Macklemore announces Free Palestine tour amid Ed Sheeran controversy: ‘Being apolitical doesn’t work’

Three dates have been confirmed so far: Dublin’s 3Arena on October 25, Paris’s Accor Arena on October 29, and London’s OVO Arena Wembley on October 30. US dates are expected to follow.

The rapper said he would be joined by yet-to-be-announced guest artists, and that every penny of proceeds would go to organisations working to support the Palestinian people. Additional cities will be revealed in the coming weeks.

In his statement, Macklemore framed his removal as part of a broader pattern of suppression.

“What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage,” he wrote.

“When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention.”

He argued that a cultural shift had taken place over the past three years, declaring: “It’s 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore. People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves and be in community.”

The rapper revealed he had spent the past week contacting performers who had publicly stood with the Palestinian cause, regardless of professional consequences.

He acknowledged that many details were still being finalised given the speed at which the tour had come together, but stressed: “This is a moment of momentum, and there is work to be done.”

The controversy erupted earlier this month when Macklemore was sacked from Mr Sheeran’s tour following pro-Palestine comments made on stage.

According to Macklemore, Robert Kraft, the Kraft Group chief executive and owner of Gillette Stadium, personally telephoned Mr Sheeran to demand the rapper be barred from performing at the venue.

Mr Sheeran distanced himself from the decision, stating he would not be dragged into a public row over the Gaza conflict and describing Macklemore’s removal as “the promoter’s decision.”

The fallout escalated rapidly, with Mr Sheeran’s remaining support acts and backing band all walking away from the tour, while demonstrators gathered outside his first gig without Macklemore.

Prior to announcing his own tour, Macklemore had pledged to donate $1 million of his Mr Sheeran tour earnings to six Palestinian aid organisations, challenging Kraft to match the sum.

Mr Kraft acknowledged that Mr Sheeran had asked him to match his own $2 million donation, though it remains unconfirmed whether he followed through. He said in a statement that the pair intended to “work together to build bridges.”

Demand for Macklemore’s live shows has meanwhile surged dramatically.

His previously announced solo gig at Colorado’s Red Rocks amphitheatre on October 22, first listed back in March, has sold out entirely since his dismissal from Mr Sheeran’s tour, with resale tickets now starting at $220 for general admission.

|

GETTY

By contrast, tickets for Mrl Sheeran’s Philadelphia concert were available for as little as $68, with prices dropping sharply as disgruntled fans attempted to offload theirs.

Presale tickets for the Free Palestine Tour open on September 28 at 10am local time, with general sale beginning on September 30.

All proceeds will be split among twelve charities, including Anera, Medical Aid for Palestinians, UNRWA USA, and the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.