Ed Sheeran drops Macklemore from US tour over Palestine support, rapper shares statement
Despite his famous apolitical stance, English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran sparked debate after dropping Macklemore from his U.S. tour following the rapper’s “Free Palestine” remarks on stage.
Macklemore opened for Ed Sheeran at MetLife Stadium with a lengthy speech to raise awareness about the ongoing Israeli aggression on Gaza and call for a “Free Palestine.” The rapper then performed his song, “Hind’s Hall,” a protest track to honor six-year-old Palestinian child Hind Rajab, who was tragically killed by the IOF while trapped in a car with relatives in Gaza.
News recently circulated that Ed Sheeran dropped the rapper after receiving a call from Robert Kraft, who told him the performance crossed a line. Other venues then threatened Sheeran and his team with cancelling all the singer’s upcoming tour stops if Macklemore stayed. Kraft later doubled down on his decision via a statement.
According to the BBC, StopAntisemitism also joined Kraft and criticised the rapper, saying “Jewish fans bought tickets to see Ed Sheeran sing… not to be ambushed by Macklemore’s anti-Israel propaganda.”
In response, Macklemore later took to the stage and addressed his “Jewish brothers and sisters,” adding that “Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, is in no way a criticism of you.”
Macklemore later took to Instagram and confirmed that he has been dropped from the tour:
In his Instagram statement, Macklemore told his fans that the real victims are the Palestinian people, including all the men, women, and children who have been killed, starved, and displaced by Israel.
He further explained that Ed was in a “F*cked up position” for his apolitical stance because he was being “challenged in a way it never had been before.” Macklemore also added that he did not want to lose 13 years of friendship with Ed because of one painful disagreement.
Macklemore finished his statement with:
“I didn’t need 10 shows from Ed. I needed 2. Two chances to stand in front of 90,000 people and say the words that somehow became too dangerous to say. Free Palestine. But if those words cost me the stage, while turning the conversation back to Palestine, then it was the most successful tour I’ve ever been on.”
Fellow artist Kehlani responded to the rapper and wrote, “A LOT of the venues / owners are rallied together this way. honored to know you brother. adore you. behind you!!!!”
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg also took to the comments section and wrote, “Full solidarity and free Palestine. Artists’ very active silence in the face of injustice and genocide will not be forgotten.”
Irish hip hop group Kneecap wrote, “Free Palestine. They can never silence the truth.”
Ed Sheeran’s stance on the matter drew mass criticism from pro-Palestine and human rights activists who called for the boycott of his ongoing U.S. tour:
“‘I don’t take sides’ is taking a side. Humanity over comfort. People over profit. Free Palestine.”
“Speaking out against a genocide is more important than appeasing people without a moral compass. You can still change your decision to remove Macklemore. Do the right thing! Remember as an artist there is no neutrality. Silence means you have taken the side of the oppressor.”
“Do you have your own opinions or do you just go with what your publicists says?”
