Philadelphia – Rapper Macklemore, whose legal name is Ben Haggerty, announced Thursday that he is planning a new “Free Palestine” concert tour. The announcement follows his removal from Ed Sheeran’s United States tour after Macklemore voiced support for the Palestinian people on stage at MetLife Stadium earlier this month.
Tour plans and artist outreach
In a social‑media post, Macklemore wrote, “This is a moment of momentum, and there is work to be done. So we’re going on tour.” He added that his schedule “freed up a bit” and that he has been reaching out to artists who have used their platforms to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, “regardless of the consequences.” Specific dates, venues, and supporting acts have not yet been disclosed.
Background to the controversy
On September 4, Macklemore performed at MetLife Stadium and said, “One of the reasons why I wanted to come on this tour was because I wanted to stand up here on stages and stadiums across America, and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart. Free Palestine.” Shortly thereafter, Ed Sheeran’s management informed Macklemore that he would be dropped from the remainder of the tour.
According to a statement from Messina Touring Group, the U.S. promoter for Sheeran’s Loop Tour, several venues notified them that they would not allow a concert to proceed with Macklemore on the lineup. The promoter warned that proceeding could result in cancellations affecting hundreds of thousands of fans.
Reactions from other performers
Following Macklemore’s exit, other supporting acts—including Aaron Rowe, Finneas, Beoga, and Lukas Graham – said they would also withdraw from Sheeran’s tour, citing the controversy.
Ed Sheeran’s response
At his first concert after the dispute, Sheeran opened his show at Lincoln Financial Field by apologizing to fans for “making mistakes” and expressed regret over the situation. He later clarified that the decision to drop Macklemore was made by his promoter, not by Sheeran personally.
Robert Kraft’s comments
Robert Kraft, owner of Gillette Stadium and the New England Patriots, previously issued a statement saying that Macklemore’s recent actions and material shared on stage were “deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community” and that his participation would “cross the line” for upcoming concerts at Gillette Stadium. Kraft added that his decision was not intended to diminish the suffering of innocent Palestinians, emphasizing a desire for peace for all people.
Macklemore’s stance on antisemitism
In his own statement, Macklemore acknowledged that antisemitism is real and argued that the term should not be used as a shield against criticism of Israeli policies. He said, “When criticizing Israel, opposing Zionism or saying ‘Free Palestine’ gets conflated with hatred of Jewish people, it doesn’t protect Jewish people. It protects Israel from accountability.”
The planned tour remains in the early planning stages, with Macklemore promising further details soon.
Original reporting: Allentown News – 6abc Philadelphia — read the source article.
