British pop star Ed Sheeran has lost all the musicians booked to open his upcoming concerts after rapper Macklemore was dropped from the lineup over pro-Palestine remarks. Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Beoga and Lukas Graham have all pulled out in protest. The dispute erupted after Macklemore, whose real name is Ben Haggerty, joined Sheeran’s Loop tour at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey earlier this month.
He told the crowd “Free Palestine” before performing Hind’s Hall, his protest song about the war in Gaza, and later said he had been pulled from the remaining dates after some venues objected to his participation. Finneas announced on Tuesday that he was pulling out of his scheduled appearances, saying he stood “with Palestine and its people.” Irish singer Aaron Rowe followed suit, saying he could not stay on tour while wealthy people silenced artists who spoke out about Gaza. “Ed became a friend to me and changed my life, I can’t thank him enough for that,” he wrote, before condemning the killing of civilians.
Irish band Beoga and Danish group Lukas Graham also pulled out. “Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation,” Lukas Graham said. Macklemore has accused 85-year-old Jewish billionaire and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft of helping to force him off the tour. He says Sheeran told him Kraft wouldn’t let him perform at Gillette Stadium and rallied other venue owners behind an ultimatum threatening future shows if the rapper remained on the lineup.
Sheeran said Tuesday that firing Macklemore was not his decision and that he had spent a week trying to reach an agreement with the venue’s owners, including Kraft. “I spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, it didn’t work out,” he said. Kraft confirmed that Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium, citing his “recent actions” and what he called his “broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.”
He has denied efforts to silence support for the Palestinians. Macklemore has denied accusations that his advocacy targets Jews. In MetLife, he said criticizing Israel and opposing what he calls genocide “is in no way a criticism of you,” describing his message as one of “peace” and equal treatment. The war in Gaza began with an October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and saw 251 captured.
Israel’s retaliatory campaign has left more than 73,700 Palestinians dead, according to Gaza health authorities. A UN commission concluded that Israel committed genocide in the Palestinian enclave, an accusation Israel denies. You can share this story on social media: Follow RT on