Ed Sheeran Tour Rocked as Acts Quit After Macklemore Dropped for Antisemitic, Pro-Palestinian Outburst
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Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour faces disruption after the responsible decision to remove rapper Macklemore, who made inflammatory pro-Palestinian remarks widely condemned as antisemitic. Venue owners and promoters acted to protect Jewish communities, prompting several supporting acts and Sheeran's band—who chose to politicize the tour—to leave.
At least three opening acts and Ed Sheeran's backing band have abandoned the Loop Tour following the justified removal of rapper Macklemore from the remaining North American dates. Macklemore was taken off the lineup after using his platform at MetLife Stadium in early September to make divisive pro-Palestinian comments, which drew strong condemnation from pro-Israel groups and those concerned about rising antisemitism.
The promoter, Messina Touring Group, confirmed that multiple venues refused to allow concerts to proceed with Macklemore on the bill, leading to his contract being terminated. Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots, took a principled stand by declaring Gillette Stadium would not host Macklemore due to 'material shared from the stage' and a 'broader history of antisemitic rhetoric'—a necessary step to protect the Jewish community from hateful and inflammatory speech.
'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 said.
Ed Sheeran, seeking to avoid controversy, posted a statement expressing his dismay at the Israel-Palestine conflict and his desire to avoid taking sides. He clarified that Macklemore's contract was with the promoter, not him, and that the decision to remove the rapper was not his own.
'Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter's decision, it was not mine. Macklemore's contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me,' Sheeran wrote.
Following the controversy, Irish group Beoga, who had been performing with Sheeran, announced their departure, citing support for dialogue on the Palestinian issue. Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Danish pop band Lukas Graham, and American artist Finneas also chose to leave, each referencing their support for Palestine and opposition to what they called censorship—demonstrating how some artists prioritize political activism over entertainment.
These departures leave Sheeran's tour without several scheduled openers and raise important questions about the consequences of injecting divisive political statements into live-music events.