American rapper Macklemore was removed from the remainder of Ed Sheeran’s US tour after New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft organized a stadium boycott over the artist’s free Palestine remarks on stage in New Jersey, according to reporting by The Guardian and NBC News.
The fallout centers on a two-minute speech delivered by Macklemore on September 4 at MetLife Stadium during his first appearance as an opening act on Sheeran’s Loop tour. On stage between songs, the Grammy-winning artist told the crowd that he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know they had not been forgotten, prompting swift public backlash, an online petition from the Israeli American Council, and an organized pushback from venue owners.
Robert Kraft and Venue Owners Issue Tour Ultimatum
According to a lengthy statement posted to Instagram by Macklemore, Ed Sheeran received a direct call from Patriots owner Robert Kraft informing him that the rapper was unwelcome at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The tour stop was scheduled at the venue, which is owned by Kraft Entertainment + Sports Group. Sheeran told the rapper that Kraft had rallied fellow stadium owners to issue a collective ultimatum, warning that if Macklemore remained on the bill, the venues would bar Sheeran from performing entirely.
The Messina Touring Group, which promotes the US leg of the tour, confirmed to Rolling Stone that venue operators on upcoming dates refused to host concerts featuring Macklemore. The promoter stated that keeping him on the lineup would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans, forcing stakeholders to drop the support dates. Sheeran did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
Kraft Defends the Boycott Over Antisemitism Concerns
Robert Kraft released a statement provided to NBC News on Monday defending the decision, pointing not only to the New Jersey stage remarks but also to a broader history of rhetoric and imagery that his foundation and other critics argued were deeply offensive to the Jewish community.
Kraft added that his actions were not intended to stifle Palestinian advocacy or minimize civilian suffering, placing the blame squarely on Hamas for initiating the conflict. The billionaire philanthropist, who established the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism in 2019, expressed a willingness to sit down with the rapper, stating that their ultimate goal should be peace and an end to hate.
Macklemore Responds and Defends His Stance on Gaza
Macklemore’s removal sparked widespread debate across the entertainment industry and political sphere. Figures like children’s content creator Ms. Rachel, whose real name is Rachel Griffin Accurso, criticized Sheeran online for caving to pressure rather than standing against the bullying of artists speaking out on humanitarian issues. Conversely, singer Pink spoke out on Instagram regarding her own concerns about feeling frightened by political ambushes during concerts while maintaining she never asked for anyone to be fired. Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., also commented on the situation in a post on X.
Reflecting on his difficult conversations with Sheeran—whom he described as a friend—Macklemore maintained that his responsibility to speak out superseded tour obligations.
The decision was reached after comments made by Macklemore at the tour’s New Jersey shows and a broader history of rhetoric and imagery that Robert Kraft said in a statement provided to NBC News had been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.
The rapper was slated to open for eight of the remaining ten dates on the tour, which resumes on September 19 in Philadelphia. Venues in cities including Boston, outside of which Gillette Stadium is located, as well as Atlanta, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Dallas, and Tampa reportedly objected to his appearance before the stakeholders finalized his removal.
Ещё по этой теме