He is the self-made star whose love songs have been the soundtrack to countless weddings – and whose rise from the pubs of Suffolk to the biggest stadiums has made him an international legend.
asserted
him → make → stadiums
But now the Daily Mail can reveal that the normally mild-mannered Ed Sheeran is ‘absolutely furious’ after being dragged into the most bitter controversy of his career – and even believes he has been ‘thrown under a bus’ by people he considered friends.
asserted
he → reveal → people
Sheeran, 35, has been plunged into a furious row after his friend of 13 years, American rapper Macklemore, used his coveted slot as a support act on Sheeran’s US stadium tour to deliver pro-Palestinian speeches, display images from war-torn Gaza and don the keffiyeh scarf during a performance of his track Hind’s Hall.
asserted
friend → plunge → track
When prominent Jewish groups objected and venue owners threatened to cancel concerts unless Macklemore was removed from the bill, Sheeran spent a week trying to broker a compromise.
asserted
Sheeran → object → compromise
His efforts failed and the rapper was dropped by the tour’s promoter – a decision Sheeran insists he had nothing to do with.
asserted
he → fail → nothing
Now insiders have told the Daily Mail the episode has left Sheeran ‘seriously upset’, not least because he has always been careful to keep his own politics private.
asserted
he → tell → politics
‘This felt very unfair on Ed and he’s understandably pretty hurt and angry that this has now begun to overshadow the tour,’ one source said.
asserted
source → feel → tour
‘Even though Ed is a very mild-mannered guy he will speak his mind when he has to.
asserted
he → speak → mind
He’ll be absolutely furious at being put in this situation,’ they added.
asserted
they → put → situation
‘He’s been thrown under a bus by several people he considers friends.’
asserted
he → throw → people
The extraordinary chain of events began at the 82,500-seat MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4, where Macklemore was opening for Sheeran on his Loop Tour.
asserted
Macklemore → begin → Tour
The 43-year-old rapper, real name Benjamin Haggerty, whose hits include Thrift Shop and Same Love, has made his support for Palestine over Israel central to his public identity in recent years.
asserted
support → include → years
Sheeran, 35, has been plunged into a furious row after his friend of 13 years, American rapper Macklemore, delivered pro-Palestinian speeches
Before performing his protest song Hind’s Hall, he told the crowd: ‘A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour 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.’
uncertain
that → plunge → heart
During a concert the following night, Macklemore addressed Jewish fans, saying: ‘Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid [sic], being against genocide, is in no way a criticism of you.’
asserted
Criticism → address → you
His speeches provoked an immediate backlash.
asserted
speeches → provoke → backlash
StopAntisemitism accused the rapper of ‘ambushing’ Sheeran’s audience, while the Israeli-American Council launched a petition demanding his removal.
asserted
Council → accuse → removal
Pink, the US singer who is Jewish, also intervened, saying: ‘You don’t have to agree with [a single] thing Israel’s government does to not want the Jewish family two rows down from you to be scared.’
But perhaps the most consequential intervention came from Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots American football team, who refused to allow Macklemore to appear at his 66,000-seat Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.
asserted
Macklemore → intervene → Massachusetts
Kraft cited the rapper’s comments and a ‘broader history of anti-Semitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community’.
asserted
we → cite → community
When Kraft, 85, married ophthalmologist Dana Blumberg in New York in 2022, the singer performed Perfect for their first dance and later described the businessman as ‘super sweet’.
asserted
singer → marry → businessman
Tour promoter Messina Touring Group subsequently confirmed venues had warned ‘they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the line-up, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact thousands of fans’.
asserted
which → confirm → fans
Macklemore alleged that Kraft had telephoned Sheeran telling him he wouldn’t allow the rapper to play at his stadium, and 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.’
asserted
you → allege → venues
Macklemore said his conversations with Sheeran had been ‘rooted in love and respect’ but ended in ‘fundamental disagreement’.
asserted
conversations → say → disagreement
While acknowledging that Sheeran had been put in a difficult position, he added: ‘Taking a side can cost you.
asserted
Taking → acknowledge → you
I’ve lost all of those things.
asserted
I → lose → things
The crisis appears dangerous for an artist whose commercial success has been founded upon an approachable image
Ed Sheeran has reportedly lost more than 200,000 Instagram followers since the row first erupted
On Tuesday, Sheeran broke his silence in a statement to his 47 million Instagram followers.
uncertain
Sheeran → appear → followers
‘Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,’ he said.
asserted
he → come → tour
‘I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work.’
asserted
who → let → work
The singer said he was ‘appalled’ by the conflict and added: ‘I am not complicit.
asserted
I → say → conflict
I have my personal views on this devastating conflict.
asserted
I → have → conflict
Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care.’
asserted
I → choose → them
Explaining his refusal to turn his concerts into political rallies, he said his audience included children and people from all backgrounds who did not arrive expecting ‘a political forum’.
asserted
who → explain → forum
‘I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes,’ he added.
asserted
he → respect → what
I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed.’
asserted
I → choose → conversations
Yet his words did little to calm the storm.
asserted
words → do → storm
Within hours, the remaining artists on the tour began abandoning it in ‘solidarity’ with Macklemore – who in 2014 was forced to apologise for wearing a costume of a hooked nose and black beard at a concert in Seattle, which critics said was an anti-Semitic caricature.
asserted
critics → remain → Seattle
Finneas, the Grammy-winning musician and brother and long-time collaborator of Billie Eilish, withdrew from six forthcoming South American dates.
asserted
Finneas → win → dates
Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, who had been booked for all ten remaining North American concerts, followed, despite saying Sheeran was a friend who had ‘changed my life.’
asserted
who → book → life
Danish band Lukas Graham, best known for the global hit 7 Years, also pulled out, declaring: ‘Nobody’s bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we’re allowed to acknowledge.’
asserted
we → know → suffering
Perhaps most painfully, Sheeran’s long-time friends in the Irish folk group Beoga withdrew too.
asserted
friends → withdraw → group
The band helped create the distinctive sound of his hit Galway Girl and had been performing with him at every concert.
asserted
band → help → concert
…and 8 more, not listed.
The Aporia
