Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour after ‘free Palestine’ speech

Macklemore, the rapper behind chart-topping hits like "Thrift Shop" and "Can't Hold Us," has been removed from Ed Sheeran's US tour after making a public statement supporting Palestine. During a stop at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Macklemore told the audience that he wanted Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank to know they were not forgotten.

This sparked outrage and accusations of antisemitism. Stadium owners then informed tour organizers that Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at any of the remaining dates, leading to the cancellation of the tour. A statement from Messina Touring Group, Sheeran's tour promoter, confirmed that venues would not permit Macklemore's participation, which would result in the tour's cancellation and impact hundreds of thousands of fans.

Despite the controversy, Macklemore expressed hope that his friendship with Sheeran, who he considers a friend, would remain intact. The incident occurred in the wake of the Israeli military's response to Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in over 1,200 casualties and more than 73,000 fatalities according to Gaza's Hamas-run health authority.