Macklemore performed at MetLife Stadium on September 4 and again the following night, during Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour concerts. At both performances, he wore a keffiyeh and called for "free Palestine," referencing the conflict there and supporting protesters from Columbia University. Concert promoters had assured NFL team owners, including Robert Kraft of the New England Patriots and Jeffrey Lurie of the Philadelphia Eagles, that Macklemore would not repeat his political statements. However, after seeing his continued activism during the second show, some owners threatened to cancel Sheeran’s remaining tour dates if Macklemore wasn’t removed from the lineup.
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).
Concert promoters for Sheeran’s “Loop Tour” told several team owners that the “Thrift Store” artist wouldn’t continue using his set for his anti-Israel rants following his outburst in New Jersey on Sept. 4, the Wall Street Journal reported.
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Journal → tell → Sept.
The team owners, who had booked Sheeran for a night of entertainment at their own stadiums, warned the promoters that the tour would be barred from its scheduled dates if Macklemore didn’t clean up his act, as they didn’t want to host a political rally with hate speech, according to the outlet
Some of the owners named were New England Patriots’ Robert Kraft, Carolina Panthers’ David Tepper, the Atlanta Falcons’ Arthur Blank, and Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie.
uncertain
Some → book → owners
In his first show at MetLife on Sept. 4, Macklemore, clad in a black-and-white keffiyeh, called for “free Palestine” as he focused on the war and for “every single human being” to have freedom.
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being → clothe → freedom
“To know safety and peace before they know the sound of violence.
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they → know → violence
For parents to be able to say bye to their parents in the morning and not have to wonder if this is going to be the last time that they kiss their child goodbye,” he said.
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he → say → child
So I say Free Palestine.
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I → say → Palestine
I say Free Lebanon, I say Free Cuba, I say Free Congo, Free Sudan, free all people in America living in fear over this terrorist organization ICE.
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I → say → organization
When he took the stage the next night, the rapper victimized the woke Ivy League students who had besieged their Manhattan campus for two weeks in the Spring of 2024.
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who → take → 2024
I want those words to be clear so that people from Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten them.
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we → want → them
This next song was inspired by the bravery of the Columbia University students, who led an encampment movement that mobilized the entire world, opening up hearts — myself included,” he said.
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he → inspire → hearts
The 43-year-old, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, also performed his track “Hind’s Hall,” a reference to the pro-Palestine protests at the Columbia University campus, as images from Gaza were displayed on the screen behind him.
“I wanted to stand up here on stages across America and say two words that are near and dear to my heart: Free Palestine,” the Grammy-winning rapper said as he wore a keffiyeh draped over his shoulders.
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he → perform → shoulders
The owners allegedly hounded Messina Touring Group, which is promoting the US leg of Sheeran’s Loop Tour, to pull Macklemore from the remainder of the shows or face Sheeran’s concerts being canceled, the outlet reported.
uncertain
outlet → hound → shows
Some of the owners named were Carolina Panthers’ David Tepper, the Atlanta Falcons’ Arthur Blank, and Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie.
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Some → name → owners
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Report → start → news
Other venues that threatened to cancel shows were Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., Rolling Stone magazine previously reported.
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magazine → threaten → Tampa
New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft led the calls for removing the rapper, talking to Sheeran, with whom he shares a personal relationship.
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he → lead → relationship
The 85-year-old told the English pop star during a 40-minute phone call that he wouldn’t host Macklemore at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., the Wall Street Journal reported.
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Journal → tell → Foxborough
Kraft told the singer that Macklemore’s rhetoric was hate speech and not freedom of speech and didn’t discuss the main issue with the conflict in the Middle East – Hamas.
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rhetoric → tell → East
The US-designated Iranian-backed terrorist group has governed Gaza since 2007 and launched the deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel that killed over 1,200 people, with hundreds of others taken hostage in the Gaza Strip.
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hundreds → designate → Strip
“This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf.
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decision → diminish → behalf
Their pain and loss are real,” Kraft said in a statement.
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Kraft → say → statement
“But that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas, a United States and globally … designated terrorist organization whose horrific actions have caused immeasurable suffering for Palestinians and Israelis alike.”
All other openers for Sheeran; Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga; dropped themselves from the tour in solidarity with the problematic rapper.
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openers → come → rapper
Sheeran, who has kept quiet about his personal beliefs, supported Macklemore, pinning the blame on the promoters and stadium owners and not himself.
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who → keep → promoters
“Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me,” he wrote on Instagram Tuesday.
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he → write → Instagram
“I was also involved in direct talks with promoters along with activists on both sides to try and find a mutual resolution for all, but the venue’s and promoter’s decision was final,” Sheeran wrote.
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Sheeran → involve → all
“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 and to make a living,” he said.
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he → let → living
The rapper had accused the billionaire of being the reason he was booted from the tour.
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he → accuse → tour
Kraft announced he would donate $2 million to Palestinian relief efforts alongside Sheeran’s own Both follow Macklemore’s announcement to give $1 million of his tour earnings.
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Both → announce → earnings
Sheeran is still scheduled to perform at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday before journeying up to Gillette Stadium for two nights on Sept. 25 and 26.
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Sheeran → schedule → Sept.
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