PHILADELPHIA, TheKabarNews.com—American rapper Macklemore has been removed from the remaining US dates of Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour following his onstage support for Palestinians. This has set off a dispute involving the performers, the tour promoter and stadium operators.

The controversy began after Macklemore appeared as Sheeran’s opening act at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on September 4 and 5, 2026.

During his performances, the rapper declared “Free Palestine,” spoke about civilians in Gaza and the occupied West Bank, and performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall.”

Messina Touring Group subsequently removed Macklemore from eight remaining US shows. The decision came after venues said they would not host the concerts with him on the lineup.

The promoter said keeping Macklemore could have led to cancellations affecting hundreds of thousands of ticket holders, according to The Guardian.

The available accounts differ over who ultimately made the decision. Macklemore said Sheeran and his team removed him after several difficult discussions. Sheeran disputed that characterization.

“Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision; it was not mine,” Sheeran wrote. He also added that he had tried to reach a solution with the venues.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, whose company owns Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, confirmed that he opposed Macklemore’s scheduled performances there.

Kraft accused the rapper of using rhetoric and imagery that he considered offensive to Jewish communities. Macklemore has maintained that criticizing Israel’s conduct does not constitute hostility toward Jewish people.

In a statement addressing his removal, Macklemore rejected suggestions that he or Sheeran should be treated as the central casualties of the controversy.

“I am not a victim. Ed Sheeran is not a victim… Whatever consequences any of us face for what we say, we get to go home to our families. The victims are the Palestinian people […],” he said.

The rapper said his friendship with Sheeran would not end because of their disagreement.

He also described Sheeran as facing pressure from venues and other parties involved in the tour. This means Macklemore did not present the dispute as a simple personal confrontation.

The removal triggered further disruption. Supporting performers including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and the Irish band Beoga withdrew from scheduled appearances in solidarity with Macklemore.

Sheeran later opened his September 19 concert in Philadelphia without a supporting act.

At that concert, Sheeran described the October 7, 2023, attacks in Israel as horrific. He also called conditions in Gaza “catastrophic and unjustifiable.”

He said he wanted his performances to promote humanity and unity. While saying this, he also acknowledged that the dispute had placed him in a debate over freedom of expression.

The dispute unfolded against an ongoing humanitarian crisis. The United Nations reported in September that most of Gaza’s population of approximately 2.1 million remained displaced.

It said aid operations continued to face access restrictions. Meanwhile, donors had funded only 40 percent of the 2026 humanitarian appeal, according to an OCHA briefing.

Macklemore’s removal therefore extends beyond a disagreement between two musicians. It raises a broader question about who controls speech on major concert tours when an artist’s message conflicts with the positions of venues, promoters or commercial partners.