Macklemore Axed From Ed Sheeran Tour After Palestine Remarks
The controversy began on September 4, 2018—corrected in reporting as September 4, 2024—when Macklemore performed as an opening act at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, according to reporting by The Guardian. During a break between songs, the Grammy-winning artist told the audience he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know they had not been forgotten, using the phrase “free Palestine.” He delivered similar remarks the following night, telling Jewish members of the audience that criticism of Israel and apartheid was not a criticism of them.
The remarks drew swift pushback. According to The Guardian, the group StopAntisemitism accused the rapper of ambushing fans with anti-Israel propaganda, while the Israeli American Council launched a petition demanding his removal. Messina Touring Group, the promoter for the US leg of the tour, stated that venues on the upcoming schedule—including stadiums outside Boston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Dallas, and Tampa—refused to host a concert with Macklemore on the lineup. According to the promoter’s statement to Rolling Stone cited by The Guardian, proceeding with Macklemore would have resulted in the cancellation of the tour dates and impacted hundreds of thousands of fans, leading to his removal.
Industry Figures and Tour Acts Split Over Tour Crisis
The decision to drop Macklemore sparked widespread fallout across the music industry. According to The Mercury, all of Ed Sheeran’s remaining support acts and several members of his own band quit the tour in protest. Meanwhile, Australian radio personality Kyle Sandilands weighed in on his program on Thursday, defending Ed Sheeran and blasting those who exited the tour as “soft c**k lefties,” according to The Mercury. Sandilands praised Sheeran for remaining apolitical and argued that concertgoers pay to hear music rather than listen to political statements.
Sandilands also invoked the 2017 Manchester Arena bombing at an Ariana Grande concert to emphasize security and safety concerns at large public events, stating via The Mercury that terrorism is a significant problem. Sandilands joined artists Boy George and Pink in supporting Sheeran on the broader issue, while musicians Myles Smith and Guy Sebastian publicly agreed that Sheeran bore no fault for Macklemore’s dismissal, according to The Mercury.
Tour Schedule and Upcoming Performances
Pink also addressed the controversy on social media, explaining that while she did not ask for Macklemore to be fired, his comments caused fear for her and people she loved, as reported by The Guardian. Macklemore later addressed his removal in a lengthy Instagram post, acknowledging that he, Sheeran, and Pink retained their careers and financial standing despite the friction.
Ed Sheeran has 10 US performances remaining on his Loop Tour, with the schedule set to resume on September 19 in Philadelphia, according to The Mercury and The Guardian.
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