According to Pitchfork.com, on September 14, Macklemore was dropped from the opening slot on Ed Sheeran’s ongoing stadium tour over onstage remarks the rapper made, including calling for “free Palestine.” Macklemore subsequently released a statement in which he blamed both Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft and Sheeran himself for booting him from the tour. And now, Sheeran has responded with a statement of his own, posted to his Instagram account.
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“Macklemore asked to join my tour last year and I agreed, because I respect him as an artist,” Sheeran wrote: “After Macklemore’s performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting. I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said.” He described speaking with Kraft directly, but asserted that “Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine.”
Also, All three of Sheeran’s remaining support acts: Finneas, Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe, along with his backing band, Beoga, have since pulled out of their opening slots. “Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” Finneas posted on Instagram. In his own statement, Rowe wrote, “[As] Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine, and violent occupation. I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and the savage murder of children. I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal.”
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