Pink’s post to Ed Sheeran’s statement: A timeline of the Macklemore Controversy

Ed Sheeran has finally broken his silence on dropping Macklemore from his ongoing Loop Tour after a weeks-long controversy. On Tuesday, he wrote on Instagram that it was “important” to “set out some facts.” Under several bullet points, Ed Sheeran defended himself in a post that had its comment section closed.

“I am appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine. The suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy. There are too many wars across the world causing immeasurable pain, none of which should be tolerated,” he began.

The English singer-songwriter continued:

“Macklemore asked to join my tour last year and I agreed, because I respect him as an artist. As with all my support acts, I agree that they play a setlist of their choosing.”

Ed Sheeran claimed that after Macklemore opened for him at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on September 4 and 5 and engaged in pro-Palestine rhetoric, venues on his upcoming tour dates “communicated” that they would “pull the shows” if the American rapper was “still supporting.” The Perfect artist explained:

“I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said. I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge. One of those people was Robert Kraft. 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.”

Ed Sheeran asserted that the decision to drop Macklemore was taken by the promoter, Messina Touring Group, and not his own. He added that the Seattle-born opener’s contract for the tour was also with the said promoter and not him directly.

“I am not complicit. I have my personal views on this devastating 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. Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way,” Ed Sheeran noted.

Before Ed Sheeran’s clarification, Macklemore announced in a lengthy Instagram statement about his ban from the tour. U.S. born singer-songwriter Pink previously called out Macklemore, fuelling the controversy.

Exploring the timeline of the Macklemore and Ed Sheeran controversy

On September 4, Macklemore stood onstage at MetLife Stadium and said that a big part of why he wanted to be a part of Ed Sheeran's tour was so that he could stand in such big venues and say two words that were “near and dear to my heart.”

“‘Free Palestine!’ I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them,” he stated.

Macklemore then performed his song, Hind’s Hall, which references pro-Palestinian protests by Columbia University students who renamed Hamilton Hall to Hind’s Hall in honor of the 5-year-old Hind Rajab, the Palestinian girl killed in the Gaza Strip in February 2024.

During his speech, Macklemore further noted:

“Every single human being that walks this earth deserves to know safety and peace before they know the sound of violence, to know the sound of laughter on a playground before planes and bombs, for parents to be able to say bye to their kids in the morning and not have to wonder if this is going to be the last time they kiss their child goodbye.”

The following evening, he returned to the same venue and continued advocating for a Free Palestine. Macklemore said that the day he would stop speaking about the “fear” to keep the audience or his own “comfort” is the day he would no longer get up onstage.

“To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you. My message is for peace; love for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect and equality. So, I say free Palestine, I say free Lebanon, I say free Cuba, I say free Congo, free Sudan, free all people in America living in fear of… ICE. None of us will be free until we are all free,” he ended.

On September 6, Pink reposted nonprofit advocacy group StopAntisemitism’s post on her Instagram Story with a clip from Macklemore’s opening act, with the caption:

“Awful - Jewish fans bought tickets to see Ed Sheeran sing last night in NJ, not to be ambushed by Macklemore’s anti-Israel propaganda. Instead, Macklemore walked onstage in a keffiyeh, shouted ‘Free Palestine,’ accused Israel of a false ‘genocide,’ and turned a mainstream event into a political nightmare against the Jewish state.”

The post demanded “apologies and refunds” from Ed Sheeran on behalf of concertgoers and labeled Macklemore’s behavior as “unacceptable.”

Pink faced backlash but appeared to be unaffected by it. Instead, she shared back-to-back defiant posts on her Instagram Stories.

On September 7, the Israel-American Council began a petition to have Macklemore removed from the Loop Tour. The petition read:

“This was an Ed Sheeran concert—not a political rally, not a protest, and not an activist event. The issue is not whether Macklemore has the right to hold political views. The question is where the line should be drawn when an opening act uses a global concert platform to advance a one-sided political agenda. This becomes even more troubling when the message relies on selective imagery, biased messaging, and disputed claims presented to a massive audience as fact, without context or complexity.”

Four days later, Pink returned to social media to offer her views in a lengthy post. She wrote:

“Of course I don’t speak for Israel, or for any government. I never have. What I said in October 2023 is still exactly what I believe: Hamas is a terrorist organization. Palestinians deserve a future that honors their humanity and their aspirations. Protecting innocent life comes first, everywhere, and nobody should ever celebrate the death of a child. Anybody’s child.”

