Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran’s concert at Raymond James Stadium over Pro-Palestinian comments
Macklemore dropped from Ed Sheeran's tour
Macklemore will no longer take the stage as an opening act for Ed Sheeran when his tour comes to Tampa this fall. The tour promoter says several venues, including Raymond James Stadium, would not host the show with the rapper in its lineup. FOX 13's Blake Devine reports.
TAMPA, Fla. - Macklemore has been dropped from Ed Sheeran’s upcoming Tampa concert after several venues objected to having the rapper on the lineup.
What we know:
Macklemore was scheduled to open for Sheeran at Raymond James Stadium on November 7th.
The Tampa stop is the finale of the North American leg of Sheeran’s Loop Tour.
BUDAPEST, HUNGARY - AUGUST 07: Ed Sheeran performs on stage at Sziget Festival on (Photo by Didier Messens/Redferns)
Messina Touring Group says venues on upcoming U.S. dates told the promoter they would not allow concerts to take place with Macklemore on the lineup.
The promoter said keeping him on the tour could have led to cancellations affecting hundreds of thousands of fans.
The backstory:
Macklemore, known for the hit ‘Thrift Shop,’ says his removal followed comments he made in support of Palestinians.
While opening for Sheeran at MetLife Stadium earlier this month, Macklemore told the crowd:
"I say Free Palestine, I say free Lebanon."
The comments sparked strong reactions online. Some people defended Macklemore, while others criticized his performance and message.
What they're saying:
American rapper Macklemore performs live on stage during the 5th Lollapalooza Paris Festival on July 19, 2025 in Paris, France. (Photo by Kristy Sparow/Getty Images)
Macklemore addressed his removal in a lengthy Instagram statement Monday night.
"I hope this isn’t the end of my relationship with Ed," he said. "Thirteen years of friendship doesn’t disappear because of one painful disagreement."
"I hope we both continue listening, studying what is happening in Palestine and wrestling with what neutrality means in a moment like this," he said.
What we don't know:
Sheeran has not publicly responded to Macklemore’s statement as of Monday night.
The other side:
FILE-Pink performs on stage at Wembley Stadium in 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Chiaki Nozu/WireImage)
Singer Pink was among Macklemore’s most prominent critics.
She later clarified that she was not calling for him to be fired or silenced.
Pink added that parts of his performance made some Jewish concertgoers feel unsafe.
Big picture view:
The controversy comes just months after another high-profile dispute involving concerts at Raymond James Stadium.
In June, Ye, the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, performed two sold-out concerts at the stadium despite backlash and calls from some politicians and community groups to cancel the shows.
The Tampa Sports Authority said at the time it was bound by free-speech principles in operating the publicly funded venue. Ye’s contract contained language limiting the authority’s ability to cancel the concerts based on his identity, previous statements, political views or anticipated performance content.
What's next:
The Tampa Sports Authority confirmed Macklemore is no longer part of the Raymond James Stadium show.
The concert will continue as planned on November 7 with Lukas Graham and Aaron Rowe still scheduled to perform.
The Source: Information for this story came from statements from Macklemore, statements from the Tampa Sports Authority, statements from Messina Touring Group and previous reporting on FOX 13.