Macklemore Pledges $1M to Palestinians; Sheeran, Kraft Match with $2M Each

Rapper Macklemore announced he will donate $1 million of his earnings from Ed Sheeran's tour to aid Palestinians and challenged billionaire Robert Kraft to match the sum. Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium and had previously barred Macklemore from performing there, along with Ed Sheeran, pledged to donate $2 million each.

Kraft stated in a release that he has dedicated much of his life to building bridges and believes all lives are worthy of protection. He revealed Sheeran had already contacted him to commit $2 million to match Macklemore's donation for humanitarian aid in the region. Kraft also emphasized his long-standing support for initiatives that create opportunities for Palestinians and foster relationships between young Israelis and Palestinians.

Macklemore had earlier declared his intention to donate his profits from opening for Sheeran in the U.S. to organizations supporting Palestinians. He directly called on Kraft, a prominent Jewish businessman, to match his contribution.

Macklemore was removed from Sheeran's current tour after making pro-Palestinian statements and a political speech on stage earlier in September. He suggested Kraft was responsible for his removal, alleging Kraft had influenced other stadium owners to deny him performance venues. Kraft confirmed he banned Macklemore from Gillette Stadium, citing "hate speech" and accusing the rapper of a history of antisemitic rhetoric.

Following Macklemore's removal, all scheduled opening acts for Sheeran's remaining shows, including Finneas O'Connell, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Bagpipe, withdrew in solidarity.