Ed Sheeran's Instagram Following Fell by Nearly 100,000 During Macklemore Controversy

Ed Sheeran is facing an online backlash after Macklemore was removed from the singer's US tour following the rapper's pro-Palestinian remarks on stage. Macklemore's statement about his removal from The Loop tour has drawn further attention to the dispute between the two artists.

The dispute traces back to Macklemore's performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on 4 and 5 September 2026, where he opened for Sheeran on the North American leg of the tour.

During those shows, Macklemore repeatedly voiced support for Palestinians and performed his 2024 protest track 'Hind's Hall', a song inspired by the pro-Palestinian student movement, telling the crowd to 'Free Palestine'.

How the Controversy Began

The performances drew swift criticism, with the Israeli American Council subsequently launching a petition calling for Macklemore's removal from the tour. Pop star Pink also reposted a message from the advocacy group StopAntisemitism that criticised Macklemore's remarks and called for his removal and ticket refunds for fans.

Pink later published her own explanation on Instagram, insisting she had not sought to have Macklemore fired. She wrote that she does what she does when she is hurt, which is post snarky memes and act like she is fine, adding that a repost is not a statement.

She said it was not Macklemore's Palestinian advocacy itself that had upset her, but his onstage suggestion, in her account, that his remarks were not directed at Jewish concertgoers. The comments added to the dispute surrounding Macklemore's performances and his subsequent removal from the tour.

Macklemore's Allegations Against Kraft

On Monday, 14 September 2026, Macklemore posted a lengthy statement on Instagram detailing his removal from the remaining tour dates. He wrote that he was going to speak from the heart and share the truth, and that Ed Sheeran and his team had made the decision to remove him from The Loop tour.

Macklemore alleged that Sheeran told him that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft had rallied other stadium owners into issuing an ultimatum: if Macklemore stayed on the tour, venues would not host the shows at all.

Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, which is owned by the Kraft Group, was among the venues scheduled to host tour dates on 25 and 26 September.

Kraft confirmed in a statement that Gillette Stadium had barred Macklemore, though he did not directly address the claim that he had contacted other venue owners.

He said Macklemore's recent performances, alongside what Kraft described as a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery, had led the stadium to determine that his appearances there would cross a line.

Kraft added that the decision was not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf, but said that advocacy should not come at the Jewish community's expense. Tour promoter Messina Touring Group also addressed the cancellations in a statement to Rolling Stone.

The company said it had been notified by venues on the upcoming US tour dates that they would not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would have resulted in the cancellation of the tour and affected hundreds of thousands of fans.

The promoter confirmed that, after discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore would not perform on the remaining support dates.

Fallout, Celebrity Reaction and the Numbers

The dispute has already affected the remaining US tour dates, after venues said they would not allow Macklemore to perform. Messina Touring Group said the situation could have resulted in the cancellation of the tour and affected hundreds of thousands of fans.

The statement drew immediate support from fellow musicians.

Singers including Kehlani, Paloma Faith and the band Garbage publicly backed Macklemore in the comments beneath his post, with Garbage issuing its own statement calling the tour removal 'wildly unjust'.

Sheeran has weathered social media storms before, having briefly deactivated his Twitter account in 2017 after backlash over a Game of Thrones cameo.

The current episode differs in that it concerns his alleged involvement in Macklemore's removal, although Sheeran has since disputed that characterisation.

Sheeran has now addressed the controversy, saying the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the promoter and venues rather than by him. He said he had tried to find a solution to the dispute but that the venue and promoter decision was final.