Macklemore Gets Kicked Off Ed Sheeran’s Tour

Macklemore says his outspoken support for Palestine has cost him a spot on Ed Sheeran’s U.S. stadium tour, claiming that several major venues threatened to cancel Sheeran’s concerts if he remained on the lineup.

In a statement shared on Instagram, Macklemore said the controversy began after he used his performances to say “Free Palestine” and showed footage of the destruction in Gaza. He claimed Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, pressured Sheeran’s team to remove him from the tour, with other venues reportedly taking a similar position.

Macklemore described Sheeran as a longtime friend and “brother” and said the singer was placed in a difficult situation. According to Macklemore, Sheeran’s usual position of avoiding political issues was challenged because of the strong reaction to Macklemore’s pro-Palestine statements.

The rapper defended his decision to speak out, saying he has supported Palestine publicly for nearly three years. He argued that the issue became more controversial because he was now speaking from major stadium stages in front of thousands of people, where audiences were responding strongly to his message. Macklemore suggested that his platform could encourage other artists to speak out as well.

Kraft offered a different explanation for the decision. In a statement to NBC News, he cited what he described as Macklemore’s history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery, as well as material shown during Sheeran’s shows. Kraft said the decision was not intended to dismiss Palestinian suffering or prevent people from advocating for Palestinians, but argued that discussions about the conflict should also acknowledge Hamas.

Messina Touring Group confirmed that multiple venues had said they would not allow concerts to take place with Macklemore on the bill. Several major stadiums were reportedly among those that objected, including venues in Philadelphia, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Arlington and Tampa.

Despite the fallout, Macklemore said his disagreement with Sheeran would not end their friendship. The controversy has nevertheless raised a larger debate about artists using major concert platforms for political activism, and whether venues and promoters should have the power to limit those messages.