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Monday, September 14, 2026
Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran’s US tour after ‘Free Palestine’ controversy
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Macklemore has been dropped from the remaining dates of British singer Ed Sheeran’s US tour, after the US rapper sparked controversy by calling out “Free Palestine” from the stage and singing an anti-Israel protest song.
“As the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran’s US Loop Tour, we have been notified by venues on the upcoming US tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans. After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates,” Messina Touring Group, which is promoting the US portion of the tour, tells Rolling Stone magazine.
Macklemore, who has been an outspoken pro-Palestinian activist for years, sparked shock and anger from some Israeli concertgoers after his performance.
The Israeli-American Council welcomes Messina’s announcement.
“Anyone who chooses to turn an 80,000-person concert into a vehicle for advancing a one-sided political agenda must stand behind that choice,” the pro-Israel group says. “A concert stage is not a platform for anti-Israel and antisemitic propaganda.”
Rolling Stone reports that Macklemore was due to perform at eight more shows, mostly on the US East Coast.
The Times of Israel Community.