Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran tour after 'Free Palestine' speech

September 15, 2026 at 12:30 AM2 min

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Rapper Macklemore has been dropped from Ed Sheeran's US tour after making pro-Palestinian comments on stage earlier this month. The decision followed criticism from Jewish groups and a petition by the Israeli-American Council urging Sheeran to remove him. Macklemore confirmed the split on Monday, saying he and Sheeran ended in 'fundamental disagreement'.

Key Facts

Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran's Loop tour after saying 'Free Palestine' at concerts on September 4 and 5 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Tour organizer Messina Touring Group said some stadiums refused to host concerts with Macklemore, risking cancellation of the tour and affecting hundreds of thousands of fans.
Billionaire Robert Kraft confirmed Macklemore was barred from Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, citing 'antisemitic rhetoric and imagery'.
Macklemore was scheduled to perform at 8 of the final 10 US tour dates, starting September 19 in Philadelphia.
Macklemore claimed Kraft and other stadium owners gave Sheeran an ultimatum that they would not host concerts if Macklemore remained on the tour.

The Controversy

On September 4, Macklemore performed at Ed Sheeran's concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey and told the audience he wanted to say 'Free Palestine'. He then performed his song 'Hind's Hall', which condemns Israel's military action in Gaza, while video footage of devastation in Gaza was shown on the big screen. The campaign group StopAntisemitism criticized the rapper, saying Jewish fans bought tickets to see Ed Sheeran sing, not to be ambushed by anti-Israel propaganda. The next night, Macklemore addressed his 'Jewish brothers and sisters' in the audience, saying criticism of Israel and apartheid is not criticism of them.

Tour Removal

The Israeli-American Council launched a petition urging Sheeran to remove Macklemore from the tour, calling it 'an Ed Sheeran concert - not a political rally'. Tour organizer Messina Touring Group announced that some stadiums would not host concerts with Macklemore, and keeping him on the lineup risked cancelling the tour. Macklemore said in a nearly 1,000-word Instagram statement that after a week of difficult conversations with Sheeran, they ended in 'fundamental disagreement' and he was dropped. Macklemore claimed Ed Sheeran told him that Kraft would not allow him to perform at Gillette Stadium, and other stadium owners gave similar ultimatums.

Stadium Owner Response

Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, confirmed in a statement that Macklemore was barred from performing at the stadium on September 25 and 26. Kraft said Macklemore's recent performances and 'broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery' led to the decision. Kraft stated the decision is not about diminishing Palestinian suffering or denying advocacy, but that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure Hamas's responsibility.