Macklemore seen walking with parents in Seattle after being removed from Ed Sheeran tour
The rapper was photographed strolling with his mother and father in Seattle following his removal from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour amid a dispute over comments on the Gaza conflict.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, was photographed walking with his parents, Bill Haggerty and Julie Schott, on a Seattle sidewalk on Wednesday. The 43-year-old wore casual attire, including jeans and a purple Real Madrid jersey, and was seen drinking coconut water while the trio appeared to be engaged in a serious conversation.
The outing comes two days after reports that Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour following remarks he made about Palestine and Gaza. Macklemore posted on Instagram that the removal resulted from a "painful disagreement" and alleged that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft pressured venues to bar him from the tour.
"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 in a statement.
Sheeran also said he had spoken with venue operators to try to resolve the issue and denied involvement in the decision to remove the rapper.
In response, several of Sheeran's other opening acts, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga, announced they would no longer participate in the tour, citing support for free expression. Fans have requested refunds from Ticketmaster.
Macklemore announced he would donate his $1 million earnings from the tour to six Palestinian aid organizations. Kraft later pledged a $2 million donation for humanitarian aid in the region and expressed willingness to discuss the political differences with Macklemore.