Macklemore’s MetLife Statement Draws Artist Criticism and a Petition Against His Tour Slot

Macklemore used his opening slot at Ed Sheeran’s two MetLife Stadium shows over the weekend to deliver a direct political statement, and the response has moved beyond the stage. During his set, he repeated “Free Palestine” and told the crowd he joined the tour so those words would be heard “loud and clear” in American stadiums.

He connected the message to his song “Hind’s Hall,” crediting the Columbia University encampment movement and naming Students for Justice in Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace. He also attempted to separate criticism of Israel from criticism of Jewish people, adding that his message was about peace, dignity, and equality, while extending the statement to Lebanon, Cuba, Congo, Sudan, and immigration enforcement in the United States.

The fallout has been sharp. The Israeli American Council launched a petition asking Sheeran to drop Macklemore from the tour, arguing the question is not whether he holds political views but whether an opening act should use a global concert platform to advance a one-sided agenda. P!NK shared a StopAntisemitism post that called genocide claims false and demanded apologies and refunds for concertgoers. Boy George posted an AI-generated image of Sheeran wearing a shirt reading “Wkack Mack No More” and wrote that he has never been an Ed Sheeran fan.

Sheeran has not addressed the controversy. Macklemore reposted footage of the speech on Monday, standing by the remarks. For now, the tour continues with an opening act whose politics have become the center of the conversation.