Summary
- British singer Ed Sheeran has said it was not his decision to remove US rapper Macklemore from his American concert tour, amid controversy over Macklemore’s public comments in support of Palestinians.
- Macklemore was removed from Sheeran’s US tour on Monday after making pro-Palestinian remarks and saying “Free Palestine” during a September 4 concert in New Jersey.
- The promoter of Sheeran’s US tour, Messina Touring Group, told Rolling Stone that venue owners had objected to Macklemore remaining on the bill.
AI Generated Summary
British singer Ed Sheeran has said it was not his decision to remove US rapper Macklemore from his American concert tour, amid controversy over Macklemore’s public comments in support of Palestinians.
Macklemore was removed from Sheeran’s US tour on Monday after making pro-Palestinian remarks and saying “Free Palestine” during a September 4 concert in New Jersey.
Sheeran said the decision was made by the promoter rather than by him. He explained that venues scheduled to host upcoming shows had informed the promoter that they would not allow the concerts to proceed with Macklemore included in the lineup.
The dispute has also triggered a series of departures from Sheeran’s touring team. Opening acts Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe announced that they would leave the tour, while Sheeran’s touring band Beoga also said it had decided to withdraw. The artists expressed support for Macklemore and solidarity with Palestinians.
The promoter of Sheeran’s US tour, Messina Touring Group, told Rolling Stone that venue owners had objected to Macklemore remaining on the bill.
Macklemore has previously spoken publicly in support of Palestinians and criticised Israeli policies and military actions. In 2024, he released “Hind’s Hall”, a song supporting pro-Palestinian protesters and commemorating Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed in Gaza.
Sheeran said he respected Macklemore’s willingness to publicly express his views but added that he personally prefers not to use his professional platform for political issues.
Macklemore has also claimed that billionaire Robert Kraft helped rally support among stadium owners who opposed his participation in the tour. Sheeran said he had spoken with Kraft about the situation.
The controversy has drawn reactions from both pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli groups. Supporters of Macklemore argue that artists should be free to speak about Palestinian suffering, while critics have raised concerns about remarks they consider harmful to Jewish and pro-Israeli audiences.
Macklemore has rejected accusations that his recent comments were antisemitic, arguing that criticism of Israeli government actions should not automatically be treated as hostility toward Jewish people.
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