Macklemore claimed Monday that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft pressured Ed Sheeran to remove him from the British singer’s U.S. tour following the rapper’s pro-Palestinian remarks during recent performances.
In a lengthy statement posted on X, Macklemore alleged that Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium through the Kraft Group, contacted Sheeran and told him Macklemore would not be permitted to perform at the venue. Macklemore also claimed Kraft had enlisted other stadium owners to pressure Sheeran into dropping him from the tour.
“Ed told me Robert Kraft called him,” Macklemore wrote. “We were scheduled to play Gillette Stadium later this month, which is owned by the Kraft group. Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium.”
“Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues,” he added.
Macklemore, 43, had been serving as an opening act for Sheeran and was scheduled to perform at eight more shows on the U.S. leg of the Loop Tour.
His removal followed controversy over a performance in New Jersey in which the rapper voiced support for Palestinians and performed wearing a keffiyeh, the traditional Arab scarf that has become a prominent symbol of Palestinian identity and solidarity.
“I wanted to stand up here on stages across America and say two words that are near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” Macklemore told the crowd.
Within days, Macklemore was dropped from the remaining shows. Sheeran’s U.S. tour promoter, Messina Touring Group, said venues hosting upcoming concerts had informed organizers they would not allow the shows to proceed with Macklemore on the bill, potentially jeopardizing the tour and affecting hundreds of thousands of fans.
Robert Kraft
(Photo: Reuters)
Macklemore portrayed his removal as an attempt to silence his criticism of Israel, arguing that his appearances alongside one of the world’s biggest recording artists had made his political statements more consequential.
“What I said at MetLife I have been saying on stages around the world for almost three years. So why is it an issue now?” Macklemore wrote. “Because now I’m sharing the stage with one of the biggest artists in the world.”
“If I kept doing the shows, saying Free Palestine, with Ed implicitly supporting it, the crowd getting loud and showing undeniable support for Palestinian liberation, what artists might speak out next?” he added.
Macklemore said Sheeran did not take a position in their discussions. According to Macklemore’s account, Sheeran said Kraft had placed him in a difficult position and told him that the rapper’s remarks about Palestinians could be “hurtful to a lot of people.”
Macklemore also accused Kraft and other stadium owners of “weaponizing the accusation of antisemitism.”
While acknowledging that “antisemitism is real,” Macklemore argued that accusations of antisemitism are used too often as a “shield against criticism of the Israeli state.”
“It doesn’t protect Jewish people. It protects Israel from accountability,” he said.
Kraft, who is Jewish, has for years been a prominent advocate against antisemitism. The billionaire businessman and Patriots owner has donated millions of dollars to Jewish causes and established initiatives aimed at combating antisemitism, including the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism.
Kraft has also been an outspoken supporter of Israel since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel and the war that followed. He withdrew his support for Columbia University, his alma mater, in 2024 amid pro-Palestinian demonstrations and what he described as concerns about the treatment and safety of Jewish students on campus.
The claims about Kraft’s role in Macklemore’s removal were made by the rapper, and the account provided did not include a response from Kraft, Sheeran or the Kraft Group.