Macklemore was kicked off Ed Sheeran’s U.S.stadium tour after multiple venues refused to host him following his pro-Palestinian speeches and performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
The fallout escalated when New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft barred him from performing at Gillette Stadium, where Sheeran is scheduled to play Sept.25 and 26.US rapper, singer, dancer and DJ, Benjamin Haggerty, known as Macklemore, performs at the Goldencoast Rap Festival in Corcelles-les-Monts, near Dijon, central-eastern France, on August 30, 2026.
(Photo by ARNAUD FINISTRE / AFP via Getty Images) (ARNAUD FINISTRE / AFP via Getty Images)The rapper opened Sheeran’s shows at MetLife on Sept.4 and 5.
Macklemore wore a keffiyeh, showed footage of destruction in Gaza, performed "Hind’s Hall" and led the crowd in "Free Palestine" chants.The song includes lyrics accusing Israel of genocide.PINK HITS BACK AMID BACKLASH FOR CRITICIZING MACKLEMORE'S PRO-PALESTINIAN CONCERT REMARKSMacklemore said the tour gave him a massive platform to promote his political message.
He also claimed Sheeran told him Robert Kraft had rallied other stadium owners against keeping him on the tour.Kraft, whose Kraft Group owns Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, cited the rapper’s stage behavior and what he called a "broader history of anti-Semitic rhetoric and imagery.""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," Kraft shared in a statement made to ESPN."Based on Macklemore's recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran's shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of anti-Semitic 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 shows would not be permitted."Tour promoter Messina Touring Group confirmed Mack...