Macklemore has been pulled from Ed Sheeran’s U.S. Stadium tour after venues refused to host the rapper following his onstage “Free Palestine” remarks.
The Seattle MC, 41, will not appear on any remaining support dates of Sheeran’s Loop Tour, Messina Touring Group confirmed Monday. The promoter said multiple venues on the upcoming U.S. Leg notified them that they would not permit a concert with Macklemore on the bill.
“As the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran’s U.S. Loop Tour, we have been notified by venues on the upcoming U.S. Tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup, which would result in the cancellation of the tour and impact hundreds of thousands of fans,” the company said in a statement.
The promoter added that “after discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates.”
The decision follows Macklemore’s appearance at Sheeran’s concert where he shouted “free Palestine” from the stage. The “Thrift Shop” hitmaker had been serving as an opening act on the stadium run.
Neither Macklemore nor Sheeran has publicly commented on the removal as of Monday. The development marks a swift fallout from the rapper’s political statement during what was intended as a mainstream pop concert.
The tour promoter emphasized that the venue decisions threatened the entire operation. Without Macklemore’s removal, the company suggested, the remaining dates faced complete cancellation rather than simply a lineup change.
Macklemore has a history of political engagement in his performances and public statements. The Grammy winner has previously addressed social issues in his music and at events, though this marks one of the most immediate professional consequences he has faced for such remarks.
The “Same Love” artist had been riding a career resurgence with recent festival appearances and new music. His removal from Sheeran’s tour represents a significant disruption to that momentum, cutting short what would have been extensive exposure to arena crowds.
Venue-level intervention in tour lineups remains relatively rare in the concert industry. Typically, promoters and artists control booking decisions, making this instance of multiple venues collectively refusing a specific performer notable for its direct economic pressure.
The Loop Tour continues without Macklemore as Sheeran plays out his remaining U.S. Stadium dates.