American rapper Macklemore announced plans to launch his own concert tour supporting the Palestinian cause after being removed as the opening act for Ed Sheeran’s shows. The Free Palestine tour is scheduled to begin in October, starting in Dublin and continuing to Paris and London, with further dates in the United States and additional performers to be announced at a later time. Proceeds from the tour will be donated to organizations that support Palestinian communities.
Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, was dropped from eight remaining Ed Sheeran concerts earlier this month following his public statements expressing support for Palestinian liberation. At a September performance in New Jersey, he said a central motivation for the tour was to openly say “Free Palestine” to large audiences. He claimed that stadium owners hosting Sheeran’s shows objected to these remarks, which led to his removal from the lineup.
“Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work any more,” Macklemore said in an Instagram post on September 24. He urged artists to use their platforms for activism beyond entertainment and called attention to the attempts to silence pro-Palestinian voices. “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,” he added.
Ed Sheeran, one of the world’s best-selling musicians, said the decision to remove Macklemore came from tour organizers and not from him personally. Sheeran expressed regret over how the situation was handled and apologized during a performance in Philadelphia. He also criticized Israel’s treatment of residents in Gaza as “unjustifiable,” reflecting the wider controversy surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israeli officials have rejected allegations that their actions in Gaza constitute genocide, asserting that their military operations are acts of self-defense. Meanwhile, Macklemore has remained vocal in condemning Israel’s assault on Gaza and its occupation of the West Bank.
Macklemore suggested that recent events signal a broader shift in public consciousness regarding Palestinian rights and the growing influence of wealthy interests attempting to suppress certain political messages. His upcoming Free Palestine tour aims to amplify this shift by giving a platform to voices advocating for Palestinian liberation.