‘Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work’: Macklemore announces his Free Palestine tour

After being dropped from Ed Sheeran’s Loup Tour following pro-Palestinian statements, Grammy Award-winning rapper Macklemore announced his own tour.

The Seattle native’s Free Palestine tour will debut in three European cities late next month: Dublin, Paris, and London. U.S. dates will be announced later.

“If these last couple of weeks have shown us anything, it’s that something has shifted over the last three years,” Macklemore stated in an Instagram post Thursday. “There has been a collective awakening around Palestinian liberation, the power of billionaires that try to censor that call, and what we expect from artists right now.

“It’s 2026. Being apolitical during a genocide doesn’t work anymore,” he continued. “People are asking artists to show up, educate themselves, and be in community. To use the stage for more than entertainment. To push back when the call for a Free Palestine is met with attempts to silence it.”

 

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Macklemore calls out New England Patriots owner to match $1 million donation

According to Macklemore, New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft told Sheeran that Macklemore wouldn’t be allowed to perform at their next tour stop at Gillette Stadium, owned by the Kraft Group. The rapper also said Kraft rallied other stadium owners who threatened to block Sheeran from their venues if Macklemore stayed on the tour.

Macklemore then called on Kraft to match his $1 million donation to organizations aiding Palestine. Kraft responded, saying Sheeran asked him to commit $2 million.

All proceeds from the Free Palestine tour will support the Palestinian people and movement, according to Macklemore’s post.

“What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage,” Macklemore wrote. “When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention.”

Supporting acts to be announced

After Macklemore posted about being dropped from the tour, all four of Sheeran’s supporting acts subsequently dropped out in solidarity, The Guardian reported. The supporting acts for the Free Palestine tour have yet to be announced.

“I’ve spent the last week reaching out to artists who have shown up and used their stages to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people, regardless of the consequences,” Macklemore wrote. “Artists who understand that our platforms mean very little if we’re only willing to use them when it’s safe. Because of how quickly all of this has come together, a lot of the conversations, schedules, and details are still being worked out. But this is a moment of momentum, and there is work to be done.”

Macklemore noted artist announcements are coming soon, along with U.S. dates.

Fans can sign up at macklemore.com. Ticket presale is Monday at 10 a.m., and general sale is Wednesday at 10 a.m.

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