A major scandal has erupted in the music industry: rapper Macklemore has suddenly disappeared from the US leg of British singer Ed Sheeran's tour. The trigger was his performance at a concert in New Jersey, where he expressed support from the stage for Palestine and the residents of Gaza, according to infohub.kz.
According to the BBC, after that incident, the rapper's participation in the tour was put at risk. The owners of major stadiums strongly disliked his words. One of the main opponents of Macklemore was billionaire Robert Kraft, who threatened to close venues for concerts. As a result, the organizers decided to kick the rapper off the tour.
Kraft stated that his position was not only about the musician's recent remarks. He also cited what he called a "history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery" on the part of the rapper. Macklemore rejects these accusations, emphasizing that he criticizes the actions of the Israeli government, not Jews as a group.
The organizers' move caused a chain reaction. Artists who were supposed to perform as opening acts decided to support their colleague and are boycotting the concerts. Famous singer and Billie Eilish's brother Finneas canceled his performances in South America.
Irish singer Aaron Rowe and the local folk group Beoga said that the Irish know too well what severe conflicts are like, so they will not stay silent. The Danish band Lukas Graham also refused to take the stage, noting that money and threats should not silence people.
Sheeran himself found himself caught in the middle. On social media, he wrote that the decision to dismiss Macklemore was made not by the fans or by him, but by the venue owners and promoters. The singer spent a whole week trying to reconcile the parties, but the businessmen remained adamant. At the same time, he does not plan to abandon the tour and let his team down. The US leg of the tour is set to continue on September 19, although the organizers now urgently need to find replacements for the departed artists.
Earlier, Kursiv LifeStyle wrote that the iconic British rock band Oasis announced a major tour for 2027. The musicians will give 38 concerts.