Robert Kraft, the US stadium owner who had pro-Palestinian rapper Macklemore removed as Ed Sheeran’s opening act at his venue, says Sheeran has asked him to donate $2m (£1.5m) to aid in the region
. The request came after Macklemore said he would donate $1m (£750,000) to Palestinian organisations, challenging Kraft to match the sum. Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots, announced the requested pledge in his second statement this week on the controversy, without specifying where exactly the funds would go.
On Monday, he confirmed he had Macklemore dropped as the opening act from Sheeran’s forthcoming performance at the Gillette Stadium near Boston, accusing the rapper of hate speech. Facing a backlash, Sheeran has said the decision to drop Macklemore from his Loop Tour was made by promoters and that he would not be drawn into a public debate over Gaza. In a statement, Kraft, 85, said: “Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis. Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges.”
Gillette Stadium
Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft pledged $2 million in donations to Palestinian aid after being thrust into the discussion surrounding rapper Macklemore’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour. Kraft, who also owns the New England Patriots, announced his donation in an Instagram post Wednesday, saying, I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people. I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting.
Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis,
he said, adding, Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges.
“In addition, I’d like the people who are speaking in support of the Palestinian people to know that for decades, I have supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians and have brought young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs, and forge relationships,” Kraft wrote.
Columbia University
Macklemore pointed to Kraft as the driving force behind his exit from the tour following pro-Palestinian remarks the rapper made onstage earlier this month at the New Jersey arena. During the show, Macklemore said “Free Palestineand showed images from Gaza while playing his 2024 protest song,
Hind’s Hall,” about pro-Palestinian protesters who occupied a building at Columbia University.
Based on Macklemore's recent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran's shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community, we determined that his participation in the September 25th and 26th concerts at Gillette Stadium would cross that line. Kraft
On Wednesday, Macklemore doubled down on his support of Palestine, pledging $1 million in aid and challenging Kraft to do the same before Kraft announced his own donation.
In the statement, which was issued by Gillette Stadium on Kraft’s behalf, he said he would like those speaking in support of the Palestinian people to know that he has long supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians
. He also said that he has worked to bring young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs, and forge relationships
. I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people,
Kraft said. I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting.
Kraft Group
The owner of the Kraft Group, a sports and event management company, did not say whether he had rallied other stadium owners to ban Macklemore from their venues, as the rapper claims. Macklemore – real name Benjamin Haggerty – called for a “free Palestine” and showed images of devastation in Gaza during two Sheeran concerts in New Jersey earlier this month.
Earlier on Wednesday, Macklemore announced he would be donating $1 million in net earnings he received from performing on Sheeran’s tour to organizations that support the Palestinian people. He also invited Kraft to match his donation. Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting. A Palestinian life is no less valuable than another life on this earth,
Macklemore wrote.
On Monday, it was announced that Macklemore had been dropped from the remainder of Sheeran’s tour following backlash over pro-Palestine remarks the rapper made during a recent opening performance.