Rapper Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, has been removed from Ed Sheeran’s US concert series after delivering political speeches and chanting “Free Palestine” during performances earlier this month.
Macklemore had been serving as the supporting act for Sheeran’s Loop tour but faced intense criticism from Jewish advocacy groups following his remarks at two shows. On Monday, the artist confirmed his departure from the tour, asserting in a statement that the true victims of the current conflict are the Palestinian people in Gaza.
Sheeran has not yet issued a public response regarding the removal, and no replacement for Macklemore has been announced for the remainder of the schedule.
The incident originated on September 4 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. During the concert, the long-time pro-Palestine activist addressed the crowd, stating that a primary motivation for joining the tour was to use such large venues to advocate for Palestinian freedom. He subsequently performed his track “Hind’s Hall,” which criticizes Israeli military operations in Gaza, while footage of the region’s devastation played on stadium screens.
Following the performance, the campaign organization StopAntisemitism condemned the rapper’s actions. They argued that Jewish attendees purchased tickets to see Ed Sheeran perform, rather than to be subjected to what they described as anti-Israel propaganda.
During a second show the following night, Macklemore addressed the audience directly, speaking to Jewish attendees. He insisted that opposing apartheid and genocide does not equate to opposing Jewish people, emphasizing that residents of Gaza and the West Bank should not feel forgotten. Israel has denied allegations of genocide, maintaining that its military operations are acts of self-defense conducted in accordance with international law.
The conflict began on October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages. According to figures from the Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza, which the UN considers reliable, more than 73,780 people have been killed during the subsequent Israeli military campaign.
Despite a 13-year friendship between the two musicians, the backlash against Macklemore intensified. The Israeli-American Council initiated a petition urging Sheeran to dismiss the rapper, labeling the event a “political rally” rather than a concert and accusing Macklemore of utilizing biased messaging.
In a lengthy Instagram statement, Macklemore revealed that after a week of discussions with Sheeran, the pair reached a “fundamental disagreement.” He cited input from tour promoter Messina Touring Group, which reported that venues threatened to cancel the entire tour if Macklemore were permitted to perform, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of fans.
Macklemore expressed empathy for Sheeran’s predicament but criticized the singer for remaining neutral. He noted that taking a stand often results in the loss of money, sponsorships, and relationships, stating, “There is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed.”
Addressing accusations of antisemitism, Macklemore argued that the label is sometimes weaponized to silence criticism of Israel. He wrote that conflating opposition to Zionism with hatred of Jewish people fails to protect Jewish individuals and instead shields Israel from accountability. He concluded that if his actions had redirected public discourse toward Palestine, the tour would still be considered his most successful.
The controversy expanded to include US singer Pink, who is Jewish. After she reposted criticism of Macklemore, she faced significant backlash and later released a statement clarifying that she does not speak for the Israeli government. She criticized Macklemore for showing violent war imagery to families and telling Jewish audience members that the protest was not about them, writing, “You don’t get to decide that for us.”
Interesting that venues threatened to cancel the whole tour. Does this mean promoters now have veto power over which artists can share a stage?
As a Palestinian American, I understand why he spoke up. These venues are massive platforms that deserve to be used for awareness, not just entertainment.
Macklemore has every right to his views, but was forcing this narrative onto stadium audiences really necessary? It felt quite aggressive to me.
I’m surprised Ed Sheeran stayed silent. After twelve years of friendship, you’d expect a personal statement from him about this split.
It is sad that politics keeps intruding on music. I just want to hear the songs, not hear a lecture before every track.