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Macklemore Dropped From Sheeran Tour Amid 'Free Palestine' Controversy
Confirmed
In Short: Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour after just two shows following his performance of 'Hind's Hall,' a song that calls for a 'free Palestine' and criticizes Israel's actions in Gaza.
On September 4, Macklemore began his opening stint on Sheeran’s Loop Tour, performing at MetLife Stadium.
One day after the MetLife shows, the Israeli-American Council published a petition calling for Macklemore's removal from the tour.
Macklemore was officially removed from the tour on September 14 by the U.S. promoter, Messina Touring Group.
The promoter cited pressure from venue owners, including Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft, who reportedly refused to allow Macklemore to perform due to his political stance.
Macklemore responded with a lengthy Instagram post, expressing empathy for Sheeran but criticizing his 'I don’t take sides' approach to the conflict.
Sheeran addressed the controversy at his Philadelphia concert, apologizing to fans and stating that the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks in Israel were 'horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain,' while also condemning the Israel Defense Forces' actions in Gaza as 'catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate.
In response to his removal, Macklemore announced a new 'Free Palestine Tour,' with shows in Dublin, Paris, and London, and pledged to donate his $1 million salary from the Loop Tour to organizations supporting Palestine.
Sheeran lost nearly 500,000 Instagram followers and faced widespread backlash for his statement, with other Loop Tour openers dropping out to support Macklemore.
Macklemore's tour announcement and Sheeran's statement reflect the growing political activism among musicians and the impact of political stances on tour schedules and fan engagement.
What this adds
Sheeran's apology and statement at the Philadelphia concert did not quell the controversy.
Fans demanded refunds from Ticketmaster, and Sheeran lost a significant number of followers on Instagram.
The controversy highlights the complex interplay between political activism, tour logistics, and fan expectations.
Background
Ed Sheeran apologized to fans at his Philadelphia concert for the controversy surrounding Macklemore's removal from his tour.
Singer Ed Sheeran addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding the removal of rapper Macklemore from his Loop Tour during his concert at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday.
What's confirmed
- “If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years,” Macklemore, born Benjamin Haggerty, captioned his post.
What's still developing
- That’s partially why it reverberated so intensely when Macklemore was bluntly dropped from his opening stint on Sheeran’s trek, a decision that came after the former called for a “free Palestine” and performed “Hind’s Hall,” a politically charged track in which Macklemore makes clear his stance that Israel has been committing genocide against Palestinians ever since the deadly Hamas terrorist attacks of 2023. (At the time of the performance, the Palestinian death count as a result of the violence had surpassed more than 73,000, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
- It all began on Sept. 4, when Macklemore played his first show on the Loop Tour.
- “As the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran’s U.S. Loop Tour, we have been notified by venues on the upcoming U.S. tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans,” a spokesperson told Rolling Stone at the time.
- In it, he expressed empathy for Sheeran — whom he called his “brother” — and the “f–ked up situation” the Loop Tour’s headliner had been placed in.
- But the rapper also called out his longtime friend’s “I don’t take sides” approach to the issue after explaining that Sheeran had allegedly been pressured by some of the owners of certain stadiums the tour is scheduled to stop through, namely Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft.
- “There is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed,” Macklemore wrote.
- Macklemore has been one of music’s most vocal stars when it comes to supporting Palestinians amid the conflict in Gaza over the past three years, but his stance on the issue ended up sparking a major controversy surrounding the U.S.
- The United Nations has declared Israel’s actions as genocidal, but the country and its allies, including the United States, deny this.) As both Macklemore and Sheeran have shared their sides of the story, more and more notable voices have also spoken out, including Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft and other Loop Tour opening acts such as Finneas and Lukas Graham.
- Below, find a timeline of everything that’s unfolded since Macklemore declared his support of Palestinians while opening for Sheeran — and check back for updates as new developments occur.
- “The issue is not whether Macklemore has the right to hold political views,” it read.
- “After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.” After news of his dismissal went public, Macklemore shared his thoughts in a lengthy statement on Instagram.
- The “Glorious” emcee, 43, then appeared to take shots at Sheeran, who attempted to stay neutral on the war in Gaza. (During his Sept. 19 show, Sheeran said the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks in Israel were “horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain” and he stated that the Israel Defense Forces’ action in Gaza is “catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate.”) “It’s 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore,” Macklemore penned.