Macklemore Announces Free Palestine Tour After Ed Sheeran Tour Removal

American rapper Macklemore has announced a new concert run titled the Free Palestine Tour, directly following his controversial dismissal from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour. The announcement arrived via social media on Thursday, September 24, 2026, setting up a three-city European trek in late October alongside commitments for future dates and additional artist collaborations.

Macklemore Defends Activism and Criticizes Billionaire Class Censorship

The rapper's removal from the Loop Tour followed performances on September 4 and September 5, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where he chanted "Free Palestine" and performed his 2024 protest song, "Hind’s Hall." Messina Touring Group subsequently dropped him from the remaining eight scheduled stadium dates after venues raised objections, with Macklemore alleging that New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft helped orchestrate the removal.

In his announcement, Macklemore reflected on the broader implications of his dismissal:

"If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years. There has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation, the power of billionaires that try to censor that call, and what we expect from artists right now. It’s 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore. People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it."

Macklemore, Rapper, via Instagram and subsequent news reports

Macklemore further stated that the dispute transcended his individual career:

"What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage. When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention."

Macklemore, Rapper, via Instagram and subsequent news reports

Ed Sheeran Addresses Backlash and Denies Direct Involvement

Ed Sheeran publicly denied responsibility for firing Macklemore, maintaining that the decision rested with the tour promoters and venue owners responding to safety and cancellation threats. Kraft confirmed he personally requested Macklemore's removal from Gillette Stadium and raised concerns elsewhere, though he denied leading a coordinated venue boycott. Both Sheeran and Kraft have pledged $2 million each toward humanitarian aid in Gaza.

The controversy rapidly rippled across the rest of the Loop Tour lineup. Opening acts Finneas, Lukas Graham, and Aaron Rowe, alongside Sheeran’s backing band Beoga, all withdrew from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore and Palestine.

Returning to the stage on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Sheeran delivered an emotional speech to an audience of 50,000 fans, reading from an autocue:

"This has put me in the middle of an important, passionate argument about freedom of speech on the most complex issue on the planet. My music has always been a safe space for everyone. That matters hugely to me. Honoring my commitment to my fans is also completely essential to who I am. That is why I’m here tonight — on my own — continuing my own tour."

Ed Sheeran, Singer, via Philadelphia concert statement

Sheeran elaborated on his stance regarding the conflict during the same address:

"What happened in Israel and at the Nova Music Festival on Oct. 7 was horrific and compounded centuries of Jewish pain. What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable, and disproportionate."

Ed Sheeran, Singer, via Philadelphia concert statement

As ticket presales for the Dublin, Paris, and London dates open on Monday, September 28, 2026, organizers and fans await further announcements regarding participating guest artists, specific beneficiary organizations, and the timing of the promised United States legs.