For the two nights he made it through as an opener on Ed Sheeran’s Loop tour, Macklemore used his position in front of an audience of thousands to advocate for Palestinians living in Gaza, where the death toll has surpassed 73,000 as Israeli military
operations continue despite an alleged ceasefire, according to the Associated Press . The rapper’s “Free Palestine” call led to his removal from the tour, a decision ultimately made by thevenue owners who opposed his statements.
While he no longer has the platform afforded to him by stadium stages, Macklemore has found support in fellow artists, activists, and public figures who have taken to social media to stand by him amid the controversy.
Kehlani embraced Macklemore from a position of having similarly experienced a loss of access and opportunity. “A LOT of venues / owners are rallied together this way,” she commented on his Instagram post addressing the removal. “Honored to know you brother. Adore you. Behind you!” In 2025, Kehlani was pulled from two separate performances, one at Cornell Universityand the other atNew York’s SummerStage, over her public support of the Palestinian people.
In response, she said at the time, “If you want to cancel me from opportunity, stand on it being because of your zionism,” adding: “I am anti-genocide, I am anti the actions of the Israeli government, I am anti an extermination of an entire people, I’m anti the bombing of innocent children, men, women. That’s what I’m anti.” Her firm stance similarly drew support from fellow artists including Vic Mensa, who penned a lengthy open letter in which he commended Kehlani for choosing “to center humanity and courage as boldly and uncompromisingly as you have.” (Humanitarian groups and a United Nations commission have said Israel’s actions in Gaza constitute a genocide. Israel and its allies, including the United States, have denied this.)
This has become a familiar occurrence. Last year, the Irish band Kneecap faced criticism for speaking in defense of the Palestinian people during their performance at Coachella. In an email to Rolling Stoneat the time, band member Mo Chara explained that Kneecap have spoken “at every single gig since the band’s formation, long before October 2023 as the oppression and brutal occupation of Palestine has been ongoing for 77 years.” Beneath Macklemore’s post, Kneecap commented, “They can never silence the truth.”
The band also shared a photo captured backstage at a festival with the rapper. “All love and solidarity to Macklemore,” they said. “Free Palestine.” Rapper Robby Vylan of the group Bob Vylan also commented, echoing his quote, “There is no thanks for a duty.” Earlier this summer, the duo announced plans to sue the BBC for defamation over the corporation’s reaction to their2025 Glastonbury performance, during which they led crowds in chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “Death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces].”
These artists have a much more limited audience reach than someone like Sheeran, who operates on a much more global scale of success. In his statement, Macklemore acknowledged this reach, writing, “I didn’t need 10 shows from Ed. In needed 2. Two chances to stand in front of 90,000 people and say the words that somehow became too dangerous to say. Free Palestine. But if those words cost me the stage, while turning the conversation back to Palestine, then it was the most successful tour I’ve ever been on.”
Sheeran responded to the controversy in a multi-slide Instagram post of his own. “I am not complicit,” he said. “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.” Sheeran, who boasts more than 47 million followers on the platform, disabled comments on the post.
Finneas, who was scheduled to open for Sheeran later this year on the South American leg of the Loop tour, has “decided to withdraw” from the run. “Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” Finneas wrote on Instagram. “I stand with Palestine and its people.”
Opener Aaron Rowe also dropped out. “I don’t take the decision lightly. Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life, I could never thank him enough for this,” Rowe said on Instagram. “But as Irish people, we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation. I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children.”
Lukas Graham, one of the only remaining openers left at the time, soon followed. “Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody’s bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we’re allowed to acknowledge,” Graham wrote on Instagram. “I love Ed, and I’m grateful for everything we’ve shared. That hasn’t changed. But I can’t put these words out into the world and carry on with this tour as things stand. We’re withdrawing from the remaining dates. I’m sorry we won’t be there. This is a difficult decision, but it’s one I need to stand by.”
Shortly after, Sheeran lost part of his backing band, which performs with him for a number of songs each night. “We have made the decision to depart as Ed Sheeran’s band on the remaining US Loop tour, following the silencing of Macklemore by zionist lobbies,” the band Beoga wrote on Instagram. “We are a traditional Irish band who never saw ourselves playing in stadiums of that size and that opportunity is not lost on us. We have been friends with Ed for over 10 years now and will continue to be. We believe in dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people.”
As members of the tour, Beoga were able to catch the two sets Macklemore played before being pulled from the bill. “We were there for Macklemore’s performance and speech. We fully supported his message, so did most of the audience in Met Life Stadium which terrifies the lobbies. Go back and read the transcript if you’re in doubt,” they wrote.
Sheeran reiterated in his post that the decision to pull Macklemore from the Loop tour came down to the venue owners and promoters, including the Kraft Group’s Robert Kraft. “I have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so,” he said. “I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.” In their statement, Boega encouraged readers to “research how much Robert Kraft has done to fight the BDS movement. That will give you a sense of what we’ve all been up against.”
In an Instagram Story, actress Rowan Blanchard reposted the slide from Macklemore’s statement in which he acknowledged “Ed was in a fucked up position … His typical apolitical stance was being challenged in a way it never had before.” She added the comment, “How many people refuse to get past their public facing ‘I don’t take sides.'” The indie pop band Muna also responded, writing on Instagram, “Everyone involved in the move to silence free speech about a genocide is utterly pathetic. Solidarity with Macklemore.” The model Gigi Hadid added, “Macklemore we stand with you. Free Palestine.”
