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Macklemore Donates $1M to Palestinian Organizations After Tour Fallout
Confirmed
In Short: Macklemore donated $1 million from his earnings to Palestinian aid groups after being removed from Ed Sheeran's tour.
Macklemore announced he would donate $1 million from his earnings from Ed Sheeran's tour to six Palestinian organizations, challenging Robert Kraft to match the donation.
On Monday, Sheeran's promoters, Messina Touring Group, banned Macklemore from performing during the British singer's tour at Gillette Stadium near Boston.
Macklemore was removed from the tour after performing a song dedicated to pro-Palestinian protesters and referring to 'genocide' in Gaza, a description Israel rejects.
Sheeran said the decision to drop Macklemore was made by his promoters, not by him personally, and that he respects Macklemore's stance while not using his own platform for politics.
Kraft, in a statement, said he has supported efforts to create opportunities for Palestinians and has worked to bring young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses and forge relationships.
What's confirmed
- Macklemore announced he would donate $1 million from his earnings from Ed Sheeran's tour to six Palestinian organizations, challenging Robert Kraft to match the donation.
- On Monday, Sheeran's promoters, Messina Touring Group, banned Macklemore from performing during the British singer's tour at Gillette Stadium near Boston.
- Macklemore was removed from the tour after performing a song dedicated to pro-Palestinian protesters and referring to 'genocide' in Gaza, a description Israel rejects.
- Sheeran said the decision to drop Macklemore was made by his promoters, not by him personally, and that he respects Macklemore's stance while not using his own platform for politics.
- Kraft, in a statement, said he has supported efforts to create opportunities for Palestinians and has worked to bring young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses and forge relationships.
What's still developing
- 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.
- In Kraft's latest statement, which was issued by Gillette Stadium on his behalf, he said he would like those speaking in support of the Palestinian people to know he has "supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians".
- 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.
- Kraft's comments came in his second statement this week on the controversy over Sheeran's US tour.