Ed Sheeran said his concerts will never become "a political forum," breaking his silence after rapper Macklemore was removed from the remaining dates of his Loop Tour following a "Free Palestine" speech that upset venue owners.
Macklemore, 43, whose real name is Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, posted a statement on Instagram on Monday saying he had been dropped from eight of the ten remaining U.S. shows, which continue Friday in Philadelphia. He said Sheeran told him that Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of Gillette Stadium and the New England Patriots, had rallied other stadium owners and issued an ultimatum: drop Macklemore or lose the venues.
Sheeran, 35, responded on Tuesday with his own statement, captioned "It's important I set out some facts." The singer, a father of two, said he was "appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine," calling the suffering on both sides "a human tragedy" and adding that too many wars across the world cause "immeasurable pain, none of which should be tolerated."
He said Macklemore had asked to join the tour last year and that he agreed because he respected him as an artist, noting that all his support acts are free to choose their own setlists. Sheeran said venues on his upcoming tour dates warned they would pull the shows if Macklemore stayed on, after his performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Sheeran's statement
Sheeran said he was told the venues' objection was based on how Macklemore delivered part of his message rather than everything he said, and that he spent the week talking to venues, promoters and activists "on both sides" to try to find a resolution, including Kraft himself. He said the final call belonged to the venues and promoters, not him.
"Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine," Sheeran said. "Macklemore's contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me."
Sheeran said he would not let down "the fans who had made plans," the touring crew or other support acts who rely on him for work. He said his shows have always been about "unity, joy, escapism, love, and a place for everyone to feel welcome," and that he keeps his personal politics private because his audience includes "young people, often children, of all backgrounds" who do not expect a political forum.
"I am not complicit," Sheeran 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." He said he respected Macklemore's "strength of purpose" but preferred to keep "conversations open, not closed."
Macklemore's account of Robert Kraft's call
In his own statement, Macklemore said Kraft called Sheeran to say the rapper would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, where the tour was due to stop on September 25 and 26. Kraft is chief executive of the Kraft Group, which owns the stadium and the NFL's New England Patriots.
Macklemore said he did not blame Sheeran personally, describing his friend of 13 years as being put in a difficult position. He said Sheeran told him the words "Free Palestine" and the image of the Palestinian flag had been "hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with," but that Sheeran "couldn't get past his public facing, 'I don't take sides.'"
"Taking a side can cost you," Macklemore wrote. "Money, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, relationships and access. I've lost all of those things. But there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed." He said he hoped the dispute would not end his friendship with Sheeran, writing that "thirteen years of friendship doesn't disappear because of one painful disagreement."
Kraft and the tour promoter respond
Kraft defended the decision, saying Macklemore "crossed a line." In a statement, he said Gillette Stadium has "a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests" and does not provide "a platform for hate speech," citing what he called Macklemore's "broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery."
Messina Touring Group, which promotes the American leg of the Loop Tour, told Rolling Stone that venues on future dates had said they would not allow the concerts to go ahead with Macklemore on the bill, which would have forced the cancellation of shows affecting "hundreds of thousands of fans." The promoter said Macklemore would not perform on the remaining support dates after discussions with stakeholders.
The MetLife Stadium speech
Macklemore had faced a boycott petition after his performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5, where he wore a keffiyeh and performed his 2024 song "Hind's Hall" with footage of Gaza displayed behind him. Proceeds from the song go to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East.
"One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here on stages in stadiums across America and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine," he told the crowd, adding that he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank "to know that we have not forgotten them."
He said the song was inspired by students at Columbia University who led campus protests, thanking Columbia University Apartheid Divest, Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace. Addressing "my Jewish brothers and sisters," he said criticism of Israel and of what he called apartheid "in no way is a criticism of you," adding: "I say free Palestine. I say free Lebanon. I say free Cuba. I say free Congo, free Sudan, free all people in America living in fear over this terrorist organization ICE."
He later posted video of the speech with the caption: "Wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial."
Pink and past controversy
Singer Pink reposted an Instagram Story from the group StopAntisemitism that criticized Macklemore's performance and called for concertgoers to be offered apologies and refunds, describing his set as turning "a mainstream event into a political nightmare against the Jewish state." Pink added no commentary of her own.
Macklemore has faced similar criticism before. In 2014 he apologized after wearing a disguise during a Seattle performance that many condemned as an antisemitic caricature, saying at the time: "I would never intentionally put down anybody for the fabric that makes them who they are." He said he had not intended to look Jewish, adding that some people thought he resembled Ringo Starr or Abraham Lincoln.
