Monday, September 14, 2026

Ed Sheeran Saves Himself: Drops Anti-Israel Rapper Macklemore from Tour After “Free Palestine!” Scandal, Rapper Won’t Play Stadium Gigs

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Ed Sheeran finally woke up.

He dropped rapper Macklemore as an opening act after the debacle at Met Life Stadium.

Macklemore turned his opening spot into anti-Israel, Free Palestine event that was not only offensive and unexpected, but sent many Sheeran fans from the stadium before the star took the stage.

Messina Touring Group, promoter of the U.S. leg of Sheeran’s Loop Tour, said in a statement to Rolling Stone: “As the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran’s U.S. Loop Tour, we have been notified by venues on the upcoming U.S. tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans. After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.”

Sheeran had no choice. His silence after the disaster made it seem like he agreed with Macklemore, thus turning off a huge segment of fans. Many online said they were asking for refunds from the 8 upcoming stadium dates.

On stage as Sheeran’s opening act, Macklemore told crowds: “A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: ‘Free Palestine.’ I said, ‘Free Palestine!’ I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them.”

The long ago washed up rapper then sang his song called “Hind’s Hall” — named for pro-Palestine demonstrators who occupied a building at Columbia University after the murder of Hind Rajab.

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Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman
Roger Friedman is the founder and editor-in-chief of Showbiz411. He wrote the FOX411 column on FoxNews.com from 1999 to 2009, where he covered Michael Jackson, and previously wrote the "Intelligencer" column at New York magazine in the mid-1990s, where he covered the O.J. Simpson trial. He also edited Fame magazine. His bylines have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the New York Daily News, the New York Post, Vogue, Details, and the Miami Herald. He is a voting member of the Critics Choice Awards (Film and Television branches), and his movie reviews are tracked by Rotten Tomatoes. With D.A. Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus, he co-produced the 2002 documentary "Only the Strong Survive," which screened at Directors' Fortnight at the Cannes Film Festival.

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