Rapper Macklemore announces 'Free Palestine' tour after Ed Sheeran fallout

U.S. rapper Macklemore has announced a "Free Palestine" tour, with initial dates set for Dublin, Paris, and London in October, and upcoming performances in the United States. The tour is intended to raise funds for humanitarian aid organizations supporting Palestinians, following the artist's recent removal from Ed Sheeran's "Loop Tour" over his pro-Palestine remarks. Macklemore has also pledged to donate his $1 million earnings from the cancelled Sheeran tour dates to Palestinian aid groups.

The controversy began on September 4, 2026, when Macklemore used his opening slots for Ed Sheeran in New Jersey to express solidarity with Palestinians, stating "Free Palestine" and performing his song "Hind's Hall." Following these statements, venue owners, notably Robert Kraft, reportedly pressured Sheeran's tour promoter to remove Macklemore, threatening to cancel shows if the rapper remained on the lineup.

Ed Sheeran later clarified that the decision to drop Macklemore was made by the tour's promoter and venues, not by him, emphasizing his desire to maintain an apolitical stance. In a show of solidarity with Macklemore, all other supporting acts on Sheeran's tour subsequently withdrew. Macklemore, a long-time advocate for Palestinian rights, remarked that his removal demonstrated how "the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage."