Following pro-Palestinian comments he made while on stage, Macklemore has since dropped from the US leg of the Ed Sheeran Loop tour.
The outspoken rap artist (born Benjamin Haggerty,) has since been criticized by Jewish groups after making pro-Palestine political speeches ahead of his set, including “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so that I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very, very dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” subsequent to which he performed his song ‘Hind’s Hall,’ that condemns Israel’s military action in Gaza, along with video footage of the devastation shown on the big screen.
Following the immediate backlash, the 43-year old musician returned to the same stage the following day and directly addressed his “Jewish brothers and sisters” in the audience, saying “Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide, is in no way a criticism of you,” adding that he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know they had not been forgotten.
Confirming that he’d been cut from the Sheeran tour, and writing in a statement that the real victims are the Palestinian people in Gaza, in a protracted Instagram post, the artist shared that after a week of “difficult conversations” with Sheeran, he had been dropped from the lineup.
In an interview with Rolling Stone magazine, the tour promoter Messina Touring Group confirmed that several venues had indicated they would not allow Macklemore to perform, “which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans”.
In a formal statement, Macklemore noted that he empathized with the difficult position Sheeran was in, but criticized the English singer for not taking a stance, adding “Taking a side can cost you. Money, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, relationships and access. I’ve lost all of those things. But there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed,”
At press time, Ed Sheeran had yet to comment on the matter, nor has a replacement for Macklemore been announced.
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Author: Saul Goode
Photo: © Markus Felix | PushingPixels (contact me)