Macklemore has been dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour after he says New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft organized a boycott among stadium owners over the rapper’s remarks in support of Palestinians.The “Thrift Shop” rapper posted a lengthy statement to his Instagram on Monday alleging that Sheeran was called by Kraft to inform the singer Macklemore was not welcome at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
Sheeran’s tour was scheduled to play at the venue, which is owned by Kraft Entertainment + Sports Group.“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,” Macklemore wrote.
A representative for Kraft Entertainment + Sports Group did not immediately respond to an NBC News request for comment on Monday.Macklemore added that Sheeran, who he described as a friend, was in a “f---ed up position.” The two have had “difficult” conversations over the past week, according to Macklemore, that ended in a place of “fundamental disagreement.” “He told me that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flags were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with,” Macklemore wrote.
“I told him that if those words were more offensive than the tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood.” According to Macklemore’s account, Sheeran was not able to get past his desire to remain an apolitical public figure.Macklemore has been deeply outspoken about social and political issues throughout his career, releasing the song 2012 song “Same Love” in support of same-sex marriage three years before it was legalized in a Supreme Court decision.
He released a song called “Hind’s Hall” in 2024, referencing an anti-war protest at Columbia University in which students took...