Macklemore Pledges $1M to Palestinians; Sheeran, Kraft Match with $2M Each
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
Rapper Macklemore pledged $1 million to Palestinians from his tour earnings, prompting Ed Sheeran and billionaire Robert Kraft to each donate $2 million. Macklemore's pro-Palestinian statements led to his removal from Sheeran's tour, sparking a larger controversy.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Macklemore donates $1M to Palestinians from tour earnings.
- Ed Sheeran and Robert Kraft each pledge $2M to match.
- Macklemore was removed from Sheeran's tour for pro-Palestinian remarks.
- Kraft had previously banned Macklemore from his stadium.
- Other opening acts withdrew from Sheeran's tour in solidarity.
Rapper Macklemore announced he will donate $1 million from his earnings from Ed Sheeran's tour to aid Palestinians and challenged billionaire Robert Kraft to match the sum. Sheeran and Kraft subsequently pledged to donate $2 million each.
Macklemore, who was removed from Sheeran's tour due to pro-Palestinian statements made on stage, revealed his intention to donate his tour profits to Palestinian aid organizations. He specifically called out Kraft, the owner of Gillette Stadium, who had previously barred Macklemore from performing at his venue, to match his donation.
In response, Kraft stated that he and Ed Sheeran had already committed to donating $2 million each to address the humanitarian crisis in the region, even before Macklemore's challenge. Kraft added that Sheeran plans to engage other stadium owners to work together on building bridges. Kraft also highlighted his long-standing support for initiatives that create opportunities for Palestinians and foster relationships between young Israelis and Palestinians.
Macklemore's removal from the tour followed a political speech he gave at MetLife Stadium earlier in September. He suggested Kraft was responsible for his exclusion, alleging Kraft had influenced other stadium owners to deny him performance opportunities. Kraft confirmed he banned Macklemore from Gillette Stadium, citing "hate speech" and accusing the rapper of a history of antisemitic rhetoric.
The controversy led to the withdrawal of all scheduled opening acts for Sheeran's shows, including Finneas O'Connell, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Bagpipe.
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