Rapper Macklemore is a vocal supporter of Palestine and Gaza residents. During a recent concert at MetLife Stadium, he yelled “Free Palestine!” onstage, projected images of devastation in the area, and performed protest song “Hind’s Hall.”
Now, it seems that American venues are not willing to play ball with the Seattle artist, and he has been dropped from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour.
“After discussions with stakeholders, Macklemore will not be performing on the remaining support dates,” according to Messina Touring Group, the promoter of Loop Tour. This news follows backlash from organizations like StopAntisemitism and others, such as pop star Pink.
I understand the position Sheeran was in. But, at best (I don’t Sheeran’s beliefs), when it came to the choice he accepted the stadium owner’s demands over the moral demands Macklemore is calling all people across the world to recognise.
That act supports the unjust persecution of Palestinians and marginalises the few brave voices like Macklemore’s who are willing to stand up against these humanitarian crimes. Sheeran deserves the backlash as well, and whether its his lack of moral fibre, or his ideological alignments, this instance should always tarnish him.
The stadium owner being Epstein files resident and “definitely not trafficked after he paid the cops handjob” connoisseur Robert Kraft.
He considers himself apolitical, so he does ideologically support the status quo.
By all means, Macklemore did the right thing. Ed is in the wrong. I’m just saying to pull the plug for him while on tour is hard. Im not sure everybody could do it as a headliner.
Its definitely hard.
To take a broader point. I think thats the thing people like Sheeran need to get about the times we’re in, due to the disintegration of the ‘world order’, and the increasing effects of climate change.
The choices we have are now hard and they matter in a way they didn’t seem to for a few decades. His decision to not pushback against the promoters, who he claims made the decision, is a political choice.
Unfortunately for him politics exists at his shows, it always did, except the broad agreements have now broken between the privileged and powerful, and the not. Sheerans decision says to everyone he is with the privileged, even if his rhetoric indicates otherwise.
I haven’t quite said what I wanted to here, but I’ve run out of time to think about it. Sorry.