Macklemore’s appearance at an Ed Sheeran concert was supposed to be another stop on the singer’s US tour. Instead, his comments about Palestine have turned the performance into a much bigger controversy, eventually leading to his removal from the remaining dates.The rapper used his time on stage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5 to speak about Palestine and perform his protest song, “Hind’s Hall”. His remarks sparked criticism, including calls for him to be taken off the rest of Sheeran’s tour.Macklemore has since defended what he said, stressing that criticism of Israel was not intended as criticism of Jewish people.
What did Macklemore say at the Ed Sheeran concert?
During his September 4 performance, Macklemore told the crowd that speaking about Palestine was one of the reasons he wanted to join the tour.“A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine,’” he said.He then added that he wanted the message to reach people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, saying they had not been forgotten.Macklemore made the remarks while introducing “Hind’s Hall”, his protest song about Israel’s military action in Gaza. Images relating to the devastation in Gaza were also shown on the stadium screens during the performance, according to reports.He also criticised US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, calling the agency a “terrorist organization.”The following night, Macklemore addressed Jewish members of the audience directly.“Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you. My message is for peace, love; for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect and equality.”He later repeated the message in a video shared on social media, saying his comments were directed at political actions and not Jewish people.
Calls grow to remove Macklemore from the tour
The controversy escalated after the Israeli American Council launched a petition calling for Macklemore to be removed from Sheeran’s tour.The organisation criticised him for using the concert stage for what it described as an extended political message. It argued that a concert was not a political rally or protest event.The issue then became bigger than one performance.Messina Touring Group, the promoter behind Sheeran’s US Loop Tour, said venues on the remaining dates had indicated that they would not allow Macklemore to perform.The promoter said that keeping him on the lineup could have resulted in the cancellation of shows, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of fans.Macklemore was subsequently removed from the remaining support dates.
What did Macklemore say about Ed Sheeran?
Macklemore later addressed his removal in a lengthy Instagram post.He said the decision came after a week of “difficult conversations” with Sheeran, whom he described as a friend of 13 years and a “brother”.According to Macklemore, Sheeran was caught in a difficult position as stadium owners pushed back against his continued participation in the tour.“Ed was in a fucked up position,” Macklemore wrote, adding that Sheeran’s usual apolitical stance was being challenged.Macklemore also questioned why his views had suddenly become such a major issue.“What I said at MetLife I have been saying on stages around the world for almost three years,” he wrote. “So why is it an issue now? Because now I’m sharing the stage with one of the biggest artists in the world, in some of the biggest stages in America.”He ended his statement by once again calling to “free Palestine”.
Where does Robert Kraft come in?
Macklemore also named billionaire Robert Kraft in his account of what happened behind the scenes.He claimed Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots and the Kraft Group, contacted Sheeran before the singer’s show at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.According to Macklemore, Sheeran told him Kraft had said Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at the stadium.Macklemore further claimed that Kraft had spoken to other stadium owners, who collectively told Sheeran that they would not host the concert if Macklemore remained part of the lineup.Messina Touring Group had confirmed that venues had objected to Macklemore performing at upcoming dates. However, its public statement did not name Kraft or identify individual venue owners.
Why is Pink being mentioned?
Pink was also pulled into the controversy after she reposted a StopAntisemitism post criticising Macklemore’s comments.The repost was interpreted by some as opposition to Macklemore’s “Free Palestine” message. Pink later clarified that this wasn’t what prompted her reaction.In a lengthy statement, she said she wasn’t objecting to the phrase “Free Palestine” itself. Instead, she said she was responding to Macklemore’s remarks directed towards Jewish people after the backlash began.“That’s what prompted my repost. Not ‘Free Palestine,’ and not anyone’s right to say it,” Pink wrote.She added that she had never asked for another artist to be silenced and wasn’t calling for Macklemore to be fired.Pink also explained that, as a Jewish mother, she wanted to be able to say that the situation frightened her and people close to her without being accused of supporting genocide.The controversy has therefore become about more than Macklemore’s original words on stage. It now involves questions around political expression at concerts, criticism of Israel, antisemitism, support for Palestinians and where artists draw the line when they use a major commercial stage to speak about an ongoing conflict.
