American rapper Macklemore has confirmed that he was removed as an opening act from Ed Sheeran’s US stadium tour following pro-Palestinian remarks he made during a September 5 performance at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium. He said multiple US venues informed tour promoter Messina Touring Group that they would not allow him to perform.

Macklemore argued that his removal was linked to the scale of the platform he was given alongside one of the world’s biggest artists. While he has advocated for Palestinian rights for years, he said the phrase “Free Palestine” became a greater perceived risk because he was performing in major American stadiums. He stressed that he holds no animosity toward Sheeran.

Despite losing the tour slot, Macklemore remained defiant about his position, saying that if speaking about Palestine cost him the stage, it was still “the most successful tour” he had ever been on. During the MetLife Stadium performance, he introduced his protest song “Hind’s Hall” and emphasised that criticism of Israel and opposition to what he described as apartheid and genocide should not be viewed as criticism of Jewish people.

Macklemore has been an outspoken supporter of Palestinian rights, releasing “Hind’s Hall” in 2024 in response to the war in Gaza and the killing of Palestinian child Hind Rajab. His removal from Sheeran’s tour comes amid continued international controversy and debate over the Gaza war, with the conflict having resulted in tens of thousands of Palestinian deaths.