Ed Sheeran and his ongoing Loop Tour has found itself in the middle of a fiery controversy after it dropped Macklemore as his opening act at the behest of tour organizers and a stadium owner.
The Grammy-winning artist, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, in a Sept. 14 social media post said Sheeran and his team "made the decision to remove me from the Loop Tour" after they received a call from Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft over Macklemore's comments on Palestinians and the conflict in Gaza. Rolling Stone reported that other venues were also opposed to the artist performing there.
Macklemore accused Kraft of rallying other stadium owners to oppose his involvement in the remaining shows. The artist was scheduled to open for Sheeran at eight of his 10
remaining concerts in the United States.
What did Macklemore say?
As the Seattle-born rapper, 43, took the stage as the opening act for Sheeran's Loop Tour at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier this month, Macklemore, while introducing his song, "Hind's Hall," admitted that he was "scared" to perform the song, USA TODAY previously reported.
"The truth is, a big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I can stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine," Macklemore said, according to clips from the performance posted on social media. "I want those words to be loud and clear so the people all the way in Gaza, to the occupied West Bank, know that we have not forgotten about them."
The 2024 track refers to the name protesters gave Columbia University's Hamilton Hall, where they barricaded themselves in and called on the university to divest from companies with ties to Israel. Their name for the building honored Hind Rajab, a Palestinian girl who appeared to have been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza in January 2024, according to The Washington Post.
The "Thrift Shop" artist added that, as the father of an 11-year-old daughter, he believes every person deserves "to know safety and peace before they know the sound of violence, to know the sounds of laughter on the playground before planes and bombs."
He also referred to people living through conflict and humanitarian issues in Lebanon, Cuba, Congo, Sudan and Iran. The message ended with Macklemore mentioning "all the people living in America that have to live in fear because of this terrorist organization, ICE," referring to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"If I let that fear that I felt on the plane yesterday stop me from speaking my heart in order to keep my own comfort and the audience's comfort, that is the day that I no longer intend to be here on stage," he told the stadium crowd.
Macklemore's comments were met with backlash from some, with the Israeli American Council accusing him of a "one-sided political agenda."
Ten days later, Macklemore was dropped from the tour after Sheeran received a call from the Gillette Stadium owner, where the tour was scheduled to perform later this month on Sept. 25 and 26.
Why was Macklemore dropped?
"Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium," Macklemore wrote in a Sept. 14 social media post. "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."
Macklemore added that he considers Sheeran "a brother," and that the two have "had some difficult conversations this past week."
"(Sheeran) told me that the words 'Free Palestine' and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with," Macklemore wrote. "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."
What did Robert Kraft say about Macklemore?
In a statement obtained by USA TODAY on Monday, Sept. 14, Kraft said that Macklemore's recent comments and actions were the cause for his dismissal from the tour.
"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," Kraft said in the statement. "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.”
On Wednesday, Sept. 16, just hours after Macklemore committed $1 million − his earnings from the Loop Tour − "to support the Palestinian people" and invited Kraft to match it, the New England Patriots owner announced that he is pledging $2 million to the war-ravaged Middle East region.
According to Kraft, Sheeran, who's previously steered clear of political positions, committed $2 million himself and asked Kraft to do the same.
What did Ed Sheeran say about Macklemore?
In a statement shared on Instagram on Tuesday, Sept. 15, Sheeran said the decision to drop Macklemore was not his and came down to the tour promoters. He echoed Macklemore in describing the conversation with Kraft, and said he ultimately wanted to make sure his crew and all those who make the concerts possible were able to move forward.
"As with all my support acts, I agree that they play a setlist of their choosing," Sheeran wrote. "After Macklemore's performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting. I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said."
Sheeran went on to say he believes his shows should remain apolitical, as he has been publicly throughout his career, and that he is "not complicit."
"I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn't mean I don't have them, and it doesn't mean I don't care. Nor does it mean I don't support causes in my own, personal way," Sheeran wrote. "I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so. I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too."
All remaining supporting acts exit Ed Sheeran's tour
Finneas O'Connell, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham and Irish band Beoga have since withdrawn from Sheeran's tour in solidarity with Macklemore and the Palestinians."Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed," Finneas wrote in an Instagram statement while announcing his departure. "I stand with Palestine and its people."
Rowe and Lukas Graham were expected to perform during upcoming U.S. dates, while Finneas was scheduled for six South American shows. Beoga had been performing with Sheeran during his concerts.
Contributors: Jennifer Hassan, Anthony Robledo, Sameen Chaudhry, Zachary Fletcher, KiMi Robinson / USA TODAY
Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: What exactly did Macklemore say? Ed Sheeran’s tour shakeup, explained.
