Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour after 'free Palestine' speech
Rapper Macklemore has been removed from Ed Sheeran's US tour following his public comments advocating for Palestine. The decision followed internal discussions between the artists and pressure from concert venues.
Why it matters
The incident illustrates the ongoing tension between celebrity political activism and the commercial realities of large-scale touring.
<p>American rapper Macklemore has been dismissed as Ed Sheeran's opener on the US leg of his tour after saying "free Palestine" and other comments at a show in New Jersey. </p> <p>The 43-year-old from Seattle delivered the remarks at his first appearance on the Loop tour on September 4. </p> <p>"A big part of the reason why I wanted to do this tour in the first place is so I could stand up in stadiums like this and say two words that are very near and dear to my heart: 'Free Palestine'," he said in a two-minute speech.</p> <p>A spokesperson for Messina Touring Group told Rolling Stone that "as the concert promoter for Ed Sheeran’s US Loop Tour, we have been notified by venues on the upcoming US tour dates that they will not allow a concert to take place with Macklemore on the lineup."</p> <p>The rapper best…
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