Photo Credit: Getty Images
Rapper Macklemore has announced a new concert tour supporting Palestinian causes, days after being removed from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour following his public comments about the Israel Gaza conflict.
The American rapper, whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty, announced the new tour on Thursday, saying proceeds would go toward organisations supporting Palestinians.
The tour will begin in Dublin on October 26 before continuing to Paris on October 29 and London on October 30. Macklemore also said that dates in the United States would be announced, with additional tickets expected to go on sale the following week.
The announcement came shortly after Macklemore's removal from Sheeran's tour. The rapper had used the stage during a September performance in New Jersey to express support for Palestinians and call for their liberation.
"A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so that I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very, very dear to my heart: Free Palestine," he told the audience.
He also performed a song dedicated to pro Palestinian protesters at Columbia University.
Macklemore was removed from the Loop Tour on September 14. Sheeran subsequently clarified that the decision had been made by the concert promoter, Messina Touring Group, rather than by him personally.
The controversy led several of Sheeran's other support acts to withdraw from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore. The situation also generated criticism from some fans and contributed to changes in ticket prices for the tour.
Macklemore has since framed his new tour as part of a wider discussion about artists using their platforms to speak about political and humanitarian issues.
In his statement announcing the concerts, he said the events of recent weeks had demonstrated what he described as growing public awareness around Palestinian liberation and concerns about powerful individuals influencing which voices receive platforms.
He said he had spent the previous week contacting other artists who had publicly supported Palestinians despite facing consequences.
Macklemore also acknowledged that the new tour had been organised quickly, meaning some details were still being finalised.
The rapper's comments have also attracted criticism. Billionaire stadium owner Robert Kraft accused him of hate speech and antisemitic rhetoric in relation to his statements surrounding Israel and Gaza.
Sheeran has separately addressed the controversy during his performances. He described the October 7, 2023 Hamas led attacks as horrific while also describing the situation in Gaza as unjustifiable and disproportionate.
He characterised the issue as a humanitarian concern and acknowledged that he had made mistakes in handling the controversy surrounding Macklemore's removal.
The new tour places Macklemore at the centre of an ongoing debate over music, political expression and the responsibilities of performers when using major entertainment platforms to address international conflicts.
