US rapper Macklemore has announced the launch of a new Free Palestine tour, featuring a series of live performances alongside other musicians and friends to raise funds for humanitarian causes, medical support, and advocacy for Palestinians according to reports. The announcement follows his high-profile removal from Ed Sheeran’s US stadium tour earlier in September according to entertainment coverage.
The initial European leg of the tour opens at Dublin’s 3Arena on October 26, followed by the Accor Arena in Paris on October 29, and the OVO Arena Wembley in London on October 30 reported by international business news. Additional dates, including upcoming shows in the United States, are planned for the coming weeks published by music industry publications.
Origins of the Controversy and Tour
The tour comes directly in the wake of Macklemore being dropped from the remaining dates of Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour. The rapper’s removal occurred after he delivered a speech on September 4 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where he called for a free Palestine and stated that he wanted people in Gaza and the occupied West Bank to know they had not been forgotten reported by major news outlets. He also performed his protest track Hind’s Hall during the appearances according to regional broadcast sources.
Following the speech, tour promoter Messina Touring Group was informed by venue owners that concerts featuring Macklemore would not be allowed on their property according to press statements. Reports noted that Gillette Stadium owner Robert Kraft refused to let the rapper play at the venue and allegedly spoke with other stadium owners to ban him, forcing promoters to drop him from the lineup detailed in industry reports. Sheeran later stated in a written message that he was not responsible for the decision to remove Macklemore reported by cultural correspondents. In solidarity with Macklemore, other supporting acts on Sheeran’s tour—including Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and the Irish traditional group Beoga—subsequently withdrew from the remainder of the shows according to news coverage.
Addressing the fallout on social media, Macklemore wrote: So, as you all know, my schedule freed up a bit
quoted in tour announcements. He added: What happened to me is bigger than one artist or one stage. When the billionaire class can decide which voices are allowed on stage and which ones are too dangerous to hear, everyone should be paying attention
stated the artist. In addition to launching the tour, Macklemore announced he would donate his entire $1 million salary earned from the Sheeran tour to organizations supporting Palestine reported across entertainment desks.
Beneficiary Organizations and Humanitarian Aims
Organizers confirmed that all proceeds from the Free Palestine tour will go directly to support 12 distinct organizations working in humanitarian aid, medical care, advocacy, education, and community support for Palestinians reported by financial and news services. The full list of beneficiary groups includes:
- Anera noted in official press materials
- Glia noted in official press materials
- Gaza Soup Kitchen noted in official press materials
- Taawon noted in official press materials
- HEAL Palestine noted in official press materials
- Palestinian Youth Movement noted in official press materials
- Middle East Children’s Alliance noted in official press materials
- Jewish Voice for Peace noted in official press materials
- Medical Aid for Palestinians noted in official press materials
- Institute for Middle East Understanding noted in official press materials
- Palestine Children’s Relief Fund noted in official press materials
- UNRWA USA noted in official press materials
While the full artist lineup joining Macklemore on stage remains under development due to the rapid organization of the tour, organizers emphasized that the concerts aim to center Palestinian voices and provide vital resources according to tour statements. Macklemore noted that he had spent the days following his removal reaching out to fellow musicians willing to use their platforms in solidarity regardless of consequences reported by cultural correspondents.