Macklemore Announces ‘Free Palestine Tour’ After Ed Sheeran Controversy

“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,” Macklemore said.

By United with Israel Staff

Rapper Macklemore is doubling down on his anti-Israel activism with a new “Free Palestine Tour,” less than two weeks after he was dropped from the remaining US dates of Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour following controversial remarks about Israel and the Palestinians.

Macklemore announced Thursday that the “Macklemore and Friends” tour will make stops in Dublin, Paris and London in October, saying he is recruiting other artists who have publicly embraced the Palestinian cause.

“I’ve spent the last week reaching out to artists who have shown up and used their stages to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, regardless of the consequences,” Macklemore said.

No additional performers were immediately announced.

The tour follows a highly publicized dispute surrounding Macklemore’s appearances as an opening act on Sheeran’s Loop Tour.

During a September 4 performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Macklemore told the crowd that a major reason he had joined Sheeran’s tour was to use the stadium platform to declare “Free Palestine.” He also told Palestinians in Gaza and Judea and Samaria that “we have not forgotten about them.”

At another MetLife performance, Macklemore defended his rhetoric by telling Jewish audience members that his accusations of “apartheid” and “genocide” against Israel were not criticism of them personally.

The remarks drew objections from Jewish organizations, including the Israeli-American Council, which called for Macklemore to be removed from the tour. Robert Kraft, the Jewish owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium and founder of an organization combating antisemitism, also objected to the rapper appearing at his venue.

Kraft said Macklemore had a “broader history of rhetoric and imagery” that he believed was deeply offensive and hurtful to Jews. He also said he would be willing to meet with the rapper and stressed that his goal was peace and an end to suffering and hatred.

The controversy ultimately spread beyond Gillette Stadium. Tour promoter Messina Touring Group said multiple venues informed organizers that they would not allow concerts to proceed with Macklemore on the lineup, threatening the cancellation of shows affecting hundreds of thousands of fans. Macklemore was subsequently removed from his remaining support dates.

Sheeran later said he had attempted to mediate between Macklemore, venues and other parties but that the decision by the venues and promoter was final. Several other supporting artists subsequently withdrew from Sheeran’s tour in solidarity with Macklemore.

Sheeran has since spoken publicly about the war, condemning the October 7 Hamas attacks while also sharply criticizing Israel’s conduct in Gaza and describing the humanitarian situation there as “catastrophic and unjustifiable.”

Macklemore, meanwhile, has shown no signs of backing away from his activism.

“If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years,” he said while announcing his new tour.

“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.”

The rapper has repeatedly accused Israel of genocide and apartheid and has incorporated his pro-Palestinian activism into his music and live performances. Israel strongly rejects accusations that its war against Hamas constitutes genocide, maintaining that its military campaign was launched in response to the Hamas-led October 7 massacre and is directed against the terrorist organization rather than Gaza’s civilian population.