NEW YORK — Macklemore announced on Monday that he has been removed from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour following pro-Palestinian remarks the rapper made during a September 5 concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
According to a statement posted on Instagram, multiple U.S. venues informed the tour promoter, Messina Touring Group, that they would not permit Macklemore to serve as the opening act. Consequently, Sheeran’s team decided to drop the Grammy-winning artist from the lineup.
Macklemore, widely known for his hits “Thrift Shop” and “Same Love,” stated that he has advocated for Palestinian rights for years, questioning why the issue arose only now given the scale of the upcoming stadium shows.
“At a certain level of exposure, ‘Free Palestine’ becomes too much of a risk,” Macklemore wrote.
Messina Touring Group confirmed to Rolling Stone that venues warned of tour cancellations and significant fan impact if Macklemore remained on the roster. Among the affected locations is Gillette Stadium, home of the NFL’s New England Patriots.
Robert Kraft, the stadium’s owner, addressed the decision in a Monday statement, attributing it to Macklemore’s recent comments and what he described as a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery offensive to the Jewish community.
“This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf. Their pain and loss are real,” Kraft said. “Macklemore’s advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas.”
The controversy stems from Macklemore’s introduction of his song “Hind’s Hall,” which references the death of five-year-old Palestinian girl Hind Rajab in Gaza City. During the performance, the rapper, whose birth name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, told the audience, “To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters, criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, it in no way is criticism of you.”
His remarks had previously drawn criticism from singer Pink, who faced backlash for her own comments on the matter. Macklemore expressed that he holds no hard feelings toward Sheeran, describing the pop star as a friend.
“Our friendship can’t change my responsibility to tell the truth about what happened,” Macklemore wrote.
Ed Sheeran has not publicly responded to the situation, and his representatives did not immediately return requests for comment. The tour schedule includes dates at major venues such as Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.
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