This story has been updated with the news that Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Beoga have all dropped out of their opening slots on Sheeran\u2019s tour.<\/p>\n
On September 14, Macklemore<\/a> was dropped<\/a> from the opening slot on Ed Sheeran<\/a>\u2019s ongoing stadium tour over onstage remarks the rapper made, including calling for a \u201cfree Palestine.\u201d Macklemore subsequently released a statement<\/a> in which he blamed both Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft and Sheeran himself for booting him from the tour. Now, Sheeran has responded with a statement<\/a> of his own, posted to his Instagram account.<\/p>\n \u201cMacklemore asked to join my tour last year and I agreed, because I respect him as an artist,\u201d Sheeran wrote. \u201cAfter Macklemore\u2019s performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting. I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said.\u201d He described speaking with Kraft directly, but asserted that \u201cMacklemore coming off tour was the promoter\u2019s decision, it was not mine.\u201d<\/p>\n Sheeran also addressed his own commitment to political neutrality: \u201cI am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don\u2019t care.\u201d He cited the presence of \u201cyoung people, often children\u201d at his concerts as part of his rationale. \u201cI choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary,\u201d Sheeran added, \u201cto maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change.\u201d<\/p>\n The statement concludes, \u201cI have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so. I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.\u201d Read it in full below.<\/p>\n All four of Sheeran\u2019s remaining support acts\u2014Finneas<\/a>, Lukas Graham<\/a>, Aaron Rowe<\/a>, and Beoga<\/a>\u2014have now pulled out of their opening slots. \u201cArtists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,\u201d Finneas posted on Instagram<\/a>. In his own statement<\/a>, Rowe wrote, \u201c[As] Irish people<\/a> we know all too well about genocide, forced famine, and violent occupation. I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and the savage murder of children. I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal.\u201d<\/p>\n Macklemore has publicly opposed Israel\u2019s war in Gaza for years. During his opening sets for Sheeran, he had been showing footage of the destruction in Gaza and performing \u201cHind\u2019s Hall,\u201d his song named for Hind Rajab, a six-year-old killed by Israeli military. \u201cSo why is it an issue now?\u201d, he wrote yesterday. \u201cBecause now I\u2019m sharing a stage with one of the biggest artists in the world, in some of the biggest stadiums in America. At a certain level of exposure, \u2018Free Palestine\u2019 becomes too much of a risk.\u201d<\/p>\n Both Kraft and Messina Touring Group also issued statements on Macklemore\u2019s removal from the tour. The concert promoter, a subsidiary of AEG, confirmed that multiple venues had joined Kraft\u2019s Gillette Stadium in opposing the rapper\u2019s presence on the bill. In his post, Macklemore accused Kraft of rallying the owners of those venues to follow his lead.<\/p>\n