Macklemore has spoken out after being dropped from the remaining dates of Ed Sheeran's US tour over the rapper's pro-Palestinian remarks, saying the controversy should not distract from those suffering in Gaza.
“The victims are the Palestinian people. The men, women and children who have been killed, starved, displaced and forced to live through unimaginable violence,” the Grammy-winning musician wrote in a lengthy statement on Instagram on Monday.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, said he and Sheeran had held “some difficult conversations” over the past week before the decision was made to remove him from the remaining dates of the Loop Tour. He had been scheduled to support the British singer at eight of the 10 remaining shows on the US stadium tour.
“Ed Sheeran and his team have made the decision to remove me from The Loop tour,” Macklemore wrote. “But before I get into it, I want to say something that should be obvious. In this moment, I think it matters. I am not a victim. Ed Sheeran is not a victim. Pink is not a victim.
“We have careers, money, opportunities, safety and audiences around the world. Whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families.”
What did Macklemore say on the tour?
The controversy began after Macklemore performed at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 as part of Sheeran's tour. During his set, the rapper spoke about Gaza and the occupied West Bank before declaring “Free Palestine” and performing Hind's Hall, his protest song supporting Palestinians.
“A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine’,” he told the crowd.
“I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them.”
Macklemore also addressed Jewish members of the audience, arguing that criticism of Israel should not be conflated with anti-Semitism. “To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you,” he said.
“My message is for peace. Love for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect and equality.”
The performance prompted criticism, including from campaign group StopAntisemitism, which accused Macklemore of using Sheeran's concert to promote an anti-Israel message. The Israeli-American Council also launched a petition calling on Sheeran to remove Macklemore from the tour.
Singer Pink, who is Jewish, also waded into the controversy after sharing a post criticising Macklemore's performance. Her repost prompted a backlash of its own, leading Pink to issue a lengthy statement clarifying her position.
What did Macklemore say about Ed Sheeran?
Macklemore also gave his account of private conversations with Sheeran in the days following the MetLife concert. He claimed Sheeran told him Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots whose Kraft Group owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, had contacted him and said Macklemore would not be permitted to perform there.
Macklemore described Sheeran, whom he has known for 13 years, as being in a difficult position.
He said Sheeran told him that the words “Free Palestine” and the image of the Palestinian flag had been hurtful to some of the people he had spoken to.
“I told him that if those words were more offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood,” Macklemore wrote.
He also challenged what he described as Sheeran's public position of “I don't take sides”.
“Taking a side can cost you. Money, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, relationships and access. I've lost all of those things,” he wrote. “But there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed.”
Despite their disagreement, Macklemore said he hoped it would not end his friendship with Sheeran. “Thirteen years of friendship doesn't disappear because of one painful disagreement,” he wrote, adding that his “door will always be open” to further conversations.
Sheeran has not publicly responded to Macklemore's statement.
Why was Macklemore removed from the tour?
Messina Touring Group, promoter of the US leg of Sheeran's Loop Tour, confirmed that venues hosting upcoming dates had objected to Macklemore remaining in the line-up.
The promoter told Rolling Stone it had been notified that venues would not allow concerts to take place with Macklemore on the bill, potentially resulting in the cancellation of shows and affecting hundreds of thousands of fans.
“After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates,” the company said.
Macklemore had been due to perform at eight of the 10 remaining US dates, with the tour resuming in Philadelphia on September 19.
Macklemore's history of supporting Palestine
Macklemore has been one of the most outspoken US musicians in support of Palestinians since the start of the war in Gaza.
In 2024, he released Hind's Hall, a protest anthem in solidarity with pro-Palestinian student demonstrations and named after Hind Rajab, the Palestinian girl killed in Gaza.
The song's title refers to Columbia University protesters temporarily renaming a campus building Hind's Hall during demonstrations over the war.
Macklemore has continued to use concerts and public appearances to speak about Gaza and Palestinian rights, and said his MetLife remarks were consistent with what he had been saying on stages around the world for almost three years.
He ended his statement on Monday by saying he did not need all the remaining dates on Sheeran's tour to achieve what he had wanted from the opportunity.
“I didn't need 10 shows from Ed. I needed two,” he wrote. “Two chances to stand in front of 90,000 people and say the words that somehow became too dangerous to say. Free Palestine.”
