Rapper Macklemore is a vocal supporter of Palestine and Gaza residents. During a recent concert at MetLife Stadium, he yelled “Free Palestine!” onstage, projected images of devastation in the area, and performed protest song “Hind’s Hall.”
Now, it seems that American venues are not willing to play ball with the Seattle artist, and he has been dropped from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour.
“After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates,” according to Messina Touring Group, the promoter of Loop Tour. This news follows backlash from organizations like StopAntisemitism and others, such as pop star Pink.
Speaking up for Palestine isn’t antisemitism.
Saying that Israel is a genocidal country isn’t antisemitism either.
Given that the Palestinian people are Semitic people themselves, I would say that systematically destroying their lives, homes, and culture is more antisemitic than any combination of words that any person could string together.
Genetic testing has shown that the Palestinians are, by and large, Canaanites.
They are by default a semitic people.
Sheeran’s been a dickhead ever since he ruined immersion in GoT. Also, fuck his music.
Jesus was a Palestinian.
Was he not a jew also?
Two things can be true.
People on Lemmy suck, Internet … never change
Macklemore explained that the decision came after a week of “difficult conversations” with Sheeran, a friend of 13 years whom he considers a “brother”, though “as I told Ed multiple times on the phone, our friendship can’t change my responsibility to tell the truth about what happened.” According to Macklemore, Sheeran was under pressure from stadium owners rallied by Robert Kraft – the owner of the New England Patriots and their Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where Sheeran was next slated to play – to drop Macklemore from the tour, lest the English singer be barred from their venues. “Ed was in a fucked up position,” the rapper wrote. “He knew it. His typical apolitical stance was being challenged in a way it had never been before.
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/sep/14/macklemore-dropped-ed-sheeran-tour-free-palestine
This Kraft dude seems like a stand-up guy.
In 2019, Kraft was among 25 people facing first-degree misdemeanor charges for soliciting prostitution at a day spa. His attorney electronically entered a not-guilty plea, and later submitted a court filing where Kraft waived arraignment, pled not guilty to all charges and requested a jury trial.
In 2026, it was revealed that Kraft had kept a relationship with child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and that Epstein had recommended Kraft use his lawyer to defeat the charges.
Of course this Epstein class cunt is doing this shit
Sheeran has enough influence to change this, if he actually cared.
The fact that he hasn’t shows that he doesn’t. It’s his tour, it’s his decision.
Classy statement. Left unsaid but there for all to see, “my brother didn’t have my back”.
It’s endlessly surprising to see who among the already famous are going be on the right side of history. I love Macklemore now. And Dua, and the too-small group of other high profile artists who are speaking up even though there is a cost.
I think Ed Sheeran is a big enough deal that the stadiums would lose out more than he would if he called their bluff, and they’d likely cave. They’re not going to be able to book another artist for dates that soon that will sell comparable numbers of seats.
Ed should provide the same message at Kraft’s stadium that Macklemore made.
they won’t let you stay in the middle forever. it’s not a safe pick they’re trying to push everyone off the fence all the time it’s a key element of extremism.
Sheeran chose a side
if you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice
So Ed Sheeran is a piece of shit, eh?
The articles made it seem like the venues forced Sheeran to drop macklemore. Sheeran may not have had a say.
He could tell the venues if they wanted to cancel his opening acts, they could cancel his show, too. That would require someone to have principles, though. 🤷♂️
he can play somewhere else
I realize that the state of touring venues is pretty fucked up, but someone with his sway is the only kind of person who can say “you know what, no, fuck you guys”
I know precious little about him, but he sounds like a real dick.
“American Venues”
Not sure who’s calling the shots here
EDIT:
The rapper alleges that Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft gave Sheeran an ultimatum.
If Robert Kraft and the other stadium owners break tour contracts over a “we don’t like your opener” thing after they already signed, it’ll be huge fees and possibly a lawsuit. Ed Sheeran had leverage here and he didn’t use it.
It’s not like Macklemore has been quiet about his stance on Palestine. If it were a problem with Ed Sheeran, he probably wouldn’t have been on the tour in the first place.
Yeah but Sheeran is willing to bend the knee to keep the tour going. A real one would apologize to fans and let it be known it’s the venue owners cancelling shows and why.
It’s not like he’s some Indy act who won’t get more shows.
Ed is a brand, not a talent.
Watch. If he had refused to go on without Macklemore, these guys would’ve said “oh the rich baby didn’t want to go on because Macklemore said Palestine” or some shit.
