American rapper Macklemore has announced the launch of an independent concert series titled the “Free Palestine” tour, featuring the artist performing alongside friends and other musicians to raise funds for humanitarian causes in Palestine. The announcement, made on September 24, follows the rapper’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s North American “Loop Tour.”
Tour Dates and Humanitarian Goals
The initial leg of the tour, billed as Macklemore and Friends,
will begin in Europe with three scheduled arena shows:
- October 26: 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland
- October 29: Accor Arena in Paris, France
- October 30: OVO Arena Wembley in London, United Kingdom
Macklemore stated that North American dates will follow, and presale tickets are scheduled for release on Monday, September 28, 2026. All proceeds from the concerts will benefit organizations supporting the Palestinian people and movement.
According to a press release, these groups represent a range of support including advocacy, education, community support, media work, medical care, and humanitarian assistance. Macklemore also pledged his $1 million net earnings from the Sheeran tour to six aid organizations, including HEAL Palestine and UNRWA.
Removal from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour
The controversy began on September 4 during a performance at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. During his set, Macklemore performed his protest track “Hind’s Hall,” chanted Free Palestine,
and displayed a slideshow of video from the war in Gaza. He told the audience he wanted to use the stadium platform to deliver a message near and dear to his heart.
Following the event, Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, barred Macklemore from his venue, citing rhetoric offensive to the Jewish community. Kraft reportedly urged other stadium owners to pressure Sheeran’s promoter to drop the rapper. Consequently, the Messina Touring Group removed Macklemore from the remaining eight dates of the tour.
Industry Fallout and Artist Responses
The removal of Macklemore triggered a wave of solidarity from other tour participants. Supporting acts including Danish band Lukas Graham, songwriter Aaron Rowe, and Finneas (brother of Billie Eilish), as well as the Irish traditional group Beoga, all voluntarily withdrew from the tour.
Ed Sheeran addressed the situation during a September 19 stop in Philadelphia, where he read an apology from a teleprompter regarding “making mistakes.” A tearful Sheeran described the situation as a “complex political issue” and stated that the removal was executed by the promoter, noting that Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me
. While Sheeran claimed he was not complicit
in the decision, he expressed deep concern over venues pre-approving the content of performers, stating such practices should never happen in the free world
. Sheeran also announced he has donated $2 million to Palestinian aid and challenged Robert Kraft to donate $1 million to relief groups.
Criticism of Corporate Censorship
Macklemore characterized his removal as an act of corporate censorship by the “billionaire class.” In an Instagram post, he wrote, 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
. He further stated that being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore
and argued that artists must use their platforms for more than entertainment.
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