American rapper Macklemore has said he will donate his $1million (€871,000) net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s tour to organisations supporting the Palestinian people.
The rapper, who has been dropped from the tour for making pro-Palestinian remarks on stage, has challenged Jewish billionaire Robert Kraft to match his donation.
“I will be donating the entire $1 million of my net earnings from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organizations working directly to support the Palestinian people,” wrote Macklemore. “And I invite Robert Kraft to match my 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.”
Macklemore has shared that his net earnings will go to organizations including Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, Heal Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, UNRWA USA National Committee and Anera.
Kraft, who owns the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, intervened towards Sheeran and made the decision to ban Macklemore from the Gillette Stadium because his venue would not “provide a platform for hate speech”.
The tycoon and Israel donor predictably accused the Grammy-winning rapper of having “a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric” – something which Macklemore denies.
In fact, Kraft’s accusation can be dismissed when looking at the footage of Macklemore on stage.
“To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you. My message is for peace; love for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality,” said Macklemore. “So I say Free Palestine, I say Free Lebanon, I say Free Cuba, I say Free Congo, Free Sudan, I say Free all people in America living in fear of this terrorist organization, ICE. None of us will be free until we are all free.”
Kraft has now responded by saying that he and Sheeran have pledged $2m (€1.7m) each “to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis” – although, rather crucially, he did not specify which organisations or charities would receive the money.
“Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis,” Kraft said in a statement. “Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges.”
“I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people. I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting,” Kraft added.
Earlier this week, Sheeran said he was “appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine,” and described the “suffering and pain caused on both sides” as a human tragedy in a lengthy Instagram statement. “I am not complicit,” he added. “I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care.”
Sheeran also said that “Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine”, adding that the rapper’s contract for the tour “was with the promoter, not me”.
Despite Sheeran’s attempts at damage control, the final leg of his tour remains in crisis as all the other artists scheduled to perform as part of his tour pulled out in protest.
Irish singer-songwriter Aaron Rowe, Irish folk band Beoga, Danish band Lukas Graham, and Finneas, the brother of pop star Billie Eilish, all announced they were dropping out.
Rowe said that Sheeran had been a friend to him, “but as Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation”.
“I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children. I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal.”
Beoga stated on Instagram that they would no longer be a part of Sheeran’s band “following the silencing of Macklemore by zionist lobbies”. They added that while they have been friends with Sheeran for over 10 years and will continue to be, “to play in venues that silence anyone advocating for Free Palestine is simply not an option for us”.
Finneas, who was due to tour with Sheeran in South America later this year, wrote on Instagram: “Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed. I have decided to withdraw from my upcoming tour dates with Ed Sheeran. I stand with Palestine and its people.”
Elsewhere, many are calling Sheeran out for not standing up for Macklemore and his fellow artists. Some are calling Sheeran’s stance “morally bankrupt” and labelling the singer as a “lowlife coward whose music sounds exactly like he is.”
Sheeran has also faced backlash from other musicians and celebrities, who have expressed support for Macklemore and argue that the rapper’s removal represented a chilling effect on free speech.
Massive Attack are the most recent band to share their stance on the situation.
Taking to Instagram, the band shared: “Entertainment can never be bigger than resisting the apartheid & genocide of fellow human beings. ‘Neutrality’ in the face of the slaughter of more than 20,000 children can never be neutrality.”
They also said that “no artist should tolerate the censorship of another artist, however many millions of dollars are in play” and that the “arc of state, corporate and media silence that allowed a genocide to take place seeks to coerce high profile artists and actors into that silence.”
Concluding, they added that they “stand in solidarity with all artists risking their careers in defence of the rights of the Palestinian people, & against the illegal occupation, apartheid, war crimes & ongoing genocide perpetrated by the State of Israel.”
Sheeran has yet to respond to his support acts pulling out, or to the comments from Massive Attack.