tour to Palestinian aid organizations, challenging Robert Kraft to match the donation.
Macklemore, the rapper, announced he would donate his $1 million earnings from Ed Sheeran's tour to six Palestinian organizations, in response to being dropped from the tour.
The decision to remove Macklemore was made by the tour's promoters, Messina Touring Group, not Sheeran himself, according to a statement from the singer.
Sheeran stated he respects Macklemore's stance but did not want to cancel the tour, which would have left him and his promoters liable for significant costs.
Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, where Sheeran was scheduled to perform, said he would like to support efforts that create opportunities for Palestinians, and suggested Sheeran had already asked him to match his own $2 million donation.
Macklemore's removal from the tour sparked a backlash, with other supporting acts dropping out in protest, and some artists calling for Sheeran to scrap the tour entirely.
What's confirmed
- Macklemore, the rapper, announced he would donate his $1 million earnings from Ed Sheeran's tour to six Palestinian organizations, in response to being dropped from the tour.
- The decision to remove Macklemore was made by the tour's promoters, Messina Touring Group, not Sheeran himself, according to a statement from the singer.
- Sheeran stated he respects Macklemore's stance but did not want to cancel the tour, which would have left him and his promoters liable for significant costs.
- Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium, where Sheeran was scheduled to perform, said he would like to support efforts that create opportunities for Palestinians, and suggested Sheeran had already asked him to match his own $2 million donation.
- Macklemore's removal from the tour sparked a backlash, with other supporting acts dropping out in protest, and some artists calling for Sheeran to scrap the tour entirely.
What's still developing
- On Monday, he confirmed he had banned Macklemore from performing during the British singer's forthcoming shows at his Gillette Stadium near Boston.
- Messina Touring Group said Macklemore was dropped because some venues - such as Kraft's Gillette Stadium - would refuse to let the concerts take place if he performed, meaning the tour would have been cancelled if Macklemore remained on the bill.
- In his statement on Tuesday, the singer said he respects "Macklemore's strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes", and that while he doesn't use his own platform for politics, that "doesn't mean I don't care" or "support causes in my own, personal way".
- The singer-songwriter also said he did not want to let down his fans or crew by cancelling the tour, which is set to resume in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
- Although some artists like Billy Bragg have called for Sheeran to scrap the tour, that would potentially leave the musician and his promoters liable for huge sums for costs including venue hire and ticket refunds.
- Kraft also said he has worked to bring "young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs, and forge relationships".
- The artists argued that Macklemore's removal represented a chilling effect on free speech.
- "Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges." Kraft did not confirm whether he has agreed to make the $2m donation and where the funds would go, and this is the first time it has been suggested Sheeran had donated that sum.