The billionaire owner of a stadium, who is accused of orchestrating the removal of Macklemore as Ed Sheeran’s opening act due to the rapper’s pro-Palestinian remarks during a performance, has pledged a donation of $2 million US to “support the region.”
This announcement followed closely after Macklemore revealed on Wednesday his intention to donate $1 million US from his tour profits to six organizations aiding Palestinians, which includes the UN agency for Palestinian refugees. He also called on Robert Kraft, the owner of Gillette Stadium, to match his contribution.
Though Kraft did not elaborate on the specific destinations of his donation, and his spokesperson provided no further details, he mentioned that Sheeran had requested him to match a $2 million US donation from the singer “prior to Macklemore’s challenge.”
Kraft also expressed a desire for everyone to understand that “for many years, I have backed initiatives that create opportunities for Palestinians and have facilitated interactions between young Palestinians and Israelis to foster business, job creation, and relationships.”
Benjamin Hammond Haggery, known by his stage name Macklemore, performed as the opening act for Sheeran during the first two U.S. shows of the Loop Tour on September 4 and 5 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. He was initially scheduled to open for the last eight of Sheeran’s ten U.S. concerts but announced via a detailed Instagram post on Monday that he had been removed from the tour.
Macklemore’s comments during his performance at MetLife, which included chanting “Free Palestine” and showing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, faced backlash from pro-Israel groups, including a petition advocating for his removal.
Macklemore’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s world tour due to his support for Palestinians sparked a chain reaction, leading to other opening acts and Sheeran’s accompanying band stepping down in solidarity. Macklemore was let go after he called for a ‘Free Palestine’ and labeled the conflict in Gaza as ‘genocide’ during his performance.
Macklemore attributed his dismissal to Kraft, alleging that Kraft stated Macklemore would not be permitted to perform and rallied other stadium owners to threaten the cancellation of scheduled concerts if he remained on the lineup.
Sheeran issued his own statement on Tuesday, justifying his decision to refrain from taking a public position and expressing his dismay over the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.
In his statement, Sheeran clarified, “The decision to remove Macklemore from the tour was made by the promoter, not by me. Macklemore’s contract was with the promoter, not with me.”
Following this, all remaining supporting acts for Sheeran also exited the tour.
The Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish artist Aaron Rowe were set to take Macklemore’s place as the opening acts for Sheeran’s remaining U.S. tour dates. Finneas, the American singer and Billie Eilish’s close collaborator, was also expected to open for Sheeran during four of his South American performances. Beoga, an Irish folk ensemble, had been part of Sheeran’s set since the tour kicked off in January in New Zealand.
“Artists must not be silenced when they advocate for the oppressed,” Finneas stated.
Graham seemed to direct a subtle criticism towards Kraft by stating: “Wealth does not grant you the authority to dominate the discussion. No one’s financial status should dictate who is allowed to speak or which injustices we are permitted to recognize.”
Since the departure of the supporting acts, Sheeran has not made any posts, and his representative did not reply to an email seeking a comment. The promoter, Messina Touring Group, has also not responded to requests for comments.