British pop star Ed Sheeran has distanced himself from the decision to remove rapper Macklemore from his ongoing United States tour, attributing the move to external pressure from venue owners and promoters rather than his own choosing.
In a six-slide Instagram post released Tuesday, Sheeran stated he needed to “set out some facts” regarding the controversy. He explained that the removal occurred after multiple venues threatened to cancel future shows if Macklemore remained on the lineup.
The dispute began earlier this month when Macklemore, born Ben Haggerty, made “Free Palestine” statements and other pro-Palestine comments while performing alongside Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Sheeran noted that he had spent the week communicating with venues in an attempt to “build a bridge.”
Sheeran clarified that he believed the issue centered on the manner in which Macklemore delivered his message during performances, rather than the substance of all his remarks. The English musician expressed that he was “appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine” but emphasized that he chooses not to use his stage as a political forum.
“I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes,” Sheeran wrote. “However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed.”
Robert Kraft, owner of the NFL’s New England Patriots, confirmed he pressured Sheeran to drop the rapper. Kraft stated that Macklemore was barred from performing at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts due to what he described as a “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” In a statement to Al Jazeera, Kraft argued that the decision was not about diminishing Palestinian suffering but rather about ensuring advocacy does not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure Hamas’s responsibilities.
Macklemore claimed in his own Instagram post that Sheeran informed him Kraft had organized a boycott among other stadium owners unless the rapper was removed from the tour. He recounted telling Sheeran that if Macklemore’s words were considered more offensive than the deaths of tens of thousands of Palestinian children, there was a “fundamental disconnect” between their positions.
The incident has sparked further fragmentation within the tour’s lineup. Several supporting artists, including Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, the Irish band Beoga, the Danish group Lukas Graham, and musician Finneas, announced their withdrawal from the tour on Tuesday. These artists voiced solidarity with Macklemore and expressed support for the Palestinian cause.
When addressing his own silence on the matter, Sheeran insisted, “I am not complicit.” He added that while he keeps his political views personal, it does not mean he lacks opinions or does not care about the devastating conflict, nor does it mean he does not support causes in his own way.
Robert Kraft pulling strings behind the scenes really ruins the whole narrative. Is any of this actually about peace or just pressure?
It’s interesting how Sheeran frames his silence as diplomacy, but the results speak for themselves. Artists walking out suggests otherwise.