Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and Gillette Stadium, confirmed Wednesday he has pledged $2 million toward humanitarian relief in the Middle East, following the fallout from Macklemore’s removal from Ed Sheeran’s Loop Tour.
Promoters dropped Macklemore from the tour after he led anti-Israel chants and performed his protest song “Hind’s Hall” during Sheeran’s Sept. 4 and 5 concerts at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. Macklemore responded by pledging his own $1 million in earnings to Palestinian aid and publicly challenging Kraft to match it.
Kraft’s statement, released through Gillette Stadium’s social media account, made clear the commitment predated the challenge. “Earlier today, before Macklemore challenged me to match his donation, Ed called me and asked me to commit $2 million to match his donation to aid in the region to fight this humanitarian crisis. Ed now plans to reach out to other venue owners and our goal is to continue to work together to build bridges,” Kraft said.
Kraft also said, “I have dedicated much of my life to building bridges between all people. I believe deeply that all lives are worth protecting.” He added that he has spent decades supporting programs that create opportunity for Palestinians, including efforts to bring young Palestinians and Israelis together to build businesses and forge relationships.
Macklemore had accused Kraft of orchestrating a stadium boycott against him. Kraft rejected that framing, saying he would not host Macklemore because of the rapper’s history of antisemitic rhetoric and tropes, and because Macklemore has ignored the Oct. 7 Hamas attack that killed 1,200 people while pushing a one-sided narrative.
Macklemore’s past conduct has fueled the venue owners’ resistance. In 2014, he drew heavy criticism for performing in Seattle dressed in a dark suit, wig, fake beard and oversized prosthetic nose, an outfit widely condemned as a caricature of Hasidic Jewish stereotypes. Pop star Pink recently criticized Macklemore’s onstage remarks as well, arguing artists don’t get to dictate what should or shouldn’t offend Jewish fans.
The removal has rippled across the rest of Sheeran’s tour. Sheeran said the decision came from stadium owners and promoters, not from him, and that he tried to broker a resolution before venues refused to host Macklemore. Several opening acts, including Finneas, Lukas Graham, Aaron Rowe and the Irish band Beoga, have since pulled out of remaining U.S. dates in protest.
The episode has also drawn political reaction. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., accused stadium owners of silencing speech to protect elite interests and described the war in Gaza as a “genocide.”
Whatever one makes of that argument, the underlying legal principle is not complicated: private venue owners are under no obligation to host speech on their own property that they find objectionable. Gillette Stadium is Kraft’s property, and hosting a performer is not a right anyone is owed. Macklemore is free to say what he wants; Kraft is equally free to decide who performs on his stage.
