Macklemore says US venues rejected his Free Palestine tour

Rapper Macklemore expressed frustration on Friday that major U.S. concert venues, including Madison Square Garden in New York, had declined to book his "Free Palestine" tour. The tour, which had previously taken place in Europe, aimed to raise funds for Palestinian organizations. Macklemore launched the initiative after being removed as the opening act for Ed Sheeran's concert tour in August due to objections from stadium owners about his statement "Free Palestine" on stage.

Since then, nine U.S. venues have refused to host his shows through the end of the year, according to Macklemore's social media post. He described the situation as unprecedented in his 20-year touring career. A Madison Square Garden spokesperson stated that Macklemore is not an arena-level act and that the venue is among the busiest in the world with limited availability.

The Kia Forum in Los Angeles declined to comment. Despite the rejection, Macklemore vowed to collaborate with other artists and organizers to continue his advocacy efforts. He expressed his belief in the United States' commitment to freedom of speech, yet lamented the influence of a few billionaires in determining acceptable causes and voices.

Palestinian officials reported over 74,000 Gazans killed in the war initiated by Hamas on October 7, 2023.