Macklemore Donates $1 Million Tour Earnings to Palestinian Relief Following Ed Sheeran Tour Removal

American rapper Macklemore has announced that he is donating the $1 million he earned from Ed Sheeran's Loop tour to organizations supporting Palestinians. The decision follows his removal as an opening act for the tour due to comments he made in support of Palestine.

Macklemore stated that his entire net earnings will be distributed among six organizations: Palestine Children's Relief Fund, Heal Palestine, Gaza Soup Kitchen, Medical Aid for Palestinians, UNRWA USA National Committee, and Anera. He also challenged Robert Kraft, the billionaire owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium near Boston, to match his donation.

"Whatever we disagree about, perhaps we can agree on this: Palestinian lives are worth protecting," Macklemore wrote on Instagram, adding that a Palestinian life is no more or less valuable than any other.

In response, Kraft announced that he and Ed Sheeran would each pledge $2 million toward humanitarian aid in the region, though Kraft did not specify the exact recipient organizations. Kraft noted that Ed Sheeran had already contacted him prior to the public challenge to propose the $2 million commitment. With these pledges, a combined total of $5 million has been raised amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the US leg of the tour.

Macklemore was dropped from the remaining dates of the Loop tour after voicing support for Palestine during two performances at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, where he called for a "free Palestine." His remarks led the Israeli-American Council to initiate a petition for his removal, and Robert Kraft subsequently confirmed the rapper would not be permitted to perform at Gillette Stadium, citing allegations of antisemitic rhetoric—charges that Macklemore has denied.

Ed Sheeran clarified that he did not personally remove Macklemore, explaining that several venue owners objected to the performance and that promoters made the final decision. The dispute escalated further when all four of Ed Sheeran's remaining opening acts—Finneas, Aaron Rowe, Lukas Graham, and Beoga—withdrew from the tour in solidarity with Macklemore and Palestine.

In his social media post, Macklemore emphasized that public attention should remain focused on the affected families, doctors, paramedics, journalists, and aid workers in the region. He pledged to continue advocating for Palestinians even after the current news cycle moves on.