Paloma Faith and Rachel Chinouriri, who both performed at the Together for Palestine benefit concert at Wembley Stadium last year, voiced their support in Macklemore’s comments section. “What a fantastic and selfless way to use your platform,” Chinouriri wrote. Faith added, “You are a rare and important voice … thank you for existing… This is so articulate and so powerful. You are a hero.” More remarks poured in from Gigi Perez, who said, “True integrity. We stand with you and Palestine,” as well as Zara Larsson and PinkPantheress, who commented with heart emojis.
An additional note came from the activist Greta Thunberg, who was detained by Israeli forces last summer after it halted a Gaza-bound humanitarian aid ship. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz “instructed the IDF to ensure that the ‘Madleen’ flotilla does not reach Gaza,”he said at the time. “Full solidarity and free Palestine,” Thunberg commented on Macklemore’s post. “Artists’ very active silence in the face of injustice and genocide will not be forgotten.”
Massive Attack criticized Sheeran for allowing Macklemore to be pushed out of the tour, even if it wasn’t his direct decision. “No artist should tolerate the censorship of another artist, however many millions of dollars are in play,” the band said. “We stand in solidarity with all artists risking their careers in defence of the rights of the Palestinian people, & against the illegal occupation, apartheid, war crimes & ongoing genocide perpetrated by the State of Israel.” Earlier this year, two band members were banned from Singapore after being detained and questioned for displaying the Palestinian flag onstage during a concert.
Kraft, in his own statement about deciding to bar Macklemore from performing at Gillette Stadium, said it was based on his “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.”
The singer and songwriter Jensen McRae, who has opened for the likes of Muna, Hozier, and Noah Kahan, wrote about the controversy on Substack. “While Macklemore has said and done some questionable things in the past, I have immense admiration for his commitment to apologizing, learning more, and doing better,” she said. “As a Jew, I am baffled by the fact that the statement ‘Free Palestine’ continues to be controversial. It is routinely disappointing to see so many people prioritize social comfort over actual human lives. We have to be able to acknowledge government atrocities without viewing them as indictments of civilians. None of us are free til Palestine is free – til all victims of global imperialism are free.”
Singer Mary Lambert, who performed alongside Macklemore on the single “Same Love,” published a statement on Instagram, in which she expressed being similarly baffled by the decision to remove Macklemore from the Loop tour. “Macklemore has been loud and outspoken about this for years now,” she said. “It should be embarassing to everyone involved in this decision. What Ben said on stage at that show is not radical.
“I’m not Jewish, and I don’t know what religious persecution feels like, I don’t know what antisemitism feels like, but I know Ben. He has contended and learned from past mistakes. And I also know that Jewish people are not a monolith. The Jewish people in my life advocate for and loudly support Palestine,” Lambert continued. “If I put myself in the shoes of a Jewish person, hearing a phrase like ‘from the river to the sea,’ even though I don’t personally hear that as being an alarming phrase because I haven’t heard it used any other way, I can imagine it bringing up fear and discomfort. But discomfort and fear does not supercede that the highest number of child amputees per capita in the entire world is in Palestine.”
Drag artist and climate activist Pattie Gonianoted in a separate Instagram post she has been “rejected from countless venues and i’ve seen other political artists and politicians be denied to do events in their spaces because they stand up for basic human rights,” adding, “This isn’t just about artists — this is about venue owners who are united together to support zionism.”
In a longer statement, she said, “Every single fucking thing is political. You don’t get to be neutral about a genocide. If your favorite artist isn’t speaking up, that’s an active choice. Every artist could do this. They choose not to. Silence by artists in the face of genocide and apartheid will not be forgotten. By the way, anti-zionism is not antisemitism. I love my jewish friends. And children are not a political opinion.”
In his statement, Sheeran said he doesn’t use his platform to discuss politics because “my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds. Those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace.”
The children’s YouTuber Ms. Rachel — who boasts more than 21 million subscribers and has amassed as many views as Sheeran has Spotify streams on his most popular songs (upwards of 17 billion) — has adamantly defended Palestinians living in Gaza regardless of the age of her audience. “Imagine looking back 20 years from now at yourself kicking someone off a tour because they spoke out during a genocide that has killed over 20,00 kids,” she wrote on Instagram.
“Palestinian kids are still being killed, have had almost all of their homes, schools and hospitals bombed – live in tents without proper sanitation among rats – dying of easily treatable diseases – malnourished – highest number of child amputees in modern history – 58,000 have lost one or both parents,” Mr Rachel added. “THEY NEED OUR VOICES – their human rights are being violated and they are KIDS – also free Palestine – It’s not wrong to say Palestinian kids should be able to grow up and Palestinian people should be able to be free. It’s wrong to be silent during a genocide.”
Former Pink Floyd singer-songwriter Roger Waters voiced his frustration on Instagram, opting to talk directly to the camera. “There’s two kinds of people in this world. There’s people who do the right thing, that rapper Macklemore would be one of those people, and there’s people, many of them sadly little ff… — excuse me I nearly used the F-word then — pricks like you who do the wrong thing,” he said, directly addressing Sheeran.
The band Garbage see the response to Macklemore being dropped from Sheeran’s tour as “a major turning point.” “This is a clear and undeniable sign that the global consciousness has shifted. The normalisation of an apartheid state, and the attempts to sanitise or justify its actions, will no longer be tolerated,” the band wrote on Instagram. “Ed, there is only one victim here: the Palestinian people.”
Click here to read the full article.
