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The billionaire stadium owner who allegedly led efforts to remove Macklemore as Ed Sheeran’s opening act over his pro-Palestinian comments onstage is now donating $2 million US to “aid in the region.”
The news came shortly after Macklemore announced plans Wednesday to donate $1 million US from his net earnings from the tour to six organizations helping Palestinians — including the UN agency for Palestinian refugees — and challenged Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft to do the same.
While Kraft did not specify in his statement where his funds would be going, and a spokesperson did not clarify, he said Sheeran had asked him to match a $2 million US donation from Sheeran “before Macklemore challenged me.”
He also said that he wanted people to know that “for decades, I have supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians and have brought young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs, and forge relationships.”
Benjamin Hammond Haggery, better known as Macklemore, opened for Sheeran for the first two U.S. shows on the Loop Tour on Sept. 4 and 5 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. He was slated to open for the remaining eight of Sheeran’s 10 U.S. shows, but announced in a lengthy Instagram post on Monday that he’d been dropped from the tour.
Macklemore’s onstage remarks at MetLife — including chanting “Free Palestine” and expressing solidarity with Palestinians in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank — drew criticism from pro-Israel groups, including a petition calling for his removal.
Every support act and Ed Sheeran’s backing band have dropped out of Sheeran’s world tour in support of rapper Macklemore. Macklemore was removed from the tour after making pro-Palestinian comments like ‘Free Palestine.’
Macklemore blamed his removal on Kraft, claiming Kraft said Macklemore would not be allowed onstage and rallied other stadium owners to threaten to cancel scheduled concerts if he was not taken off the bill.
Sheeran released his own statement on Tuesday, defending his choice not to take a public stance and saying he is “appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine.”
In the statement, Sheeran said, “Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine. Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.”
In response, Sheeran’s remaining supporting acts all quit the tour.
The Danish band Lukas Graham and Irish singer Aaron Rowe were scheduled to replace Macklemore as the opening acts on Sheeran’s remaining U.S. tour dates. Finneas, the American singer and close collaborator of his sister Billie Eilish, was scheduled to open for Sheeran on four of his South American dates. Beoga, an Irish folk band, had been performing with Sheeran for part of his set since the tour began in January in New Zealand.
“Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed,” Finneas wrote.
Graham also appeared to take a veiled shot at Kraft, writing: “Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody’s bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we’re allowed to acknowledge.”
Sheeran hasn’t posted since those supporting acts left the tour, and his representative didn’t respond to an emailed request for comment. The promoter, Messina Touring Group, also hasn’t responded to requests for comment.
