No longer on the tour.
It was announced this morning that rapper Macklemore would no longer be part of Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour – and it turns out, it’s all thanks to New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
The controversy started earlier this month when Macklemore was opening for Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and used his performance to deliver his thoughts on the war between Israel and Palestine:
“A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine.’
I said, ‘Free Palestine!’ I want those words to be loud and clear so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them.”
The entire rant lasted nearly three minutes, and also featured Macklemore expressing his support for Iran and calling ICE a “terrorist organization.” But it was his comments on Palestine that drew the most attention, including from his fellow artists.
Joe Bonamassa took issue with the fact that Macklemore used his spot as an opener to make the show political:
And Pink, who is herself Jewish, also chimed in, calling Hamas a terrorist organization:
Macklemore was scheduled to open for Sheeran on 8 of the 10 shows left on the U.S. leg of the tour, but has since been removed from the tour. And in a rant posted to his Instagram, the “Thrift Shop” rapper blamed Patriots owner Bob Kraft for his ouster:
“Last Monday, in the middle of all the media attention surrounding Pink and what I said at MetLife, Ed told me that Robert Kraft called him. We were scheduled to play Gillette Stadium later this month, which is owned by the Kraft Group. Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium. Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners, and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.”
He said that he considers Ed Sheeran a brother, but that “our friendship can’t change my responsibility to tell the truth about what happened.”
Well after Macklemore spoke out about his ouster from the tour, Kraft released a lengthy statement of his own defending the decision not to host the rapper at Gillette Stadium:
“Gillette Stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held at our venue do not provide a platform for hate speech. Based on Macklemore’s recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran’s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community, we determined that his participation in the September 25th and 26th concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line.”
This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf. Their pain and loss are real. But that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas, a United States and globally (including Canada, European Union, United Kingdom and Japan) designated terrorist organization whose horrific actions have caused immeasurable suffering for Palestinians and Israelis alike. I agree with Macklemore. Too many lives have been lost and there has been too much suffering, but only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas is not honest and only advances more divisiveness and hate. Over many decades, I have directed resources to Palestine and created athletic and entrepreneurial opportunities for Palestinians who I admire and respect. Standing with the Palestinian people and standing against Hamas, antisemitism and hate should not be mutually exclusive.
Much of my time and attention for the last decade has been focused on the fight against antisemitism and hate of all kinds, and I feel a responsibility to stand up when I believe that line has been crossed. I have tremendous respect for Ed and his music, particularly his unique ability to bring people together and spread joy, and I have always been proud to welcome him and his fans to Gillette Stadium.
I would welcome the opportunity to sit down with Macklemore and discuss the facts, because ultimately our goal is the same – peace for all people, an end to suffering, and an end to all hate.”
According to Rolling Stone, the other venues that objected to Macklemore’s appearance included Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia; Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta; Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis; Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina; AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas; and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida, which would represent seven of the eight stadiums in which Macklemore was scheduled to perform.
