Macklemore Dropped From Ed Sheeran Tour, Sparking a “What About Kanye?” Debate

After rapper Macklemore was removed from Ed Sheeran’s stadium tour following his pro-Palestinian comments, critics questioned why Kanye West, who now goes by Ye, remains welcome to perform at major U.S. stadiums despite his history of antisemitic and pro-Nazi statements.

And social media users were quick to point out the hypocrisy: 

According to HuffPost, Macklemore said Monday that several stadiums, led by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, pressured the tour promoter to remove him, allegedly giving Sheeran an ultimatum: Keep Macklemore and lose the venues. The promoter, Messina Touring Group, confirmed that multiple venues said they would not allow Macklemore to perform, which could have resulted in canceled shows.

Macklemore used his first two tour appearances to declare “Free Palestine” and speak about Palestinians in Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank. He also told Jewish fans that criticism of Israel and opposition to the war were not criticism of them. The comments drew criticism from pro-Israel advocacy groups, including the Israeli-American Council, which called for Macklemore’s removal.

Kraft, who is Jewish and has frequently supported efforts against antisemitism, confirmed that Macklemore would not perform at Gillette Stadium. Kraft cited Macklemore’s recent comments as well as what he described as a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery. Meanwhile, Ye performed twice in June at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, one of the venues reportedly objecting to Macklemore’s inclusion on Sheeran’s tour.

Ye’s Tampa shows had already sparked bipartisan calls for cancellation because of his past statements. However, his contract reportedly included language preventing the publicly owned stadium from canceling based on his identity, political viewpoints or past public statements. Ed Sheeran has since said the decision to remove Macklemore came from the promoter and venues, not him, adding that he had tried to mediate the dispute.

Macklemore had been scheduled for eight of Sheeran’s remaining U.S. shows. Meanwhile all of Sheeran’s opening acts and his live performance band have quit the tour. 

See social media’s reaction to the differnce in reaction below.