Rapper Macklemore pledged $1 million in his earnings to Palestinian relief organizations after being removed from Ed Sheeran’s tour following controversial pro-Palestinian comments at a New Jersey show. He challenged NFL owner Robert Kraft, who played a role in dropping him from the tour due to concerns over anti-Semitic rhetoric, to match his donation. Macklemore aimed to bring attention back to supporting Palestinians amid the controversy, while Kraft defended his decision by emphasizing his support for combating antisemitism and hate.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Why this leaning score
The model judged this article politically coded and scored it -0.35, but 1 quote(s) could not be found in the article and the other 1 are attributed speech rather than 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 14635: no verified evidence · logged 2026-09-17
Macklemore is donating $1 million of his earnings to Palestinian relief organizations following his removal from Ed Sheeran’s tour and he’s invited New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft to do the same.
asserted
he → donate → same
In an Instagram post Wednesday, Macklemore said he wanted to “bring the conversation back where it belongs.”
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it → say → conversation
He specified that the money was the entirety of his net earnings from Sheeran’s tour, and that it would go to six organizations working to support Palestinians.
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it → specify → Palestinians
“Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protection,” Macklemore wrote.
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Macklemore → disagree → this
The statement comes just two days after Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, announced he’d been dropped from Sheeran’s tour after venues threatened to cancel shows in response to Macklemore’s pro-Palestinian performance.
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venues → come → performance
Kraft was among those who said Macklemore would not be welcome at his Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, according to Macklemore and Sheeran.
uncertain
Macklemore → say → Macklemore
Macklemore further alleged Kraft “rallied” the other stadium owners to give Sheeran an ultimatum.
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Kraft → allege → ultimatum
Sheeran confirmed in a statement Tuesday that Kraft was among the venue representatives who’d reached out with concerns over Macklemore’s performance.
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who → confirm → performance
Kraft did not deny Macklemore’s allegations when he gave a statement to NBC News on the matter.
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he → deny → matter
In his statement Monday, Kraft said he was not trying to stifle Palestinian advocacy or diminish the suffering of Palestinians.
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he → say → Palestinians
The decision, he said, was reached after comments Macklemore made at the tour’s New Jersey shows and “a broader history of rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.”
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we → say → community
“Much of my time and attention for the last decade has been focused on the fight against antisemitism and hate of all kinds, and I feel a responsibility to stand up when I believe that line has been crossed,” Kraft said.
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Kraft → focus → responsibility
The NFL owner added that he agreed with Macklemore that there has been too much suffering, and noted that he has spent decades “directing resources” to Palestinians.
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he → add → Palestinians
“Standing with the Palestinian people and standing against Hamas, antisemitism and hate should not be mutually exclusive,” Kraft said.
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Kraft → stand → Hamas
The backlash began earlier this month when Macklemore joined Sheeran’s tour at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
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Macklemore → begin → Rutherford
Before performing “Hind’s Hall,” a protest anthem he released in 2024, he gave a speech to the crowd.
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he → perform → crowd
According to video posted by Macklemore, he told the crowd that part of why he wanted to be on the tour was to be able to be in stadiums to say “Free Palestine.”
uncertain
he → accord → Palestine
He also made clear that his criticism of Israel’s government was not directed at people of Jewish faith.
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criticism → make → faith
The clip drew controversy and criticism, including from fellow artist Pink, who is Jewish.
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who → draw → Pink
She put out a statement Friday explaining why she reposted a social media post critical of Macklemore’s performance.
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she → put → performance
Pink wrote she was not trying to get any artist fired or silence anyone, but that she took issue with Macklemore putting “violent images” of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza up in a stadium filled with families, then telling Jews in the audience that “it wasn’t about them.”
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it → write → them
Pink also referred a 2014 incident in which Macklemore wore a costume that appeared to play on antisemitic tropes: a wig, fake beard and hooked nose, worn to the Grammys that year.
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that → refer → Grammys
He said at the time he thought it would be fun to dress in disguise to talk to fans.
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it → say → fans
Macklemore apologized after the antisemitic stereotype was pointed out, saying he’d been in touch with the Anti-Defamation League, an organization founded to combat antisemitism.
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he → apologize → antisemitism
The ADL accepted the apology at the time, saying it took him “at his word that he did not have any ill intent,” according to the Guardian.
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he → accept → Guardian
The organizations Macklemore says he will donate to are: Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, HEAL Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, American Near East Refugee Aid (ANERA) and United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugee.
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he → say → Refugee
He wrote that the donations are the least costly forms of solidarity and that his focus will remain on Palestinian people.
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focus → write → people
Their right to freedom, dignity and safety is “what this has always been about,” Macklemore said.
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Macklemore → say → what
“When the news cycle moves on, which it will, don’t move with it,” he wrote.
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he → move → it
The Aporia
