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

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

In a statement released via Gillette Stadium's X account, Kraft stated his commitment to building bridges and protecting all lives. He revealed that Sheeran had already contacted him to pledge $2 million to match Macklemore's contribution, aiming to address the humanitarian crisis 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 $1 million in profits from his opening act performances on Sheeran's U.S. tour to organizations supporting Palestinians. He specifically called on Kraft, a Jewish philanthropist, to match his donation.

Macklemore was removed from Sheeran's current tour earlier this month after making pro-Palestinian statements and a political speech on stage at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. He suggested Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, 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, including Finneas O'Connell, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe, and Bagpipe, withdrew from the tour.