Macklemore has pledged $1 million from his earnings on Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organizations supporting Palestinians, prompting Sheeran and Robert Kraft to announce a combined $4 million in additional humanitarian commitments. The donations came as the fallout over Macklemore’s removal from Sheeran’s U.S. tour intensified, putting Palestinian relief at the center of a growing dispute among the artists and venue owners.
Macklemore directs tour earnings to six organizations
Macklemore announced on September 16 that he would donate his entire $1 million in net earnings from Sheeran’s Loop Tour to six organizations working directly with Palestinians.
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The organizations are Palestine Children’s Relief Fund, HEAL Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, UNRWA USA National Committee, and Anera. Rather than directing the funds to a general celebrity-led campaign, he named established organizations already assisting Palestinians.
Macklemore also challenged Kraft to match his $1 million contribution. The rapper had previously accused Kraft, who owns Gillette Stadium, of helping push for his removal from the tour after his public support for Palestinians.
Kraft subsequently said Sheeran had contacted him and asked him to commit $2 million toward humanitarian relief in the region. Kraft agreed to the $2 million commitment and said Sheeran would also donate $2 million, bringing their combined announced contribution to $4 million.
The two donations bring the total announced commitments from Macklemore, Sheeran and Kraft to $5 million. However, the specific organizations that will receive Sheeran’s and Kraft’s $2 million donations had not been publicly identified.
Kraft described the effort as support for people affected by the humanitarian crisis and said he believes all lives deserve protection. He also pointed to his previous work supporting initiatives involving Palestinians and Israelis.
Donations follow dispute over Macklemore’s removal
The charitable commitments followed Macklemore’s removal from the remaining U.S. dates of Sheeran’s tour after he made pro-Palestinian comments during a September 4 performance at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Sheeran has said the decision to remove Macklemore was made by tour promoters and venues rather than by him. Several other supporting acts, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and Sheeran’s backing band Beoga, subsequently withdrew from the tour.
Kraft confirmed that he opposed Macklemore performing at Gillette Stadium and cited what he described as the rapper’s history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery. Macklemore has rejected the characterization of his advocacy for Palestinians as antisemitic.