Macklemore has been removed from the remaining U.S. dates of Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour following pro-Palestinian remarks he made during performances at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium earlier this month.
The Grammy-winning rapper said several venues had informed tour promoter Messina Touring Group that they would not allow him to perform as Sheeran’s opening act. The promoter confirmed the objections, saying keeping Macklemore on the bill could have resulted in cancellations affecting hundreds of thousands of fans.
He also said he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know that they had not been forgotten. He criticised the idea of remaining silent to avoid controversy and also called US Immigration and Customs Enforcement a “terrorist organisation”, according to reports from the concert.
Cover image via Getty