U.S. rapper Macklemore became the focus of attention after being removed from the remaining concerts of Ed Sheeran’s “Loop Tour” in the United States following his outspoken support for Palestine. The artist’s lengthy statement on Instagram after the decision sparked a major response on social media.
“Ed Sheeran and his team decided to remove me from the tour”
In a statement on Instagram, Macklemore announced that Ed Sheeran and his team had decided to remove him from the remaining dates of the tour. The rapper said he had been friends with Sheeran for approximately 13 years and that the two had held “difficult conversations” about the matter in recent days.
The decision followed opposition from some U.S. stadiums to Macklemore performing there. Messina Touring Group, the tour’s organizer, said some venues scheduled to host upcoming concerts had indicated that they would not allow the shows to go ahead if Macklemore remained on the lineup. The organizer said this could lead to concert cancellations affecting hundreds of thousands of fans.
The dispute began with the words “Free Palestine”
At the center of the incident was Macklemore’s concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4. Performing as the opening act on Ed Sheeran’s tour, Macklemore delivered a speech supporting Palestine and used the words “Free Palestine.”
Macklemore also addressed Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank, saying they had not been forgotten. Following the artist’s remarks, some Jewish and pro-Israel organizations responded, while the Israeli-American Council called for Macklemore to be removed from the tour.
Macklemore: “I am not the victim”
After being removed from the tour, Macklemore objected to the events being viewed through the lens of what happened to him.
In his statement, the artist said that neither he, Ed Sheeran nor Pink were victims of the incident, arguing that the Palestinian people were the real victims. Macklemore said celebrities with careers and secure lives could face consequences for what they said, but could ultimately return to their families.
Post surpasses 5 million likes
Macklemore’s statement generated extraordinary engagement not only in the music industry but also on social media. Screenshots of the post show approximately 5.2 million likes, along with hundreds of thousands of comments, shares and reposts.
Some social media accounts claimed that it was one of the fastest posts in Instagram history to reach 5 million likes, and even that it had set a record. However, because Instagram has not published official record data supporting the claim, the assertion that it “broke an Instagram record” has not been verified at this stage.
Macklemore is not backing down
Despite being removed from the tour, Macklemore signaled that he would not retreat from his statements on Palestine. The rapper argued that criticizing the policies of the Israeli government does not constitute antisemitism, saying his message was about peace, human dignity and equality.
Macklemore had originally been scheduled to perform at eight of the remaining 10 shows on Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour. The tour is expected to continue in Philadelphia on September 19.
The development has also sparked a new debate over the impact of artists’ political statements on Palestine in the U.S. entertainment industry and the limits of freedom of expression.
