Macklemore said Monday that he has been dropped from Ed Sheeran's Loop tour after the rapper proclaimed "Free Palestine" onstage at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium.
This includes the tour's final stop at Tampa's Raymond James Stadium on Nov. 7.
In June, the publicly owned stadium hosted two shows by Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, who has a history of antisemitic statements.
Macklemore said on Instagram that several U.S. venues told the promoter they would prohibit him from performing as Sheeran's opening act.
As a result, he wrote, Sheeran's team decided to remove him from the tour. That's despite the fact that the rapper — best known for his breakout hit “Thrift Shop” and the same-sex marriage anthem “Same Love” — has been making similar comments for years.
“So why is it an issue now? Because I’m sharing a stage with one of the biggest artists in the world, in some of the biggest stadiums in America,” Macklemore wrote. “At a certain level of exposure, ‘Free Palestine’ becomes too much of a risk.”
The promoter, Messina Touring Group, confirmed in a statement to Rolling Stone that it was notified by venues that “they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans.”
The Tampa Sports Authority, which manages Raymond James Stadium, issued a statement to local media confirming Macklemore would not perform. It's not known whether the agency was among those to specifically request the rapper be dropped.
According to Macklemore, Sheeran was under pressure from stadium owners rallied by Robert Kraft, owner the NFL's New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium outside Boston, where Sheeran is next slated to play on Sept. 25-26.
In a statement, Kraft said the decision to cancel Macklemore was a result of his recent comments “and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.”
“This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf. Their pain and loss are real,” Kraft said.
A growing chorus of organizations and experts say Israel’s wartime actions in Gaza in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks amount to genocide — an accusation Israel vehemently rejects.
Kraft, who is Jewish, created the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism, now known as the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate, in 2019.
“I would welcome the opportunity to sit down with Macklemore and discuss the facts, because ultimately our goal is the same – peace for all people, an end to suffering, and an end to all hate,” Kraft wrote.
Macklemore’s advocacy “should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas."
Sheeran has not commented and representatives for the singer did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment.
Macklemore, born Benjamin Hammond Haggerty in Washington state, exclaimed “Free Palestine” during the Sept. 5 show at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium while introducing his protest song “Hind’s Hall.”
Written following the 2024 campus protests in support of Palestinians, it's named for Hind Rajab, a 5-year-old Palestinian girl who was killed after Israeli forces fired on her family’s car in Gaza City.
“To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters, criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, it in no way is criticism of you,” he said during the New Jersey concert. “This message is for peace, love, for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality.”
Macklemore said he holds no ill will toward Sheeran, who he considers a friend.
“But as I told Ed multiple times on the phone, our friendship can’t change my responsibility to tell the truth about what happened,” Macklemore wrote.
The Loop Tour is scheduled to appear in venues including Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia; Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia; Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis; Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina; AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas; and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.