Ed Sheeran has commented on the decision to drop Macklemore from his U.S. Loop tour after the rapper made forceful “free Palestine” comments on stage during a political speech during the rapper’s performances opening for the singer at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on Sept. 4 and 5.
\n\n“I am appalled by the conflict between Israel and Palestine,” his statement reads. “The suffering and pain caused on both sides is a human tragedy. There are too many wars across the world causing immeasurable pain, none of which should be tolerated. Macklemore asked to join my tour last year and I agreed, because I respect him as an artist. As with all my support acts, I agree that they play a setlist of their choosing.
\n\n“After Macklemore’s performances at my New Jersey shows, venues on my upcoming tour dates communicated that they would pull the shows if he was still supporting. I was informed that this stance was based on how Macklemore conveyed part of his message during his performance, rather than on everything that was said. I spoke with the venues at length all week to try and build a bridge. One of those people was Robert Kraft. I was…
Original source: https://variety.com/