The UNICEF ambassador added she “grieved” every child on “both sides.” She claimed that in 2014, Macklemore wore an antisemitic costume at a concert, for which he later apologized, and Jews like herself “let it go.” But then, earlier this month, the Glorious rapper stood in front of “music-loving families” and showed “violent images from a war” on screens and “dedicated a song to the movement of his choice.”

“Then he took the mic to tell all of the Jews in the stadium that it wasn’t about them. You don’t get to decide that for us… I have never asked for another artist to be silenced and I’m not asking now. I don’t need anyone fired, and I don’t need a refund. What I need is to be able to say, as a Jewish mom, that scared me, and it scared people I love, without being told our fear is just propaganda, and without being told I’m somehow cool with genocide because I noticed?” Pink added.

Following Pink’s viral posts and the Israel-American Council’s petition, Rolling Stone confirmed that Macklemore was cut off from the remainder of Ed Sheeran’s tour. Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, also shared his side in a lengthy Instagram post.

“I’m going to speak from the heart and share the truth. Ed Sheeran and his team have made the decision to remove me from The Loop tour… I am not a victim. Ed Sheeran is not a victim. Pink is not a victim. We have careers, money, opportunities, safety and audiences around the world. Whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families. The victims are the Palestinian people.”

Macklemore continued by saying his goal behind sharing the “story” of Palestine was to ensure that the world doesn’t “lose sight” of their ongoing suffering. He also claimed that in the middle of all the media attention and Pink’s posts, Ed Sheeran informed him that billionaire Robert Kraft called him and said that the rapper would not be “allowed” to play at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on September 25 and 26. The venue is owned by Kraft Group.

“Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium. Ed also told me 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,” Macklemore claimed.

He explained that Ed Sheeran was in a “f****d-up position” because of his “typical apolitical stance” being “challenged” in a way like never before. Macklemore added:

“He told me that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with. I told him that if those words were more offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed… then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood. But he couldn’t get past his public-facing, ‘I don’t take sides.’ And I get why people don’t. Taking a side can cost you.”

Macklemore explained that despite losing out on money, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private concerts, relationships, access, and more, he couldn’t be neutral when it came to the oppressor and the oppressed. He explained that he has been advocating for Palestine across global venues for three years.

“The stage becomes resistance. Maybe that’s why this time it became so important to silence me,” the ‘Thrift Shop’ rapper wrote.

Macklemore explained that “Free Palestine” wasn’t anti-Jewish. Instead, it was a call for accountability from the Israeli government. He also hoped that this disagreement wasn’t the end of his 13-year friendship with Ed Sheeran.

“I didn’t need 10 shows from Ed. I needed 2. Two chances to stand in front of 90,000 people and say the words that somehow became too dangerous to say… But if those words cost me the stage, while turning the conversation back to Palestine, then it was the most successful tour I’ve ever been on,” Macklemore concluded.

Messina Touring Group also released a statement to Rolling Stone on the same day. It said:

“As the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran’s U.S. Loop Tour, we have been notified by venues on the upcoming U.S. tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans. After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.”

Robert Kraft also told Variety that the Gillette Stadium was not a platform for “hate speech” and “antisemitic rhetoric”, and allowing Macklemore at the venue would be crossing the line. The 85-year-old owner of the New England Patriots “agreed” with Macklemore about the “loss” of lives, adding:

“This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf. Their pain and loss are real. But that advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas… whose horrific actions have caused immeasurable suffering for Palestinians and Israelis alike.”

Robert Kraft also mentioned being open to discussing this further with Macklemore and awaiting Ed Sheeran's show at his venue, saying he was "proud" to have him there. The businessman concluded his statement:

“Over many decades, I have directed resources to Palestine and created athletic and entrepreneurial opportunities for Palestinians who I admire and respect. Standing with the Palestinian people and standing against Hamas, antisemitism and hate should not be mutually exclusive.”

On September 15, Ed Sheeran finally addressed the controversy. He wrote that he has always used his platform and music to unite people of all backgrounds and cultures and ensure they feel joy, love, escapism, and welcome. The Shape of You singer continued:

“I respect Macklemore’s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace. 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. If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change. There are different approaches to being an advocate for change.”

Ed Sheeran reiterated that he spent the week trying to “build bridges” and “find a solution,” but was, unfortunately, unable to do so.

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“I know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too,” the Grammy winner ended his statement.

Celebrities like Kehlani, Greta Thunberg, Javier Bardem, and Ms Rachel have offered their solidarity for Macklemore. Meanwhile, all supporting acts have quit the Loop Tour in support of the rapper.

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