Robert Kraft, the Jewish owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, said he blocked rapper Macklemore from appearing as an opening act at Ed Sheeran’s concerts at the stadium on September 25 and 26. In a statement to ESPN, Kraft said the decision was made following Macklemore’s remarks at previous shows and what he described as a “history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” Macklemore will no longer perform with Ed Sheeran's tour.
“The stadium has a longstanding commitment to providing a welcoming environment for all guests and ensuring that events held there are not used as a platform for hate speech,” Kraft said. He added that Macklemore’s participation would have crossed that line and harmed the Jewish community.
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Robert Kraft: Stadium will not be 'used as a platform for hate speech'
(Photo: Charlie Riedel/AP)
The decision follows the rapper’s performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5. During those shows, he voiced support for Palestinians and performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall,” in which he described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide.” Macklemore stressed onstage that his remarks were not directed against Jews: “To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters, criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid and opposition to genocide are in no way criticism of you. This is a message of peace and love, and of treating all human beings with dignity and equality.”
In a post on social media, Macklemore said Sheeran informed him of Kraft’s decision. According to Macklemore, the singer also told him that Kraft had worked to persuade other stadium owners to take similar action, leading to his removal from the entire tour. Production company Messina confirmed in a statement to Rolling Stone that it had received notices from venues saying they would not allow shows featuring the rapper, a situation that would have led to the cancellation of the tour and affected hundreds of thousands of fans.
Macklemore stressed onstage that his remarks were not directed against Jews
(Photo: Andy Kropa/Invision/AP)
Kraft said his decision was not intended to diminish the suffering of innocent Palestinians or deny anyone the right to advocate on their behalf. However, he argued that presenting partial information and ignoring Hamas’ responsibility deepen hatred and division. “Standing with the Palestinian people and standing against Hamas, antisemitism and hate should not be mutually exclusive,” he said.
Kraft also invited Macklemore to speak with him: “I would be happy to sit down with him and discuss the facts, because ultimately our goal is the same — peace for all people, an end to suffering and an end to all hatred.”