Macklemore Reacts To Ed Sheeran Tour Removal

Macklemore was removed from his upcoming supporting performances on Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour following onstage “Free Palestine” statements he made while opening two shows at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, earlier this month. Macklemore addressed the decision in a lengthy statement posted to social media.

Macklemore’s onstage comments supporting Palestine prompted some negative responses, including pop star P!NK who initially called for Macklemore to be removed from Sheeran’s tour. Macklemore’s MetLife Stadium remarks came amid the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which escalated after Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel and Israel’s subsequent military campaign in Gaza.

Macklemore was slated to appear at eight additional Loop Tour stops, but he is no longer listed as a supporting performer for any of Sheeren’s upcoming shows. In his statement addressing being dropped from the tour, Macklemore said Sheeran and his team made the decision to remove him from the tour.

According to Macklemore, Sheeran revealed that Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, called Sheeran directly to prevent the performance. Macklemore said this placed Sheeran in a “fucked up situation.”

“Last Monday, in the middle of all the media attention surrounding Pink and what I said at MetLife, Ed told me that Robert Kraft called him,” Macklemore wrote. “We were scheduled to play Gillette Stadium later this month, which is owned by the Kraft Group. Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium. Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.”

Rolling Stone posted a statement provided by the promoters of the U.S. portion of Sheeran’s Loop Tour, Messina Touring Group.

“As the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran’s U.S. Loop Tour, we have been notified by venues on the upcoming U.S. tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans,” Messina Touring Group stated. “After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.”

Robert Kraft issued a statement to media outlets regarding his role in blocking Macklemore from performing at Gillette Stadium.

“Based on Macklemore’s recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community, we determined that his participation in the September 25th and 26th concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line,” Kraft said in his statement which can be read in full below.

Backlash against Macklemore grew out of a petition from the Israeli-American Council calling on Sheeran to remove the “Thrift Shop” rapper from the tour’s remaining dates. Pink also faced backlash after resharing a post critical of Macklemore’s MetLife remarks. She later posted her own statement clarifying her position.

Macklemore mentioned Pink, as well as Sheeran and himself, at the onset of his statement, to make clear that he did not think the three musicians were “victims” in the situation. Macklemore went on to describe Sheeran as a friend of 13 years and explained that he hoped this would not end their friendship.

“I hope this isn’t the end of my relationship with Ed,” Macklemore wrote. “Thirteen years of friendship doesn’t disappear because of one painful disagreement. I hope we both continue listening, studying what is happening in Palestine and wrestling with what neutrality means in a moment like this.”

Macklemore next tour date is scheduled for October 22 at Red Rocks outside Denver. The Loop Tour continues on September 19 at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field with Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe supporting Sheeran.

Read Macklemore’s Instagram post sharing his statement regarding being dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour below.

Robert Kraft’s full statement:

“Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech. Based on Macklemore’s recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community, we determined that his participation in the September 25th and 26th concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line.

“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. But that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas, a United States and globally (including Canada, European Union, United Kingdom, and Japan) designated terrorist organization whose horrific actions have caused immeasurable suffering for Palestinians and Israelis alike.

“I agree with Macklemore. Too many lives have been lost and there has been too much suffering, but only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas is not honest and only advances more divisiveness and hate. Over many decades, I have directed resources to Palestine and created athletic and entrepreneurial opportunities for Palestinians who I admire and respect. Standing with the Palestinian people and standing against Hamas, antisemitism and hate should not be mutually exclusive.

”Much of my time and attention for the last decade has been focused on the fight against antisemitism and hate of all kinds, and I feel a responsibility to stand up when I believe that line has been crossed. I have tremendous respect for Ed and his music, particularly his unique ability to bring people together and spread joy, and I have always been proud to welcome him and his fans to Gillette Stadium.

“I would welcome the opportunity to sit down with Macklemore and discuss the facts, because ultimately our goal is the same — peace for all people, an end to suffering, and an end to all hate.”

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[This article has been updated to include Robert Kraft’s statement.]