Macklemore Dropped From Ed Sheeran Tour After Palestine Remarks

American rapper Macklemore has been removed from the opening act lineup for Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour in the United States following his pro-Palestinian statements. Promoters Messina Touring Group stated that several US venues threatened to cancel upcoming shows if Macklemore continued to perform, citing concerns that this could lead to the entire tour's cancellation and affect hundreds of thousands of fans. Consequently, a decision was made after discussions with stakeholders to exclude Macklemore from the remaining opening performances.

Macklemore had previously performed as an opening act for Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4th. During his set, he called for the "liberation of Palestine" and performed his song "Hind's Hall," accompanied by visuals. He addressed the crowd of over 80,000, stating he had not forgotten those in Gaza and the West Bank. Some audience members reportedly left before Sheeran's performance, expressing disapproval.

The Israeli-American Council (IAC) initiated a petition urging Ed Sheeran and the tour organizers to remove Macklemore, arguing that Sheeran's concert should not be a political rally and accusing Macklemore of using the venue to promote a one-sided political stance. In response to the ensuing controversy, Macklemore attempted to clarify his position, asserting that his calls for Palestinian freedom and criticism of "apartheid, genocide, and Israel" were not directed against Jewish people.