Ed Sheeran says it was 'not my decision' to drop Macklemore from tour
Ed Sheeran clarified that the decision to remove Macklemore from his US tour was made by the tour promoter, not himself, following Macklemore's pro-Palestinian comments. Sheeran emphasized his desire to keep his platform neutral and safe for his diverse, young audience.
Why it matters
This reflects the growing tension between artists' political expression and the commercial pressures faced by tour promoters and venues.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Ed Sheeran and Macklemore, pictured in 2014, have been friends for 13 years, the rapper said in his statement on Monday
Music correspondent Published 13 minutes ago Ed Sheeran has posted a long statement on Instagram, saying it was not his decision to drop Macklemore from his current US tour.
The US rapper - whose real name is Benjamin Haggerty - was ejected from the line-up after making pro-Palestinian statements at two dates in New Jersey.
His comments drew criticism from Jewish groups, after which some venues put pressure on the tour promoters to have him removed from the line-up.
In his statement , external , Sheeran said he had spoken with the venues "at length all week to try and build a bridge" - but the promoters, Messina Touring Group, had ultimately decided to remove Macklemore from the bill.
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