Macklemore, the American rapper known as Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, faced backlash during Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour when he mentioned Gaza and the West Bank from the stage in New Jersey last week. Following his removal from the tour, Macklemore received support from various artists including Kneecap, who expressed solidarity with a post stating “Free Palestine” on social media. Other supporters like Paloma Faith and Garbage condemned Sheeran’s decision, calling it unjust. Macklemore emphasized that advocating for equal treatment of all humans should not be controversial, highlighting the ongoing plight in Gaza where over 20,000 children have been killed since 2008.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-16,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Rapper Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran's US tour after making pro-Palestinian comments during concerts in New Jersey, including chanting "Free Palestine" and accusing Israel of apartheid. The decision came after venues threatened to cancel shows if Macklemore remained on the tour. In a post on Instagram, Macklemore said that Ed Sheeran's team had decided to remove him due to pressure from stadium owners like billionaire Robert Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. Kraft claimed the rapper's recent performances and history of rhetoric were hurtful to the Jewish community. The controversy highlights tensions between pro-Palestinian advocacy and concerns over perceived antisemitism in public discourse. Macklemore defended his stance, emphasizing that Palestinian people are the real victims of conflict. The replacement for Macklemore on Sheeran’s tour is yet to be announced.
Written for “Macklemore Dropped From Tour” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 25 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.65, but all 3 of its quote(s) are attributed speech - words the article quotes from someone, not the article's own narration, so the score is not published.
Written under an earlier scoring contract, which gave a paragraph
rather than checkable quotes. Re-analysing this article replaces it.
Leaning score withheld for article 10735: attributed speech only · logged 2026-09-16
The American rapper, real name Benjamin Hammond Haggerty, had been supporting Sheeran, 35, on the US leg of his Loop Tour.
asserted
rapper → support → Tour
During a show at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey last week, Macklemore, 43, said that he wanted people in Gaza and the West Bank to know they had not been forgotten, which led to a petition demanding he be removed from the remaining dates.
asserted
he → say → dates
Since announcing he had been fired, the rapper has received support from fellow musicians, including Irish rap trio Kneecap.
asserted
rapper → announce → Kneecap
Commenting on his post, they wrote: “Free Palestine.
asserted
they → comment → Palestine
They can never silence the truth.”
asserted
They → silence → truth
They posted a photo with the rapper, which they captioned: “All love and solidarity to @macklemore.
asserted
they → post → @macklemore
Paloma Faith said: “You are a rare and important voice … thank you for existing….
asserted
You → say → you
Reposting a comment Macklemore referenced in his post, Bob Vylan commented: “There is no thanks for a duty.”
asserted
Vylan → reposte → duty
Posting a lengthy statement, American rock band Garbage said Macklemore being dumped from the tour was “sheer madness”.
asserted
dumped → post → tour
Can I remind everyone that nothing Macklemore actually said was violent or hateful or remotely radical,” they wrote.
asserted
they → remind → everyone
“Those who exile, silence and censor others are never the good guys.
asserted
who → exile → others
No matter what you tell yourself.
asserted
you → tell → yourself
Just because you ignore the truth doesn’t make the truth go away or make it any less potent.
asserted
it → ignore → truth
American singer Kehlani wrote: “A LOT of the venues / owners are rallied together this way.
asserted
LOT → write → owners
Australian singer Tones and I – real name Toni Watson – also said: “Love you Ben!
asserted
Tones → say → you
Greta Thunberg added: “Full solidarity and free Palestine.
asserted
Thunberg → add → solidarity
Artists’ very active silence in the face of injustice and genocide will not be forgotten.”
asserted
silence → forget → injustice
After posting a video of himself on stage during the concert, Macklemore said on social media that “wanting all humans to be treated equal should never be controversial”.
asserted
humans → post → media
In the post announcing he had been let go from the tour, Macklemore also said he was not a “victim”.
asserted
he → announce → tour
He wrote: “The victims are the Palestinian people.
asserted
victims → write → ?
The men, women and children who have been killed, starved, displaced and forced to live through unimaginable violence.
asserted
who → kill → violence
“More than 20,000 children have been killed in Gaza alone.
asserted
children → kill → Gaza
People are being killed today, and people will be killed tomorrow.
asserted
people → kill → ?
I want to make sure that as I tell this story, we don’t lose sight of that.”
asserted
we → want → that
Earlier this year Macklemore was also among more than 1,100 artists, musicians and cultural workers who called for a boycott of the Eurovision Song Contest over the inclusion of Israel.
asserted
who → call → Israel
The letter, co-ordinated by campaign group No Music For Genocide, was also signed by artists including Kneecap, Faith and Massive Attack.
asserted
letter → co → Kneecap
The Aporia
