Macklemore has responded after being removed from the remaining U.S. dates of Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour following his onstage remarks about the war in Palestine. The rapper’s call to “free Palestine” also drew criticism from pop star Pink, which he addresses in his statement. Pink, who was born to a Jewish mother, said she would “keep speaking out” despite being “hurt” by backlash after reposting criticism of Macklemore’s speech.
Macklemore’s Full Statement
In a lengthy Instagram post, Macklemore wrote:
“I’m going to speak from the heart and share the truth.
“Ed Sheeran and his team have made the decision to remove me from The Loop tour.
“But before I get into it, I want to say something that should be obvious. In this moment I think it matters. I am not a victim. Ed Sheeran is not a victim. Pink is not a victim. We have careers, money, opportunities, safety and audiences around the world. Whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families.
“The victims are the Palestinian people. The men, women and children who have been killed, starved, displaced and forced to live through unimaginable violence. More than 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza alone. People are being killed today, and people will be killed tomorrow. I want to make sure that as I tell this story, we don’t lose sight of that.”
Context Behind the Tour Removal
Macklemore opened for Sheeran at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey last week. During that performance, he told the audience he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know they had not been forgotten amid the conflict with Israel.
The conflict escalated following the unprecedented Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage. In response, the Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza. More than 73,000 people have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza since then.
Pressure from Stadium Owners
Macklemore’s statement continues with details about the pressure applied to Sheeran:
“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.
“Ed was in a ****** up position. He knew it. His typical apolitical stance was being challenged in a way it never had been before. He told me that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with. I told him that if those words were more offensive than 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. But he couldn’t get past his public facing: I don’t take sides.
“And I get why people don’t. Taking a side can cost you. Money, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, relationships and access. I’ve lost all of those things. But there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed. When one side has the bombs and bottomless financial and military support from America, refusing to take a side doesn’t leave you in the middle.”
Previous Comments on Jewish Community
Macklemore previously said his criticism of Israel is “in no way a criticism” of his “Jewish brothers and sisters” and that he is fighting for “equality.”
