Macklemore pledges $1 million donation to Palestinian aid groups and urges matching contribution

Rapper Macklemore announced that he will donate the $1 million in net earnings he received from supporting Ed Sheeran on the Loop Tour to several organizations that provide humanitarian assistance to Palestinians. He listed the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Heal Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, UNRWA USA National Committee and Anera as recipients. Macklemore also invited New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to match the contribution, though Kraft’s representative declined to comment.

Macklemore was removed from Sheeran’s tour after he said “free Palestine” on stage and delivered a political statement at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier this month. He attributed the removal to pressure from stadium owners, including Kraft, who he said had coordinated to block his performances.

"I will be donating the entire $1 million of my net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organizations working directly to support the Palestinian people," Macklemore wrote in a social-media post.

Ed Sheeran later issued a statement saying he had no involvement in Macklemore’s dismissal and preferred to stay neutral on political issues. Following the incident, other supporting acts on the Loop Tour, including Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham and Beoga, announced they were also withdrawing in solidarity with Macklemore.