Macklemore is embarking on his own tour after being dropped as Ed Sheeran’s opening act for chanting “Free Palestine” on stage.
“If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years,” the rapper, 43, wrote via Instagram on Thursday, September 24. “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.”
He continued, “It’s 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore. People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.”
Macklemore served as one of the support acts for Sheeran’s two concerts in New Jersey on his Loop Tour earlier this month. During each of his sets, the “Thrift Shop” rapper chanted “Free Palestine” before performing his 2024 protest track, “Hind’s Hall.” In response, Sheeran’s touring company dismissed Macklemore from the lineup over his comments about the Israel-Palestine conflict. (Sheeran, 35, publicly denied firing Macklemore and has since donated $2 million to provide global humanitarian aid.)
“What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage,” Macklemore wrote on Thursday. “When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention. So, as you all know, my schedule freed up a bit.”
After being dropped from his eight scheduled Loop Tour shows, Macklemore started putting together his Free Palestine Tour.
“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,” he explained. “Artists who understand that our platforms mean very little if we’re only willing to use them when it’s safe. Because of how quickly all of this has come together, a lot of the conversations, schedules and details are still being worked out. But this is a moment of momentum, and there is work to be done.”
Macklemore and a group of yet-to-be announced artists will perform three shows in Dublin, Paris and London throughout October. All proceeds will support organizations that provide aid to Palestinian citizens.
Following Macklemore’s abrupt departure from Sheeran’s tour, fellow openers Finneas and Lukas Graham also left in solidarity. The British star’s backing band, Beoga, similarly withdrew from the lineup.
Sheeran returned to the stage amid the controversy, performing in Philadelphia on Saturday, September 19. He offered an emotional apology to the crowd for making “mistakes.”
“This has put me in the middle of an important, passionate argument about freedom of speech on the most complex issue on the planet,” the Grammy winner stated. “[My music] has always been a safe space for everyone. That matters hugely to me. Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely essential to who I am. That is why I’m here tonight — on my own — continuing my own tour.”
