Patriots owner Robert Kraft says he is willing to sit down with rapper Macklemore after blocking him from performing alongside Ed Sheeran at Gillette Stadium.
Kraft made the offer in a statement released Monday, days after Macklemore publicly accused him of pressuring Sheeran into dropping him from the tour.
“I would welcome the opportunity to sit down with Macklemore and discuss the facts. Ultimately our goal is the same – peace for all people, an end to suffering, and an end to all hate.”
Macklemore had accused Kraft of forcing Ed Sheeran’s hand over his comments accusing Israel of genocide. According to the rapper, Sheeran told him that Kraft called him directly last Monday, in the midst of media attention over remarks Macklemore made at MetLife Stadium alongside Pink.
“Ed told me that Kraft said I would not be allowed to perform in his stadium… Ed also told me that Kraft had rallied some of the other stadium owners and collectively they gave him an ultimatum: if Macklemore stays on the tour, you will not be allowed to play in our venues.”
Kraft, in his own statement, said his decision had nothing to do with Palestinian suffering and everything to do with statements and images he described as “deeply offensive” and “hurtful to the Jewish community.”
“This decision is not about diminishing the suffering of innocent Palestinians or denying anyone the right to advocate on their behalf. Their pain and loss are real.”
But Kraft drew a hard line on how that advocacy is expressed, saying it cannot come at the expense of the Jewish community or erase the role of Hamas.
“That advocacy should not come at the expense of the Jewish community or obscure the responsibility of Hamas, a United States and globally… designated terrorist organization whose horrific actions have caused immeasurable suffering for Palestinians and Israelis alike.”
Kraft said he agrees with Macklemore that too many lives have been lost and too much suffering has occurred, but accused him of a one-sided account of the conflict.
“Only sharing selective information and ignoring the actions of Hamas is not honest and only advances more divisiveness and hate.”
The dispute stems from the Gillette Stadium stop on Ed Sheeran’s tour, a venue owned by the Kraft Group.
