Macklemore begins Free Palestine tour in Dublin after Ed Sheeran fallout
According to BBC Entertainment and Arts reporting, rapper Macklemore has begun his Free Palestine tour at Dublin's 3Arena following his removal from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour. Macklemore pledged to donate tour proceeds to Palestinian support organisations. The tour launch follows controversy over pro-Palestinian remarks made by Macklemore during concerts, which led to his departure from Sheeran's tour after promoter decisions and criticism from Jewish groups. Sheeran later stated that the promoter made the removal decision and addressed his own handling of the controversy.
Key points
- Macklemore started his Free Palestine tour in Dublin at the 3Arena following his removal from Ed Sheeran's tour.
- The rapper pledged to donate all tour proceeds to organisations supporting Palestinians.
- Acts on the Dublin bill included Hozier, Kneecap, and Beoga.
- Ed Sheeran stated that concert promoter Messina Touring Group made the decision to drop Macklemore.
What Happened
Rapper Macklemore has begun his Free Palestine tour in Dublin, playing to a sell-out crowd at the 3Arena following his departure from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour last month. BBC Entertainment and Arts reports that the American artist promised surprise guests and drew crowds wearing Palestinian jerseys and keffiyeh scarves.
Among the supporting acts performing at the Dublin show were singer-songwriter Hozier, rap trio Kneecap, and folk band Beoga.
Reaction and Background
The tour launch follows Macklemore being dropped from Sheeran's tour after making pro-Palestinian comments onstage, including referring to the death toll from Israel's military action in Gaza as a genocide. The remarks drew criticism from Jewish groups, while billionaire stadium owner Robert Kraft accused Macklemore of hate speech and antisemitic rhetoric.
Sheeran subsequently stated that the decision to drop Macklemore was made by his promoter rather than himself. Sheeran later addressed the controversy in Philadelphia, calling the conflict a humanitarian issue and describing the situation in Gaza as unjustifiable and disproportionate while calling the 7 October 2023 attacks horrific.
What Comes Next
BBC Entertainment and Arts reports that Macklemore is scheduled to perform in Paris on Thursday and in London on Friday as part of his ongoing tour.
Why it matters
Macklemore launched his Free Palestine tour in Dublin, pledging to donate proceeds to Palestinian support organisations following his departure from Ed Sheeran's tour.
What we know
- Macklemore began his Free Palestine tour in Dublin at the 3Arena.
- Macklemore pledged to donate tour proceeds to organisations supporting Palestinians.
- Ed Sheeran stated that his promoter made the decision to drop Macklemore from the Loop Tour.
What remains unclear
- Whether all subsequent tour dates will sell out or proceed without further controversy remains to be seen.
