US rapper Macklemore has donated his entire $1 million earnings from Ed Sheeran’s tour to Palestine aid charities, after he was dropped as support act.
The musician had been scheduled to perform at eight of the ten shows remaining on Sheeran’s Loop Tour, but was axed after making a two-minute speech about Gaza during his first appearance on September 4, telling the audience: “Free Palestine.”
Since then, all of Sheeran’s supporting acts, including Irish singer Aaron Rowe, Grammy award-winning musician Finneas, and Danish singer Lukas Graham, as well as his backing band Beoga, have dropped out from the remaining tour dates.
On Wednesday, Macklemore, real name Ben Haggerty, wrote on Instagram that he would be donating his entire tour earnings and called on billionaire stadium owner Robert Kraft – who the rapper said had put Sheeran under pressure to drop him – to do the same.
“With everything that has happened over the last 48 hours, I want to bring the conversation back to where it belongs: to the Palestinian people who are still being killed, still living under military occupation, and still fighting for their freedom,” Macklemore wrote.
“I will be donating the entire one million (dollars) of my net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organisations working directly to support the Palestinian people.”
“Writing a check is one of the least costly forms of solidarity to me. I am doing it because I can, and because these organisations are doing the work while much of the world debates it,” he continued.
Kraft, the CEO and founder of the Kraft Group, which owns the Gillette Stadium and the New England Patriots, published a statement on Wednesday evening saying Sheeran had asked him to match a $2 million donation to the region.
In his initial statement, Macklemore said Kraft had called Sheeran and said he would not be allowed to perform in his stadium, and that he had “rallied some of the other stadium owners” to give the singer an ultimatum.
“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,” Kraft said.
“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.”
The stadium owner previously said on Monday that Macklemore had been dropped due to his recent comments “and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community”.
Macklemore apologised in 2014 for dressing up in a costume that some critics said was an antisemitic caricature, stating that the elements of the attire had been chosen randomly to disguise himself before a surprise show.
Sheeran is due to play his next concert on the Loop Tour at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on September 19, but will not be joined by support acts Rowe and Graham.
“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision; it was not mine,” Sheeran wrote on Instagram on Tuesday, after the rapper first shared a statement.
“I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.”
Sheeran said he had spoken “with the venues at length all week to try to build a bridge,” but that “the venue’s and promoter’s decision was final”.
The singer said he wanted his music to “bring people from all backgrounds and cultures together” and that while he has personal views about “this devastating conflict,” he had chosen not to speak publicly because people who come to his shows “do not expect a political forum.”
“I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes,” Sheeran added.
“However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: Peace. I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed.”
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