Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran tour over pro-Palestinian comments
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Macklemore says he wants Palestinians to know "we have not forgotten about them". (AP: Jack Plunkett/Invision/File)
In short:
Macklemore says he has been dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour over pro-Palestinian comments he made earlier this month on stage at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium.
Macklemore has written a lengthy post on Instagram, saying he and Sheeran had "some difficult conversations this past week".
What's next?
The tour is scheduled to resume on September 19 in Philadelphia.
American rapper Macklemore says he has been dropped from pop star Ed Sheeran's US tour after his pro-Palestinian comments and Free Palestine remarks during a September 4 concert at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, wrote on Instagram he and Sheeran had "some difficult conversations this past week".
Messina Touring Group, promoter of the US leg of Sheeran's Loop Tour, told Rolling Stone that venue owners on the upcoming US tour dates notified the promoters they would not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore in the line-up.
"After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates," Messina Touring Group said.
Sheeran had no immediate comment.
The Loop Tour is scheduled to resume on September 19 in Philadelphia. (AP: Andy Kropa/Invision/File)
"A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: 'Free Palestine,'" Macklemore said earlier this month.
"I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza, to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them," Macklemore had said during the concert.
Macklemore, a Grammy-winning artist, was on the bill to perform at eight of the 10 shows Sheeran has left on his stadium tour, which will resume on September 19 in Philadelphia, according to Variety.
The Israeli-American Council started a petition urging Sheeran to remove Macklemore from the tour.
Macklemore said on Instagram that New England Patriots owner and billionaire Robert Kraft rallied support among some stadium owners and told Sheeran they would not allow him to perform at their venues if Macklemore stayed on the tour.
In a statement to US media, Mr Kraft said much of his time was dedicated to fighting hate and antisemitism and he felt "a responsibility to stand up when I believe that line has been crossed".
Macklemore denies being antisemitic and said that conflating antisemitism with criticism of Israel's actions aimed to avoid Israeli accountability.
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