Readers Say
Macklemore was scheduled to perform with Ed Sheeran at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 25 and 26, but was removed from the tour after Robert Kraft objected to his appearance.
Ed Sheeran broke his silence on the controversy surrounding Macklemore’s removal from his tour, offering a new account of who made the decision that has sparked strong reactions among Boston.com readers — and revealing that he tried to keep the rapper on the lineup.
In a statement posted to Instagram Tuesday, Sheeran said Macklemore’s removal from his tour came from the tour’s venues and promoter, not from him.
“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,” Sheeran wrote on Instagram, adding that “Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.”
Sheeran said he spent the week trying to broker a compromise with venues operators, promoters, and advocates, including Robert Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium, where Macklemore was scheduled to perform with Sheeran on Sept. 25 and 26.
Sheeran added that he does not speak publicly about the war by design, describing his shows as a space meant for “unity, joy, escapism, love, and a place for everyone to feel welcome.” He said he respects Macklemore’s decision to speak out, even though it isn’t the approach he takes himself.
“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,” Sheeran wrote.
Sheeran’s account adds a new dimension to the dispute that had previously been shaped by statements from Macklemore and Kraft. In a Monday social media post, Macklemore said Sheeran told him that Kraft pressed other stadium owners with an ultimatum: “If Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.”
The controversy began earlier this month, when, during two performances at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 4 and 5, Macklemore called for a “Free Palestine” and performed his song “Hind’s Hall,” which addresses the war in Gaza and includes footage of the war and of campus protests. During the second performance, Macklemore told Jewish audience members directly that his criticism of Israel’s government was not aimed at them personally.
“To all 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,’ he said.
Jewish advocacy organizations, including the Anti-Defamation League and StopAntisemitism, objected to the performance, and the Israeli-American Council circulated a petition asking Sheeran to remove Macklemore from the rest of the tour.
Kraft, whose company, The Kraft Group, owns Gillette Stadium, confirmed that he told Sheeran’s team that Macklemore would not be allowed to perform there.
In a statement, Kraft said the decision reflected both the MetLife performance and what he described as “a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery” from Macklemore that he considers “deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.” Kraft added that supporting Palestinians and opposing Hamas are not mutually exclusive positions, and said he’d welcome a direct conversation with Macklemore.
“I agree with Macklemore,” Kraft said. “Too many lives have been lost and there has been too much suffering, but only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas is not honest and only advances more divisiveness and hate.”
In Macklemore’s post, he said he didn’t regret speaking out even though it cost him the remaining shows.
“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,” he wrote.
Before Sheeran’s statement was released, we asked readers what they thought of the decision to remove Macklemore from the tour. Of 461 people who responded, 59% said it was the right call to drop Macklemore from Sheeran’s tour. Another 34% said he should have stayed on the tour, while a small remainder said they either needed more information or didn’t have an opinion either way.
Was Ed Sheeran right to drop Macklemore from his tour?
Yes, Ed Sheeran made the right call
Yes, Ed Sheeran made the right call: 59% of votes, 271 votes
No, Macklemore should have stayed on the tour
No, Macklemore should have stayed on the tour: 34% of votes, 156 votes
I need to know more about what happened
I need to know more about what happened: 2% of votes, 10 votes
I don’t have an opinion
I don’t have an opinion: 4% of votes, 17 votes
Other
Other: 2% of votes, 7 votes
Among those who backed the decision to drop Macklemore, many readers argued that concerts aren’t the place for political messaging, regardless of the cause, and that Sheeran’s team had little choice once multiple venues balked.
“Keep politics out of concerts. Period,” said reader Matt of Winthrop.
Readers who said Macklemore should have been allowed to continue performing framed the issue as one of free expression, arguing that Macklemore was well within his rights to speak out and that a small number of powerful venue owners shouldn’t be able to determine whose views get a platform.
“We are a country that protects and promotes free speech. Billionaires shouldn’t have the power to impede ordinary Americans’ freedom of expression,” Henry of Boston said.
Below, find more of what readers had to say.
Responses have been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.
Was it right to drop Macklemore from Sheeran’s tour?
Yes, it was the right call
“Leave politics out of entertainment. That is not what I pay for when I buy a ticket.” — Kathleen J., Plainville
“Regardless of Ed Sheeran’s beliefs on this matter, it’s about business and he would be asked about this at every stop of his tour.” — Mike R., Central Massachusetts
“Ed Sheeran is a genuinely nice person. His energy is positive, he is engaging, and his songs are meaningful. No politics … No positions. To include Macklemore and his political videos denigrates who Sheeran is. I respect Sheeran even more.” — Mike, Manchester-by-the-Sea
“No one wants to hear any celebrities’ opinions on politics.” — Dan, Winchester
“Complex political/cultural issues are not black and white.” — Nellie, Brookline
“War isn’t the answer but neither is alienating a significant portion of fans by choosing one side or another. Sheeran (and Macklemore) are musical artists and fans adore them for their music, not their geopolitical prowess.” — Bryan, Winthrop
No, Macklemore should have stayed on the tour
“Everyone has a right to free speech, and he was expressing his feelings. People in positions of power should not yield to censor others. Macklemore addressed his Jewish brothers and sisters and said his criticism of Israel was not a criticism of them. His remarks are focused on the politicians of Israel.” — Danita B., Belmont
“Macklemore exercised his First Amendment rights and his statement was a hard truth. Unfortunately, Sheeran was put in an impossible situation. If he kept Macklemore on the tour, several dates would have been canceled and everyone on the tour would have been negatively impacted. Kraft overstepped his bounds and should have had an open dialogue with Macklemore without the cancellation threats.” — Bob H., Melrose
“I voted this way to support the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States that guarantees our increasingly endangered right to freedom of speech and expression. We don’t have to agree with or like what Macklemore said, but we must respect his right to say it.” — Adam B., Salem
“We cannot have billionaires dictating who gets free speech and using their power to suppress voices.” — Tracy, Belmont
“How is this OK? How does Kraft have the power to control what we hear? People could have made that choice to not attend.” — N.S.P., Newton
Boston.com occasionally interacts with readers by conducting informal polls and surveys. These results should be read as an unscientific gauge of readers’ opinion.
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