Blame the rich fucks for their crimes; don’t invent new catch-22s to hang on them.
If “these guys” you’re talking about are Zionists, then I don’t think he should care what kind of vitriol they try to brew up for him. In fact, pissing them off is often the correct stance.
Nothing says “good guy” like compromising your principles for money, right? tf is your argument here?
It’s likely not up to him as he has contractual obligations that could ruin more than just his own livelihood.
The whole system is fucked. Rotten to the core
Ed Sheeran has an estimated net worth of around $350 million to $400 million
Won’t somebody think of the millionaires? His whole livelihood is at stake here!
And the truck & bus drivers, catering, roadies, grips, crew, wardrobe, sound guys. You think he puts in all the work himself?
Listen I’m not defending Ed Sheeran’s decision here but don’t forget it’s not always about JUST his money - he personally knows a shitload of people who are going to lose their next 18 months’ income without much recourse if he bails now, who aren’t millionaires. Tour work is literally gig work.
Sheeran has more than enough money to pay those people out of pocket for any dates that canceled.
And it’s not like his livelihood is even at massive risk - he’s a big enough name that any arena worth his time to perform at will be big enough that there won’t be other acts available that will sell enough seats at short notice, so they’re pretty likely to cave if he puts his foot down.
Is he responsible for his obligations if the stadium refuses him? Sounds to me like he would have made an effort to meet his contract, but someone else refused him.
Honest question, I have no idea how these things work, but have a hard time believing Sheeran had no choice but to give in
Those same contractual obligations should apply to the stadium owners.
good thing the earth is so tiny and most of the universe completely misses this shit.
…and then Sheeran chose wrong.
So a piece of shit
That was my thought exactly!
It seems like it’s the venues that won’t let Mackelmore play.
“After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates,”
From the tour promoters.
and Sheeran should refuse to work with those stakeholders
TIL Macklemore is based
He always has been. Naturally, his one goofy song about thrifting is the one that went viral.
Eh Same Love also blew up from that album which, while woke, is also pretty corny. The album also famously won the Grammy over Kendrick Lamar so I’d say his other songs got their fair share of fame.
The Grammys being trash is nothing new and also not really Macklemore’s fault
On the other hand, I’ve got no argument at all that a lot of his music is corny af, but even when he was at his most cringe he was still trying to be a good dude at least
For sure, I was just mentioning the Grammy thing in terms of popularity. And yeah it does seem like he puts his money where his mouth is on social issues.
WHEN I WAS IN THE THIRD GRADE, I THOUGHT I WAS GAY
I know it’s just another big hit one but man I love how he just starts and doesn’t stop in “Can’t Hold Us.”
That was the song of the summer the year it came out. Went pretty hard can’t lie.
Gonna have to change his stage name to Macklemost
He is, but also a really corny dude to the point where he gives right wing pundits someone to point and laugh at. I know he is genuine and wants to put eyeballs on issues, however he sometimes came off performative about it which turns people off unfortunately.
After discussions with stakeholders,
Nothing good ever happens after these words.
Ed Sheeran should drop out too, the article doesn’t say it was his decision so he should show solidarity. Or Sheeran should do to his next show but show the same video Macklemore showed, then show it at every performance on tour
He likely couldn’t without getting sued for a metric fuck ton of money. What he probably could do though is say free Palestine at his next show and see what happens.
If it the venues refused his show at the last hour because of bringing Macklemore, it’s not Ed Sheeran who would be sued.
Contracts work both ways.
Talk about being on the wrong side of history, Ed and Pink.
Well damn. I always loved Pink.
Well, time to buy some Macklemore merch.
Fuck Sheeran. Rat-faced little bitch
Ed Sheeran can lick a chode. What a turd.
It’s really upsetting when people equate human rights support with antisemitism.
Human rights support does not mean anti-Israel.
Being against genocide and being for human rights and supporting Israel’s ability to defend itself against Hamas and also saying Israel is committing human rights violations are not logically inconsistent positions.
It does bother me when support for Gazans treads into the realm of antisemitism, that does sometimes happen, antisemitism is increasing and is awful, and also, there’s no indication that I see that Macklemore was being antisemitic.
Pink mentioned in her response he once had a Same Love performance in which he was making fun of Jewish people. I haven’t seen that, I can’t find it online, and I don’t know if seeing it would make a difference in my view of this.
That fucking molerat-faced coward.
Cool. No clue who any of these guys are, but I’m with the macklemore guy. And no. I don’t want to know more.
