Ed Sheeran breaks silence on Macklemore tour backlash: ‘I am not complicit’

Ed Sheeran is breaking his silence after Macklemore was dropped from his tour over his remarks in support of Palestinians.

Macklemore, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, shared a statement Monday on Instagram alleging that he was banned from opening for Sheeran on his remaining U.S. tour dates because of statements he made on stage in support of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank while opening for the singer in New Jersey earlier this month.

The rapper said in his statement that Sheeran told him that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft personally told him that Macklemore would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts after his call to “Free Palestine,” which had led to a petition demanding his removal from the tour.

In an Instagram post shared Tuesday with the caption, “It’s important that I set out some facts,” Sheeran said he did not make the final call to drop Macklemore from the tour. Confirming the rapper’s account about Kraft’s ultimatum in addition to other alleged boycotts from more venues on the tour, Sheeran insisted, “I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge.”

“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine,” he continued. “Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.”

The British singer said, “I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.”

He then went on to defend himself against backlash following Macklemore’s statement, which had called out his apolitical stance.

“I am not complicit,” Sheeran said. “I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose to not speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care. Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way.”

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He defended his apolitical approach to his concerts by adding, “I choose to use my fame and platform to be a place of safety and sanctuary, to maintain diplomacy and keep conversations open, not closed.”

“If we only focus on shouting the loudest, nothing will ever change,” he said. “There are different approaches to being an advocate for change.”

Macklemore did not immediately return The Independent’s request for comment in response to Sheeran’s statement.

Following Sheeran’s post, Aaron Rowe — another supporting act on the singer’s U.S. tour — announced that he was dropping out of the tour.

“I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children,” Rowe wrote on Instagram. “I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal.”

In Macklemore’s statement, the “Thrift Shop” singer had referred to Sheeran as his friend and said that he was in a “f***ed up position.” He said the two performers had “difficult” conversations about the conflict that had landed in a place of “fundamental disagreement.”

“He told me that the words ‘Free Palestine’ and the image of the Palestinian flags were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with,” Macklemore wrote, referring to his statement during his performance of his 2024 protest song “Hind’s Hall.”

He continued: “I told him that if those words were more offensive than the tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood.”

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