\u201cI am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating conflict,\u201d he wrote Tuesday on Instagram<\/a>. \u201cJust because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn\u2019t mean I don\u2019t have them, and it doesn\u2019t mean I don\u2019t care. Nor does it mean I don\u2019t support causes in my own, personal way.\u201d<\/p>\n Ahead of Sheeran\u2019s first concert since the scrutiny surrounding Macklemore\u2019s performance, read on for what preceded the fallout of Sheeran\u2019s Loop tour. <\/p>\n Macklemore goes from \u201cThrift Shop\u201d to \u201cHind\u2019s Hall\u201d Macklemore performs at Rod Laver Arena on May 15, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. <\/p>\n (Morgan Hancock \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n Before hitting the stage for Sheeran\u2019s Loop tour, Macklemore famously burst onto the music scene in 2012 as part of the duo Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. The pair gained popularity for the then-inescapable hit \u201cThrift Shop,\u201d the fourth single off their acclaimed debut album, \u201cThe Heist.\u201d <\/p>\n The duo gained further notoriety with hits \u201cCan\u2019t Hold Us\u201d and same-sex marriage anthem \u201cSame Love.\u201d They notoriously bested Kendrick Lamar<\/a> at the 2014 Grammy Awards in the rap album category. Lamar was nominated for his striking debut \u201cGood Kid, M.A.A.D City.\u201d <\/p>\n A year after releasing their 2016 album, \u201cThis Unruly Mess I\u2019ve Made,\u201d the duo announced an indefinite hiatus. Macklemore focused on his solo work, including collaborations with Kesha, Lil Yachty and Skylar Grey. In recent years, Macklemore has taken on a new purpose with his platform. <\/p>\n Macklemore, like many musical acts including Kehlani, Finneas and Irish rap group Kneecap, became a vocal supporter of the Palestinian cause <\/a>after Israel began its offensive in Gaza in the wake of the Hamas attacks on Oct. 7, 2023. The rapper has channeled his views on the conflict into his music, releasing his protest song \u201cHind\u2019s Hall\u201d in May 2024. The song calls for a ceasefire, an end to Israeli occupation in Gaza and highlights pro-Palestinian protests on college campuses.<\/p>\n Ed Sheeran announces his Loop tour Ed Sheeran performs during iHeartRadio Kiss 108\u2019s Jingle Ball 2025 at TD Garden on Dec. 14, 2025, in Boston, Mass.. <\/p>\n (Scott Eisen \/ Getty Images for iHeartRadio)<\/p>\n Last September, Sheeran unveiled his plans to hit the road to promote his eighth studio album, \u201cPlay.\u201d<\/p>\n The British \u201cA Team\u201d singer announced at the time that his tour would begin June 2026 with a stop at Arizona\u2019s State Farm Stadium and would run through early November. The announcement did not disclose the supporting acts set to share the stage with him, but informed fans the singer would perform shows across large venues including Inglewood\u2019s SoFi Stadium in August and a pair of performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. <\/p>\n The concerts at MetLife Stadium would later embroil Sheeran, his tour, Macklemore \u2014 and somehow pop star Pink \u2014 in controversy. <\/p>\n Macklemore calls to \u2018Free Palestine\u2019: Performance or \u2018propaganda?\u2019<\/p>\n When Macklemore took the MetLife Stadium stage as the supporting act for Sheeran\u2019s Sept. 4 and 5 concerts, he did not mince words in his message. During his set, Macklemore criticized Israel for its war in Gaza and accused it of genocide of Palestinians<\/a>. He also projected<\/a> an edited version of his \u201cHind\u2019s Hall\u201d music video, which features footage of pro-Palestinian college encampments and protests and military strikes in Gaza. <\/p>\n Video of Macklemore\u2019s performance spread online, drawing ire from some Jewish advocacy groups including StopAntisemitism, which accused Macklemore on Instagram<\/a> of turning \u201ca mainstream event into a political nightmare against the Jewish state.\u201d Pop star Pink, who is Jewish, shared StopAntisemitism\u2019s post to her Instagram story. She faced backlash for the repost and later clarified<\/a> in a three-part statement that she took issue with the imagery Macklemore displayed during his performance. She also accused the rapper of taking \u201cthe mic to tell all the Jews in the stadium that it wasn\u2019t about them.