Macklemore Reacts to Ed Sheeran Tour Exit After 'Free Palestine' Speech and Private Talks

Macklemore says he has been dropped from Ed Sheeran's US Loop Tour after venues warned they would not host shows with him on the bill, following his 'Free Palestine' remarks at MetLife Stadium and a series of private calls with Sheeran about the backlash.

Promoter Messina Touring Group said venues on the remaining US dates had warned they would not allow concerts to proceed with Macklemore on the bill, raising the prospect of cancellations affecting hundreds of thousands of fans.

Macklemore Says Private Talks Followed MetLife Speech

Macklemore had been scheduled to support Sheeran at eight of the final ten dates. During performances at MetLife Stadium on 4 and 5 September, he spoke about Gaza and the occupied West Bank and told the crowd, 'Free Palestine.'

The 4 September appearance circulated widely online after Macklemore shared footage on Instagram. He also performed 'Hind's Hall', his song inspired by pro-Palestinian protesters at Columbia University and named after Palestinian girl Hind Rajab, who was killed in Gaza in 2024.

The Israeli-American Council later launched a petition calling for Macklemore to be removed from the remaining dates. Pink also reshared a StopAntisemitism post criticising his MetLife performance and later criticised aspects of how he presented his message.

In his new statement, Macklemore stressed that he did not regard himself, Sheeran or Pink as victims.

'The victims are the Palestinian people,' he wrote, adding that the artists involved still had careers, money, safety and the ability to return home to their families.

He described Sheeran as a close friend of 13 years and said the pair had spoken repeatedly by phone during the previous week.

'I consider him a brother,' Macklemore wrote, while adding that their friendship could not change what he viewed as his responsibility to describe what had happened.

Macklemore Details Alleged Venue Pressure on Sheeran

According to Macklemore, Sheeran told him that Robert Kraft, chairman and CEO of the Kraft Group and owner of the New England Patriots, had called ahead of the tour's scheduled 25 and 26 September dates at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Macklemore said Sheeran told him that Kraft would not allow him to perform at the stadium.

Macklemore further alleged that Kraft had contacted other stadium owners and that Sheeran was given an ultimatum that the tour could not use their venues if Macklemore remained on the line-up.

The claim has not been independently confirmed in the material provided. Representatives for Sheeran and Kraft Sports Group were contacted for comment, according to the source report.

The rapper said Sheeran told him that the words 'Free Palestine' and images of the Palestinian flag had been described as hurtful by people he had spoken with. Macklemore said he rejected that reasoning and argued that his public stance on Palestine should not be treated as antisemitic.

Messina Touring Group did not frame the decision in political terms. The promoter said venues had notified it that concerts could not take place with Macklemore on the line-up and that keeping him could lead to tour cancellations. 'After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates,' it said.

Macklemore Says Friendship With Sheeran Could Continue

Macklemore said he understood the pressure Sheeran faced but disagreed with what he described as the singer's public position of not taking sides. He also wrote that criticism of Israel or support for a 'Free Palestine' message should not automatically be equated with hatred of Jewish people, while stating that antisemitism is real.

The rapper ended his statement by saying he hoped the dispute would not end his friendship with Sheeran. He said he had wanted the remaining stadium dates as opportunities to repeat his message before large audiences, but accepted that losing those appearances had again placed attention on Palestine.

The tour is set to continue without Macklemore on the remaining dates he had been scheduled to support.