Macklemore says he will donate the full $1 million he earned opening for Ed Sheeran’s U.S. tour to organizations providing humanitarian aid to Palestinians, a move that came days after he was dropped from the tour and drew a public response from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
The 43-year-old rapper was removed from Sheeran’s “Loop Tour” on Monday after repeatedly calling for a “Free Palestine” and performing his song “Hind’s Hall” during opening performances at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sept. 4 and 5.
Macklemore has alleged that Kraft, 85, pressured Sheeran to drop him from the tour by warning the singer he would not be allowed to perform at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts, and by encouraging other stadium owners to issue similar ultimatums. Kraft has confirmed he opposed Macklemore’s participation at Gillette, citing what he described as the rapper’s history of antisemitic rhetoric. Sheeran, 35, has said the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the tour promoter and venue owners rather than by him personally.
In an Instagram post Wednesday, Macklemore said he would give his $1 million in net earnings from the tour to six organizations: the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, HEAL Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, UNRWA USA National Committee and American Near East Refugee Aid.
“With everything that has happened over the last 48 hours, I want to bring the conversation back to where it belongs: to the Palestinian people who are still being killed, still living under military occupation, and still fighting for their freedom,” Macklemore wrote.
He went on to invite Kraft to match the donation. “Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting. A Palestinian life is no less valuable than any other life on this earth,” he wrote.
Macklemore said he wanted attention on “the parents carrying their children into hospitals without the basic resources to treat them, and the physicians, paramedics, journalists and aid workers who keep going back in,” as well as “the organizers and activists who have paid real costs for standing with Palestine.” He added that “writing a check is one of the least costly forms of solidarity to me” and that he was doing it “because these organizations are doing the work while much of the world debates it.”
He closed the post urging supporters not to lose focus once media attention fades: “When the news cycle moves on, which it will, don’t move with it. Free Palestine.”
Kraft responded shortly after, saying Sheeran had already asked him earlier that day, before Macklemore’s challenge, to commit $2 million to match the singer’s own donation toward humanitarian relief in the region.
“I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people. I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting,” Kraft wrote in a statement posted to Gillette Stadium’s social media accounts. “Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges.”
Kraft added that he wanted people speaking in support of Palestinians to know that “for decades, I have supported efforts that create opportunity for Palestinians and have brought young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses, create jobs, and forge relationships.”
Macklemore had originally been scheduled to open eight more dates on Sheeran’s tour following the MetLife Stadium shows. His removal set off a wave of withdrawals from other supporting acts, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Beoga, who pulled out of the tour in solidarity.
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