Macklemore has had a wild week. After speaking in support of Palestine, Macklemore now is heading out on his own “Free Palestine” tour.
In case you missed it, Macklemore was booted from opening for Ed Sheeran, due to his beliefs. Now, he will take the show on the road, aiming for Europe first.
“If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years,” Macklemore wrote on Instagram. “There has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation, the power of billionaires that try to censor that call, and what we expect from artists right now.
“It’s 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore. People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves, and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.”
Macklemore says his removal from the remaining U.S. dates of Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour came after several stadium operators threatened to shut the tour out of their venues over his public support for Palestine.
The rapper addressed the decision in a lengthy Instagram statement posted Monday, September 14. According to Macklemore, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft spearheaded the pressure campaign as the tour prepared to visit Gillette Stadium, which is owned by the Kraft Group.
Macklemore alleged that Kraft contacted Sheeran directly and “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.”
That alleged ultimatum placed Sheeran, his touring operation and hundreds of thousands of ticket holders in the middle of an escalating political fight. Messina Touring Group confirmed that multiple venues were unwilling to host concerts featuring Macklemore, creating the possibility that entire shows could be canceled if he remained on the bill.
Macklemore also described the situation as a direct challenge to Sheeran’s stated “I don’t take sides” position. He said Sheeran expressed concern that pro-Palestinian imagery during the performances had upset some fans. Macklemore argued that neutrality during widespread violence reflects a fundamental disconnect from the human cost unfolding in Gaza.
The Seattle artist has made Palestinian solidarity a visible part of his recent work and live performances, placing him among the most outspoken mainstream American musicians addressing the crisis. That stance has now carried a major professional consequence, with the remaining U.S. concerts moving forward without him.
Still, Macklemore redirected attention away from the artists and the business dispute surrounding the tour. In closing his statement, he emphasized that “the victims are the Palestinian people.”