Macklemore<\/a> to perform after taking issue with his \u201cfree Palestine\u201d comments at MetLife Stadium, he spoke with the owners, including Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft. His efforts to change their minds, however, were unsuccessful.<\/p>\n\n\t\u201cI have spent this week trying to build bridges, to find a solution and unfortunately, was unable to do so,\u201d Sheeran wrote. \u201cI know who I am, both as a person and as an artist, and those who know my heart know my values too.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tSheeran said his goal was to give Macklemore, like any opening artist, a platform to say whatever he wanted. \u201cMacklemore asked to join my tour last year and I agreed, because I respect him as an artist,\u201d Sheeran wrote. \u201cAs with all my support acts, I agree that they play a setlist of their choosing.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tSheeran wrote that his talks with venue owners were ultimately unproductive and that he attempted to get others involved unsuccessfully. \u201cI was also involved in direct talks with promoters along with activists on both sides to try and find a mutual resolution for all, but the venue\u2019s and promoter\u2019s decision was final,\u201d Sheeran wrote.<\/p>\n
\n\tOf his decision to go with their decision, and not risk the rest of the tour, Sheeran explained: \u201cI 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.\u201d <\/p>\n
\n\tReps for Macklemore, the promoter Messina Touring Group, and Robert Kraft did not immediately respond to Rolling Stone\u2019s <\/em>requests for comment.<\/p>\n\n\tIn his statement, Sheeran took a neutral stance on the war between Israel and Hamas, saying he was \u201cappalled\u201d by the war. \u201cThe suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy,\u201d he wrote. In another bullet point, he wrote that he was not \u201ccomplicit\u201d with any particular ideology, adding, \u201cI have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn\u2019t mean I don\u2019t have them, and it doesn\u2019t mean I don\u2019t care. Nor does it mean I don\u2019t support causes in my own, personal way.<\/p>\n\n\n \t\tEditor\u2019s picks<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n
\n\t\u201cThere is a reason I do not use my professional platform for politics \u2014 my audience includes young people, often children, of all backgrounds,\u201d he continued. \u201cThose who come to my shows do not expect a political forum. I respect Macklemore\u2019s strength of purpose to stand up and shout for what he believes. However, there is room for multiple approaches to the same end: peace. 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. There are different approaches to being an advocate for change.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tMessina Touring Group told Rolling Stone<\/a> <\/em>on Monday that Macklemore would no longer remain on the Loop Tour because venues said they would cancel the concerts if he were involved. He was supposed to support Sheeran at eight of the 10 upcoming concerts Sheeran has booked in the U.S.<\/p>\n\n\tIn his own Instagram statement, Macklemore placed the blame on Kraft and others. \u201cEd told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium,\u201d Macklemore wrote. \u201cEd also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n \t\tRelated Content<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n
\n\tKraft responded in his own statement, saying that he had indeed said that Macklemore wasn\u2019t welcome at Gillette Stadium due to how he perceived the rapper\u2019s \u201crecent actions, material shared from the stage during Ed Sheeran\u2019s shows in New Jersey, and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery that we believe has been deeply offensive and hurtful to the Jewish community.\u201d Kraft did not, however, respond to Macklemore\u2019s allegation that he had \u201crallied\u201d other venues to join him in blacklisting the artist.<\/p>\n
\n\tWhen Macklemore performed at the New York City\u2013area MetLife Stadium earlier in September, he yelled \u201cFree Palestine\u201d at the first of two concerts. He also performed a song, \u201cHind\u2019s Hall,\u201d about Columbia University demonstrators who had occupied a building and named it after Hind Rajab , a six-year-old killed by the Israeli military. He also displayed imagery of the devastation in Gaza.<\/p>\n\n\n \t\tTrending Stories<\/p>\n<\/h2>\n<\/section>\n
\n\t\u201cA 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: \u2018Free Palestine,’\u201d he said at the first gig. \u201cI said, \u2018Free Palestine!\u2019 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tSheeran\u2019s tour has dates scheduled through the fall. Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe are set to open the other dates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n