Tour in turmoil after Macklemore's removal

Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour has been thrown into disarray after rapper Macklemore was removed from the US leg of the tour over his pro-Palestinian comments, and all four of the remaining supporting acts subsequently withdrew in solidarity.

Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, was dropped from the tour after shouting "Free Palestine" and making other pro-Palestinian remarks during his opening set at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. The comments drew criticism from Jewish groups, a petition from the Israeli American Council, and condemnation from singer Pink.

On Monday, Macklemore announced on Instagram that he had been removed from the remaining eight US tour dates. He said he and Sheeran had held "some difficult conversations" in the preceding week and that "Ed Sheeran and his team have made the decision to remove me from The Loop tour."

In the same statement, Macklemore said the controversy should not distract from the situation in Gaza. "The victims are the Palestinian people," he wrote. "The men, women and children who have been killed, starved, displaced and forced to live through unimaginable violence." He added: "I am not a victim. Ed Sheeran is not a victim. Pink is not a victim."

Supporting acts quit

On Tuesday, hours after Sheeran posted his own statement on Instagram, Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Irish folk band Beoga, Danish band Lukas Graham, and American musician Finneas all announced they were withdrawing from the tour.

Rowe, who had been one of Macklemore's replacements for the remaining US dates, said he did not "take the decision lightly" and described Sheeran as "a friend to me and has changed my life." But he added: "As Irish people 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."

Beoga, who had been serving as Sheeran's touring band and performed several songs with him during each set, said they were departing "following the silencing of Macklemore." The band stated: "We are Irish people who understand colonialism. As founding members of the Irish Artists for Palestine movement, we are committed activists for justice and will continue to be."

Finneas, who is Billie Eilish's brother and was due to open for Sheeran on the South American leg of the tour later this year, wrote on Instagram: "Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people."

Lukas Graham, who had been scheduled as another replacement opener, also announced their withdrawal, saying: "Money doesn't give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody's bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we're allowed to acknowledge."

Sheeran's response

In his statement, Sheeran said the decision to remove Macklemore was not his. "Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine," he wrote. "Macklemore's contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me."

Sheeran said that after Macklemore's performances in New Jersey, venues on his upcoming tour dates "communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting." He said he 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."

Sheeran said he "spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge," naming Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts and the New England Patriots, as one of those he spoke with. "I was also involved in direct talks with promoters along with activists on both sides to try and find a mutual resolution for all, but the venue's and promoter's decision was final," he wrote.

Kraft had said he would bar Macklemore from performing at Gillette Stadium, where the tour was due to play later this month. In a statement, Kraft said the decision was based on Macklemore's "recent actions" and "a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community." Kraft added that he was not trying to diminish the suffering of Palestinians and welcomed the opportunity to sit down with Macklemore, saying "ultimately our goal is the same – peace for all people, an end to suffering, and an end to all hate."

Sheeran also addressed his own approach to politics, saying he was "appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine" and described the suffering on both sides as "a human tragedy." He said he does not use his professional platform for politics because his audience "includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds," and that "those who come to my shows do not expect a political forum."

"I am not complicit," Sheeran wrote. "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't care."

Promoter's account

The tour's promoter, Messina Touring Group, told Rolling Stone that venue owners on upcoming US tour dates had notified them that they would not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore in the lineup. "After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates," the promoter said.

Macklemore, who has long been pro-Palestinian and a critic of Israel's military campaign in Gaza and its occupation of the West Bank, has denied that his concert comments were antisemitic. He said conflating antisemitism with criticism of Israel's actions "protects Israel from accountability." He has previously apologized for a 2014 costume that critics said tapped into antisemitic stereotypes.

Macklemore has regularly performed at pro-Palestinian rallies since 2023 and in 2024 released "Hind's Hall," a protest anthem named after Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl killed by Israeli troops in Gaza.