Singer Macklemore faces calls to be dropped from Ed Sheeran tour over pro-Palestine set

An Israeli-American advocacy group has launched a petition calling for rapper Macklemore to be removed from the remaining dates of Ed Sheerans tour after he used his opening performances in New Jersey to express support for Palestinians and criticise Israels conduct in Gaza. Macklemore opened for Sheeran at MetLife Stadium on Friday, September 4, and Saturday, September 5, where he repeatedly shouted Free Palestine and performed his 2024 protest song Hinds Hall. During the performance, images relating to Gaza and pro-Palestinian demonstrations were displayed on screens behind the rapper. The Israeli-American Council subsequently launched a petition urging Sheeran and tour organisers to remove Macklemore from the remaining dates of the Loop tour. The group argued that concertgoers had paid to attend a music event rather than a political rally. The petition does not publicly display the number of signatures it has received. Macklemores performance also prompted divided reactions online. Some concertgoers said they walked out and accused the rapper of promoting antisemitic rhetoric, while others defended his decision to use his platform to speak about the Israel-Gaza war. Macklemore has publicly expressed support for Palestinians and criticised Israels actions in Gaza on several occasions in recent years. His song Hinds Hall, released in 2024 amid pro-Palestinian demonstrations on US university campuses, also attracted criticism at the time. Singer-songwriter Matisyahu accused Macklemore and the song of antisemitism in 2024, arguing that it was worsening divisions surrounding the conflict. Macklemore sparked further controversy that year when he chanted f*** America during a pro-Palestinian festival in Seattle. Neither the criticism from the Israeli-American Council nor the accusations from some concertgoers establish that Macklemores remarks were antisemitic; they reflect the views of those critics.  The post Singer Macklemore faces calls to be dropped from Ed Sheeran tour over pro-Palestine set appeared first on Linda Ikeji Blog.