Macklemore will not appear on the remainder of Ed Sheeran's US tour after the promoter removed him from the bill, a change that leaves supporting staff and vendors dependent on the shows in the balance.
Sheeran posted on Instagram that the decision was made by Messina Touring Group because Macklemore's contract was with the promoter, not with him. He wrote, "Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine," and said he had spoken with venues "at length all week to try and build a bridge." Sheeran added he would not abandon the crew, support acts or fans who rely on the tour for work, and stated he did not want to turn his concerts into a political platform, writing, "I am not complicit."
The dispute stems from performances at MetLife Stadium on 4 September, when Macklemore addressed the crowd and said he wanted to stand and say, "Free Palestine," then played Hind's Hall accompanied by footage from Gaza. Some attendees cheered, while others pushed for his removal through petitions and social-media campaigns. The advocacy group StopAntisemitism called the material "propaganda," and the pop singer Pink amplified that criticism online.
Macklemore returned the next night to directly address members of the audience he described as his "Jewish brothers and sisters," and to say, "Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, is in no way a criticism of you." After several days of coverage, he said he had been dropped and blamed Robert Kraft, the owner of Gillette Stadium, alleging a coordinated boycott. Kraft confirmed the venue barred Macklemore and said it would not "provide a platform for hate speech," accusing the rapper of "a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric."
Messina said venues had indicated they would refuse to host shows that included Macklemore on the bill, a position the promoter warned would have forced cancellations affecting hundreds of thousands of ticket-holders. Messina framed the removal as a response to venue pressure rather than an internal choice by the headline artist.
The immediate outcome is removal of Macklemore from Sheeran's US dates, and the broader effect is unresolved: promoters, venues and artists now face sharper tensions over whether and how performers can make political statements without imperilling tours, contracts and large audiences. The dispute leaves open questions about who decides what speech is acceptable on commercial stages and how promoters balance those decisions against contractual and logistical risks.