\u201d<\/p>\n In the wake of Macklemore\u2019s performance, the Israeli American Council and the Anti-Defamation League<\/a> also decried Macklemore\u2019s performance on social media, with the former publishing a petition<\/a> calling on Sheeran to remove the rapper from the remaining shows of his tour. <\/p>\n \u201cFreedom of expression does not give anyone the right to turn someone else\u2019s stage into a platform for political propaganda,\u201d the Israeli American Council said on Instagram. <\/p>\n Amid the mounting backlash, Macklemore defended his stance and shared video on social media of his full address to the MetLife crowd. \u201cI said \u2018Free Palestine.\u2019 I want those words to be loud and clear so that the people in Gaza all the way to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten them,\u201d he tells <\/a>concertgoers in his introduction to \u201cHind\u2019s Hall.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cTo all my Jewish brothers and sisters, criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you,\u201d he adds, according to video of his address. \u201cMy message is for peace, love for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect and equality.\u201d<\/p>\n The fallout begins: Macklemore fired from Loop tour<\/p>\n Whether Macklemore would remain on Sheeran\u2019s tour amid the public outcry remained uncertain, until he confirmed his status earlier this week. He said in a lengthy statement shared to Facebook<\/a> that his continued, vocal support for Palestinians amid Israel\u2019s war in Gaza has cost him professionally.<\/p>\n The rapper said he was removed after \u201csome difficult conversations\u201d with Sheeran. He also went into depth about the inner workings that led to his removal from the tour, including conversations between Sheeran and wealthy venue owners, including billionaire Robert Kraft, whose Kraft Group owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, where Sheeran is set to play later this month.<\/p>\n \u201cEd told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium,\u201d Macklemore wrote. \u201cEd also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.\u201d<\/p>\n Sheeran in a separate statement shared on Tuesday confirmed<\/a> he had conversations with Kraft but did not speak to the alleged ultimatum. The singer also said removing Macklemore from the tour \u201cwas the promoter\u2019s decision, it was not mine\u201d and that Macklemore\u2019s contract was with its promoter. Messina Touring announced on Monday <\/a>it had dropped Macklemore from the remaining tour dates \u201cafter discussions with stakeholders.\u201d<\/p>\n Additionally, Macklemore wrote that Sheeran\u2019s \u201ctypical apolitical stance was being challenged\u201d amid the public scrutiny and \u201che couldn\u2019t get past his public facing, \u2018I don\u2019t take sides.\u2019\u201d <\/p>\n Sheeran appeared to address that criticism, writing in his missive that attendees at his concerts \u201cdo not expect a political forum.\u201d The singer also wrote he thinks there can be different ways to work toward peace.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change,\u201d he wrote.<\/p>\n Macklemore said in his Monday statement he was hopeful this turn of events would not mean an end to his friendship with Sheeran and he was grateful for the opportunity to play on tour, regardless. <\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t need 10 Shows from Ed. I needed 2,\u201d he wrote. \u201cTwo chances to stand in front of 90,000 people and say … \u2018Free Palestine.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n Supporting acts depart tour in solidarity Grammy winner Finneas was among the supporting acts who announced their departure from Ed Sheeran\u2019s tour on Tuesday. <\/p>\n (Monica Schipper \/ Getty Images)<\/p>\n Hours after Sheeran shared his side to the controversy, numerous musical acts including Grammy winner Finneas and folk band Beoga, Sheeran\u2019s backing band, pulled from the Loop tour in solidarity with Macklemore and in support of Palestinians. <\/p>\n \u201cArtists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran,\u201d wrote Finneas,<\/a> who has been a vocal supporter of Palestinians. \u201cI stand with Palestine and its people.\u201d<\/p>\n Pop band Lukas Graham and Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, both billed as supporting acts for several upcoming dates on Sheeran\u2019s tour, voiced support for the Palestinian people and spoke against the inner workings that led to Macklemore\u2019s removal. <\/p>\n In its statement,<\/a> Lukas Graham wrote: \u201cMoney doesn\u2019t give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody\u2019s bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we\u2019re allowed to acknowledge.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Macklemore](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/1789605612_401_.jpeg\")
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