Richard Bodin
It has been a rough couple of weeks for Ed Sheeran. The controversy surrounding Macklemore’s appearance as he opened for the English superstar in the MetLife Stadium has reached its peak on 14 September when the American rapper was dropped from the tour. But it didn’t end there. All of the support acts decided to quit the tour as well as Beoga, Sheeran’s own backing band.
“Free Palestine”
But first let’s get back to the beginning. What has Macklemore said that sparked such controversy? Nothing more than he already says in all of his own shows: “Free Palestine”. As he introduced his famous hit “Hind’s Hall”, the American rapper took the time to address the crowd and tell them how much a few students from Columbia University leading an encampment movement to protest against a genocide on the other side of the planet inspired him. During his speech, the artist made a clear distinction:
To all of my Jewish brothers and sisters: criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you. My message is for peace; love for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality.
Macklemore, at the MetLife Stadium
Then he went on to perform his song, displaying images of the genocide, of Palestinian children suffering, similarly to the song’s official video.
The Backlash
Sadly, but unsurprisingly, organisations such as StopAntisemitism or the Israeli-American Council took offence and shared their dislike. The first one posted an instagram story blaming the artist for using his opening slot for anti-Israel propaganda and called for ticket refunds, while the other directly called for Macklemore to be dropped from the tour.
P!nk subsequently entered the debate. She faced backlash after reposting the StopAntisemitism’s story, and responded. In her statement she reacts to Macklemore’s performance.
Then last weekend he stood in front of a stadium full of music-loving families, with violent images from a war on the screens, dedicated a song to the movement of his choice, and then took the mic to tell all of the Jews in the stadium that it wasn’t about them.
You don’t get to decide that for us. That’s what prompted my repost.
Not ‘Free Palestine,’ and not anyone’s right to say it. I have never asked for another artist to be silenced and I’m not asking now.What I need is to be able to say, as a Jewish mom, ‘that scared me, and it scared people I love’, without being told our fear is just propaganda, and without being told I’m somehow cool with genocide because I noticed?
P!nk
The Ultimatum
Unfortunately things didn’t end there. Robert Kraft, owner of the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts where Macklemore was set to open for Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour, took matters into his own hands. According to Macklemore, Kraft rang Sheeran and told him Macklemore would not be permitted to play there. Other stadium owners had taken the same position, leaving Sheeran with a choice between dropping his friend of 13 years from the tour or losing the shows. Macklemore was scheduled to perform at eight of the remaining ten shows.
Ultimately, Macklemore was dropped on 14 September. The American rapper’s response is nothing short of majestic. As he reports his conversation with Ed Sheeran, following this decision, he says:
He told me that the words “Free Palestine” and the image of the Palestinian flag were hurtful to a lot of people he spoke with. I told him that if those words were more offensive than tens of thousands of Palestinian children being killed by Israel, then there was a fundamental disconnect between where those people stood and where I stood. But he couldn’t get past his public facing, “I don’t take sides.”
And I get why people don’t. Taking a side can cost you. Money, brand deals, sponsorships, festivals, private shows, relationships and access. I’ve lost all of those things. But there is no neutral position between the oppressor and the oppressed. When one side has the bombs and bottomless financial and military support from America, refusing to take a side doesn’t leave you in the middle.
Macklemore
(…)
I didn’t need 10 shows from Ed. I needed 2. Two chances to stand in front of 90,000 people and say the words that somehow became too dangerous to say.
Free Palestine.
Ed Sheeran’s Choice
In the end the one who is really losing here is Ed Sheeran. He missed the chance to stand up for a friend in the face of censorship and blackmail, hiding behind the decision by his promoter.
Macklemore coming off tour was the promoter’s decision, it was not mine. Macklemore’s contract for the tour was with the promoter, not me.
Ed Sheeran
I would never let down the fans who had made plans, nor would I abandon the touring crew and the other support acts and musicians who rely on me for work and to make a living.
But apparently the other support acts and musicians were not relying on him for these reasons only. On 15 September, all support acts announced their decision to quit the tour, followed instantly by traditional Irish band Beoga, Ed Sheeran’s own backing band for the tour.Â
Artists must not be silenced when they speak up for the oppressed
– Finneas
Money doesn’t give you the right to own the conversation. Nobody’s bank balance should decide who gets to speak or which suffering we’re allowed to acknowledge.
– Lukas Graham
Ed has been a friend to me and has changed my life, I could never thank him enough for this.
– Aaron Rowe
But as Irish people we know all too well about genocide, forced famine and violent occupation. I cannot stand by and allow billionaires to use their position of power to silence the rightful voices of those who speak up against Israeli genocide and who highlight the savage murder of children. I would lose all respect for myself to carry on as normal.
I need to be true to myself and to my ancestors who resisted colonisation and fought for a freedom that I enjoy today in Ireland.
We have made the decision to depart as Ed Sheeran’s band on the remaining US Loop Tour, following the silencing of Macklemore by zionist lobbies.
We are a traditional Irish band who never saw ourselves playing in stadiums of that size and that opportunity is not lost on us. We have been friends with Ed for over 10 years now and will continue to be. We believe in dialogue as a means of progressing the plight of the Palestinian people.
– Beoga, Ed Sheeran’s backing band
(…)
We are Irish people who understand colonialism. As founding members of the Irish Artists For Palestine movement, we are committed activists for justice and will continue to be.
No Neutral Ground
What went through Ed Sheeran‘s mind is a mystery. How can you invite such pro-Palestinian artist on your tour while staying neutral and expect them to do the same? Macklemore has been vocal about it in all his shows for the past few years. Surely he knew he would take a stand on his stage, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. Sheeran has also expressed public views on issues including Ukraine and Brexit, making his decision to keep his position private on Gaza particularly noticeable to his critics. As Niall Byrne points out, not taking a side IS taking a side.
Dropping Macklemore from his tour —or agreeing to it— was ultimately his choice. He could have sided with his friend. He did not. The tour is built around his name, and without Ed Sheeran there is no Ed Sheeran tour. He is now facing enormous public backlash, and by trying to save his tour he might very well see the end of it.
