Rapper Macklemore pledged $1 million in net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s tour to Palestinian aid groups on Wednesday, following his removal as an opening act due to political statements made on stage, according to reports from The Guardian and the Daily Mail.
The controversy began after Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, delivered a ‘Free Palestine’ speech during performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. According to the Daily Mail, the rapper was subsequently dropped from eight of the remaining ten shows on the US leg of Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour.
Macklemore’s Removal and Tour Backlash
In a 1,000-word statement published on Instagram, Macklemore claimed that Ed Sheeran informed him Robert Kraft orchestrated his removal from the lineup at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. According to the Daily Mail, Macklemore stated that Kraft rallied other stadium owners to issue an ultimatum regarding his presence on the tour.
Following Macklemore’s ouster, the tour faced significant disruption. According to Global News and the BBC, all of Sheeran’s remaining opening acts withdrew from the tour, and the headlining singer experienced a wave of ungraceful social media unfollows.
Robert Kraft defended the decision in a statement reported by the Daily Mail, asserting that the rapper crossed a line. Kraft stated that Gillette Stadium maintains a commitment to providing a welcoming environment and ensuring venues do not host hate speech, pointing to what he characterized as a history of offensive rhetoric.
Palestinian Aid Pledge and Kraft Challenge
Macklemore announced that his $1 million donation would be split among six organizations: Anera, Gaza Soup Kitchen, HEAL Palestine, Medical Aid for Palestinians, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, and UNRWA USA. According to the Daily Mail, the rapper directly challenged Kraft to match the funds during his Instagram announcement.
Shortly after the challenge, Robert Kraft shared a statement on X announcing plans to match a $2 million donation arranged by Ed Sheeran to aid the region, as reported by CBC and the Daily Mail. Representatives for Macklemore, Kraft, and Sheeran have not responded to requests for comment regarding the exchange.
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