Macklemore has broken his silence after being dropped from Ed Sheeran’s US tour over his “Free Palestine” remarks, saying he has no regrets even if speaking out cost him the stage.
The 43-year-old rapper was due to open eight more shows on Sheeran’s Loop Tour before promoters announced Monday that he would no longer be part of the lineup.
In a lengthy statement, Macklemore said he and Sheeran had several difficult conversations after his performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
According to Macklemore, Sheeran told him that saying “Free Palestine” had been “hurtful to a lot of people.”
Macklemore said he disagreed.
“If those words cost me the stage, while turning the conversation back to Palestine, then it was the most successful tour I’ve ever been on,” he wrote.
The rapper also made a major allegation about what happened behind the scenes.
He claimed New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whose company owns Gillette Stadium, contacted Sheeran and said Macklemore could not perform there.
Macklemore further alleged that Kraft rallied other stadium owners, leaving Sheeran with an ultimatum: remove Macklemore or risk losing venues.
There has been no independent confirmation of Macklemore’s account involving Kraft.
However, Messina Touring Group, which promotes the US leg of Sheeran’s tour, confirmed that venues had threatened not to allow concerts to take place if Macklemore remained on the lineup.
Macklemore said he doesn’t blame Sheeran personally, describing the British singer as being put in a “f***ed up position.”
He also revealed that his outspoken support for Palestinians has already cost him money, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, relationships and other opportunities.
But he insisted that neither he nor Sheeran were the real victims of the controversy.
“The victims are the Palestinian people,” he wrote.
The controversy began after Macklemore told thousands of fans at MetLife Stadium that one reason he joined Sheeran’s tour was to stand on stages across America and say “Free Palestine.”
The Israeli-American Council subsequently launched a petition calling for his removal, arguing that an Ed Sheeran concert was not the place to promote a “one-sided political agenda.”
Sheeran has not publicly responded to Macklemore’s latest claims.
2026-09-15 01:12:00
